#21 Kaden Wetjen Season 2024-25

Hawk Items -- Has returned 52 punts for 929 yards (17.9 per punt avg.) and four touchdowns, and 52 kickoffs for 1,418 yards (27.3 yards per kickoff avg.) and two touchdowns, caught 23 passes for 197 yards (long of 33 yards) and one touchdown, and rushed 19 times for 148 yards (7.8 yards per carry avg.) and two touchdowns... the punt average (17.9) ranks first, the kickoff return average (29.7) ranks third, and the total punt return yards (929) rank 10th in Big Ten history... only player in program history to score a rushing, receiving, kickoff return, and punt return touchdown in the same season... has six returns for touchdowns (four punts, two kickoffs) which is a school record... the two kickoff returns for touchdowns ties for first and the four punt returns for touchdowns ties for second in program history (Tim Dwight, 5)... is tied for first in Big Ten single-season history with three punt return TDs (2025) and third in league history for career punt return touchdowns (4)... one of two players in school history with three 80+ yard return touchdowns (Tim Dwight)... has six career games with 100+ return yards... set Iowa single-season record for punt return yards (538-2025)... returned four punts for 182 yards, including a career-high long return of 95 yards for a touchdown, in 47-7 win over UMass in 2025... the long return ties an Iowa and Big Ten record, and is the longest return in Kinnick Stadium history... the 182 punt return yards ranks fourth in Big Ten single-game history... returned the opening kickoff in 38-28 win at Rutgers 100 yards for a touchdown to tie a school and Big Ten record... it was the sixth 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in program history and the second of his career... is the second Hawkeye to return an opening kickoff for a touchdown (C.J. Jones vs. USC, 2003)... it was also the 45th 100-yard kickoff return in Big Ten history and the 25th in a league game (first since 2023).

2025 Honors -- Jet Award finalist... The Sporting News midseason first-team All-American... two-time Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week for his performance vs. UMass (9/13) and Michigan State (11/22)... named Big Ten Co-Special Teams Players of the Week for his performance at Rutgers (9/19)... UI September Male Student-Athlete of the Month... Phil Steele and Sporting News preseason second-team All-American at return specialist... Athlon preseason second-team All-American punt returner and third-team All-American kickoff returner... Athlon and Phil Steele preseason first-team All-Big Ten at return specialist... 2025 -- Played in all 11 games, starting at wide receiver four times... has returned 19 punts for 538 yards (long of 95 yards) and three touchdowns, 12 kickoffs for 356 yards (long of 100 yards) and one touchdown, caught 20 passes for 151 yards (long of 28 yards) and one touchdown, and rushed 11 times for 75 yards (long of 21 yards) and two touchdowns on the season... only player in program history and the nation (since 2009) to score a rushing, receiving, kickoff return, and punt return touchdown in the same season... only player in Big Ten history to have three punt return touchdowns and one kickoff return touchdown in the same season... leads the nation in combined kick return yards (894-356 kickoff, 538 punt)... leads the Big Ten and the nation in punt return average (28.3 yards) and punt return touchdowns (3)... the 28.3-yard punt return average is a Big Ten single-season record and the three punt return touchdowns are tied for third-most in a single season in Big Ten history... leads the Big Ten and ranks fourth in the nation in kickoff return touchdowns (1)... ranks second in the Big Ten in kickoff return average (29.7 yards)... the 538 punt return yards is a school record... returned four punts for 182 yards, including a career-high long return of 95 yards for a touchdown, in 47-7 win over UMass... the long return ties an Iowa and Big Ten record, and is the longest return in Kinnick Stadium history... the 182 punt return yards ranks fourth in Big Ten single-game history... also rushed once for 20 yards and one touchdown, and returned one kickoff for 34 yards vs. UMass... returned the opening kickoff in 38-28 win at Rutgers 100 yards for a touchdown to tie a school and Big Ten record... it was the sixth 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in program history and the second of his career... he is the second Hawkeye to return an opening kickoff for a touchdown (C.J. Jones vs. USC, 2003)... it was also the 45th 100-yard kickoff return in Big Ten history and the 25th in a league game (first since 2023)... returned two kickoffs for 124 yards and one punt for 43 yards, and caught two passes for 20 yards at Rutgers... returned three punts for 147 yards, including a 62-yard return for a touchdown - his fourth of the season, and one kickoff for 18 yards in 20-17 win over Michigan State... caught a career-high four passes for 29 yards (long of 19 yards) and returned one punt for 17 yards in 15-20 loss to #11/12 Indiana... returned four punts for 80 yards, including a long of 50 yards that resulted in his second punt return touchdown of the season in 41-3 win over Minnesota... led team in receiving with three catches for a career-high 49 yards (long of 28 yards) and rushed once for eight yards vs. Minnesota... rushed a career-high three times for seven yards (long of eight yards) and one touchdown, caught two passes for 21 yards (long of 12 yards), returned one kickoff for 26 yards, and returned one punt for 25 yards in 25-24 win over Penn State.

2024 Honors -- FWAA and Phil Steele first-team All-America... Sporting News second-team All-America... Rodgers-Dwight Return Specialist of the Year... first-team All-Big Ten (coaches; media)... AP and Phil Steele first-team All-Big Ten... Jet Award winner... Burlsworth Trophy semifinalist... Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week for his performance vs. Northwestern... Reggie Roby Special Teams Award, overall... Brett Greenwood Award... UI December Male Athlete of the Month... 2024 -- Played in all 13 games, earning one start at wide receiver... had 26 punt returns for 328 yards (12.6 yards per return avg.), with a long of 85 yards and one touchdown, and 26 kickoff returns for 727 yards (28.0 yards per return avg.), with a long of 100 yards this season...  led the Big Ten and nation with 1,055 combined kick return yards... led the Big Ten and ranked fourth in the nation in punt returns for a touchdown (1)... led the Big Ten and ranked fifth in the nation in kickoff returns for a touchdown (1)... his 28.1 yards per kickoff return led the Big Ten and ranked fifth in the nation... his 12.6 yards per punt return ranks third in the Big Ten and ninth 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 three kickoffs for a career-high 151 yards, including a career-high long of 100 yards for a touchdown in 24-27 Music City Bowl loss to Missouri... became the fifth Hawkeye to return a kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown, which is a school record... also caught a career-high two passes for 13 yards (long of nine yards) and returned one kickoff for 16 yards vs. Missouri... returned four punts for a career-high 111 yards, including a season-high long of 85 yards for a touchdown, in 40-14 win over Northwestern... that 85-yard punt return is the eighth-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 145 yards (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 two kickoffs for 56 yards (long of 32 yards) and one punt for 25 yards in 13-10 win over Nebraska... 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... letterwinner.

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 student… 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.