#21 Kaden Wetjen Season 2023-24

2024 Honors – – Jet Award finalist… Burlsworth Trophy semifinalist… Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week for his performance vs. Northwestern… 2024 – – Played in all 11 games… has 24 punt returns for 287 yards (12.0 yards per return avg.), with a long of 85 yards and one touchdown, and 21 kickoff returns for 520 yards (24.8 yards per return avg.), with a long of 39 yards this season… leads the Big Ten and nation with 807 combined kick return yards… leads the Big Ten and ranks second in the nation in punt returns for a touchdown (1)… his 24.8 yards per kickoff return ranks second in the Big Ten and 14th in the nation… his 12.0 yards per punt return ranks fourth in the Big Ten and 12th in the nation… had three straight games (Washington, Minnesota, Northwestern) with 100+ combined return yards, which is a first by a Hawkeye since at least 1978… returned four punts for a career-high 111 yards, including a career-high long of 85 yards for a touchdown, in 40-14 win over Northwestern… that 85-yard punt return is the seventh-longest in school history… also returned three kickoffs for 65 yards (long of 23 yards) vs. Northwestern… returned a career-high five kickoffs for a career-high 145 yards (career-high long of 39 yards), and rushed once for nine yards in 20-32 loss at Michigan State… returned five punts for 51 yards (long of 23 yards) in season-opening 40-0 shutout of Illinois State… returned four kickoffs for 93 yards (long of 26 yards) and one punt for 37 yards in 40-16 win over Washington… also rushed once for 11 yards vs. Washington… returned three punts for 32 yards (long of 19 yards) and two kickoffs for 55 yards (long of 34 yards) in 19-20 loss to Iowa State… returned three punts for 16 yards (long of 8 yards) and two kickoffs for 40 yards (long of 20 yards) in 29-13 win at Maryland… returned three punts for 20 yards (long of 11 yards) and one kickoff for 23 yards, and rushed one time for six yards in 31-14 win at Minnesota… returned one kickoff for 23 yards and rushed once for seven yards in 42-10 win over Wisconsin… returned one punt for 12 yards and one kickoff for 19 yards in 7-35 loss at #3/3 Ohio State… returned one kickoff for 25 yards and one punt for 13 yards in 17-20 loss at UCLA… returned one kickoff for 32 yards and caught his first career pass for 33 yards in 38-21 win over Troy.

2023 Honors – – National Football Foundation Hampshire Honor Society inductee… Academic All-Big Ten… Next Man in Award, special teams… 2023 – – Played in all 14 games… led team in kickoff returns, with 14 for 335 yards (23.9 yard avg.)… the 23.9 yard avg. ranked fourth in the Big Ten… rushed three times for 22 yards, including one for 13 yards that set up Iowa’s third touchdown of the game, in season-opening 24-14 win over Utah State… returned three kickoffs for 85 yards, with a long of 35 yards, in 41-10 win over Western Michigan… returned two kickoffs for 54 yards (long of 28 yards) and two punts for 34 yards (long of 21 yards) in 26-0 loss to Michigan… returned two kickoffs for 23 yards (long of 21 yards) and two punts for 19 yards (long of 17 yards) in 15-13 win over Illinois… returned two kickoffs for 58 yards (long of 29 yards) in 15-6 win at Wisconsin… returned two punts for 11 yards (long of eight yards) and one kickoff for 25 yards in 13-10 win at Nebraska… returned one kickoff for 24 yards in 10-7 win at Northwestern, one kickoff for 25 yards in 12-10 loss vs. Minnesota, one kickoff for 15 yards in 20-13 win at Iowa State, and one kickoff for 23 yards in 35-0 loss to Tennessee… letterwinner.

2022 Honors – – Dean’s List student (2023 spring)… 2022 – – Did not see any game action.

2021 – – Helped Iowa Western Community College reach NJCAA national championship game, including overtime win in national semifinal contest, while posting 10-1 overall record… totaled 952 all-purpose yards with three touchdowns… 18 receptions for 304 yards and one touchdown, with a long of 41 yards… five rushing attempts for 60 yards, with a long of 37 yards… 31 punt returns for 459 yards and two touchdowns, with a long of 72 yards… 129 yards on seven kickoff returns… two punts returns for 38 yards and one reception for 37 yards in national semifinal contest… one reception for 18 yards, four kickoff returns for 84 yards and two punt returns for two yards in championship game loss.

 

High School honors – – Earned all-state and all-conference honors as a senior running back… earned all-state and all-conference honors as a junior wide receiver… earned all-state and all-conference honors as a sophomore defensive back… earned academic all-conference recognition… Career – – Three-year football letterman as running back, wide receiver and defensive back… helped prep team post three-year record of 28-11 while reaching state playoffs four straight years… scored 31 touchdowns as a senior, with six interceptions on defense… scored 13 touchdowns as a junior, with six interceptions on defense… scored four touchdowns and recorded seven interceptions as a sophomore… team captain as a senior… member of prep track team that claimed state championship.

Personal – – Born 3/9/2002 in Iowa City… CLAS non-degree major… earned a bachelor’s degree in enterprise leadership… parents are Lindsay and Lee Wetjen… high school coach was Curt Ritchie… community college coach was Scott Strohmeier.