#3 Cooper DeJean Season 2021-22

Hawk Item – – Set single season record with three interception return touchdowns in 2022… tied career record with three interception return touchdowns.

2023 Honors – – Unanimous consensus All-American… first-team All-America by AFCA, FWAA, The Athletic, CBS, Phil Steele, Sports Illustrated (return specialist), Walter Camp, Associated Press, and Sporting News… midseason first team All-American by Associated Press, The Athletic, ESPN, and FOX… Bronko Nagurski Trophy and Jim Thorpe Award finalist… Bednarik Award and Lott IMPACT Trophy semifinalist… Tatum-Woodson Big Ten Defensive Back of the Year and Rodgers-Dwight Big Ten Return Specialist of the Year… first-team All-Big Ten (defense and return specialist) by league coaches and media… Phil Steele first-team All-Big Ten (DB/PR)… named Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week and was a Lott IMPACT Trophy Player of the Week nominee (10/2) for his 70-yard punt return for a touchdown vs. Michigan State… preseason first-team All-American by Associated Press… preseason second-team All-America by Athlon Sports, Phil Steele, and Sporting News… preseason first-team All-Big Ten by Athlon Sports, Phil Steele, and Pro Football Focus… preseason second-team All-Big Ten special teals by Athlon Sports… named to Nagurski, Hornung, Jim Thorpe Award preseason Watch Lists… Roy Carver Most Valuable Player, defense; Hayden Fry “Extra Heartbeat” Award, defense; Reggie Roby Special Teams Award, overall; Coaches Appreciation Award, defense… one of six juniors names to 2023 Player Council… 2023 – – Started at cornerback in first 10 games, before suffering a season-ending injury in practice… recorded 41 tackles (26 solo, 15 assists), including two tackles for a loss of 41 yards), two interceptions for 41 yards, five pass break-ups, and returned 21 punts for 241 yards (11.5 yards per return avg.) with one touchdown and a long return of 70 yards on the season… ranked second in the Big Ten with 21 punt returns for 240 yards and an 11.5 yard per game average… had six tackles (four solo, two assists), his sixth career interception, and returned a punt 70 yards for a game-winning touchdown in 26-16 win over Michigan State… led team with 10 tackles (six solo, four assists), including half a tackle for a loss of two years, and one pass break-up in 20-13 win at Iowa State… it was his third career game of tallying 10+ tackles… recorded seven tackles (four solo, three assists) in season-opening 24-14 win over Utah State… returned five punts for 77 yards, with a long of 28 yards, and collect two tackles (one solo, one assist) in 41-10 win over Western Michigan… returned two punts for a total of three yards vs. Utah State and two punts for a total five yards at Iowa State… collected five tackles (four solo, one assist) and returned two punts for a total of 15 yards in 31-0 loss at Penn State… collected three tackles (two solo, one assist), one pass break-up and his seventh career interception (41-yard return) in 20-14 win over Purdue… had three tackles (two solo, one assist), including 0.5 tackles for a loss of one yard, and one pass break-up in 10-7 win at Northwestern… also rushed once for four yards and returned two punts for 17 yards (12-yard long) at Northwestern… collected three tackles (two solo, one assist), including a tackle for a loss of two yards, and one pass break-up in 15-6 win at Wisconsin… returned two punts for six yards (long of four yards) at Wisconsin… returned three punts for 45 yards (long of 25 yards) vs. Purdue… letterwinner.

2022 Honors – – Music City Bowl Most Valuable Player… Reggie Roby Special Teams Award, overall… Team Hustle Award, defense… named first-team All-Big Ten by league media… named second-team All-Big Ten by league coaches… Rose Bowl Game Defensive Player of the Week vs. Wisconsin… one of five sophomores named to Player Council… 2022 – – Played in all 13 games, starting 10 at cornerback and three at leo/cash position… tallied 75 tackles (56 solo, 19 assists), including three for a loss of five yards, snagged five interceptions for 91 yards and three touchdowns, and recorded eight pass breakups… the five interceptions led the team, the eight pass break ups ranked second and the 75 tackles ranked third… his five interceptions ranked second in the Big Ten and 11th in the nation… set Iowa single season record and tied career record with three interception return touchdowns… posted a career-best 11 tackles in 10-7 loss to Iowa State (six solo, five assists), recording first career interception and two pass break-ups… recorded 10 tackles in 24-10 win over Wisconsin (seven solo, three assists), with one tackle for loss… fourth interception of the season vs. Wisconsin, returned 32 yards for second touchdown of the season… career best in punt returns, with four returns for 81 yards, including a 41-yard return that led to Iowa’s final touchdown… posted seven tackles in 21-0 Music City Bowl win over Kentucky (six solo, one assist)… recorded third touchdown of the season with a 14-yard interception return in the second quarter… three punt returns for 42 yards, with a long of 34 yards while earning game MVP honors… tallied seven tackles in 27-10 win at Rutgers (five solo, two assists)… snatched third interception of the season and 45-yard touchdown return for first career touchdown… also had one pass break-up… had seven solo tackles in 13-10 win at Minnesota, including one tackle for loss… two punt returns for 24 yards at Minnesota, with a long of 16 yards… collected seven tackles in 27-14 loss to #4 Michigan (five solo, two assists)… recorded one solo tackle on first defensive series in 24-17 loss to Nebraska before being injured and missing remainder of the game… letterwinner.

2021 Honors – – Next Man In Award, special teams… 2021 – – Saw action in seven games, starting at strong safety in 28-21 win at Nebraska… tallied four tackles (three solo, one assist)… first action of career in 27-7 loss at Wisconsin, returning kickoff for 20 yards… posted one solo tackle and one assisted tackle in 33-23 win over Illinois for first career defensive statistics… recording one solo tackle in 42-3 loss to #2 Michigan and in 20-17 Citrus Bowl loss to #22 Kentucky… letterwinner.

 

High school honors – – Named to Des Moines Register Elite All-State team as a senior… earned first-team all-state and all-district honors as a senior… first-team all-state and all-district as a junior, earning district MVP honors… first-team all-state and all-district as a sophomore… Career – – Four-year football letterman as quarterback and defensive back… team posted four-year record of 38-6, including 25-0 mark in final two seasons… led prep team to back-to-back state championships as a junior and senior after making the playoffs as a sophomore… holds school records for pass completions and passing yards in a season, career passing yards and passing touchdowns, receptions in a game, receptions and receiving yards in a season, touchdown receptions in a career, and total yards in a season… scored winning touchdown in final minutes of state title game as a senior… completed 199-of-331 pass attempts for 3,447 yards and 35 touchdowns as a senior, with nine interceptions… also rushed 131 times for 1,235 yards and 24 touchdowns and recorded 53.5 tackles and three interceptions on defense… as a junior completed 236-of-396 pass attempts for 3,546 yards and 42 touchdowns, with 16 interceptions, while rushing 134 times for 1,292 yards and 24 touchdowns and collecting 34 tackles and five interceptions… collected 66 receptions for 1,023 yards and 12 touchdowns as a sophomore… team captain as sophomore, junior and senior… also lettered in baseball (3), basketball (3) and track (3)… Class 2A long jump (23-7.5) and 100-meter dash (11.16) state champion as a senior, while placing second in the 200-meter dash (22.12) and running a leg on 400-meter state championship relay.

Personal – – Born 2/9/2003 in Sioux Falls, S.D…. sports and recreational management major… member of prep Honor Roll… parents are Katie and Jason DeJean… high school coach was Larry Allen.