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Kaden Wetjen honored for the third time this season

On3 imageby: Tom Kakert11/24/25HawkeyeReport

For the third time this season and the fourth time in his Iowa career, Kaden Wetjen has been named Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week.

In his final game at Kinnick Stadium this past Saturday, the senior from Williamsburg, IA put on another amazing display in the return game, accounting for 147 return yards in the Hawkeyes heart-pounding 20-17 come from behind win over Michigan State.

In the first quarter, Wetjen nearly broke a return for a score before actually breaking one in his next opportunity. Wetjen returned a punt 45 yards and was pushed out of bounds by the Michigan State punter.

On his next return, there would be no stopping the electric Iowa return man. He weaved in and out of traffic on his way to a 62 yard touchdown late in the first quarter to give Iowa a 7-0 lead. With that return, Wetjen now has six retuned punts and kickoffs for scores. That passes Tim Dwight’s school record of five that he set back in 1997. He also has three returns for scores this year.

Later in the game in the fourth period, Wetjen broke another long return that helped to set-up a score for the Hawkeyes. With Iowa trailing 17-10 and just under three minutes remaining in the game, Wetjen broke a 40 yard return to set up the Iowa offense at the Michigan State 42 yard line. Five plays later, Mark Gronowski found Jacob Gill for a 13 yard touchdown to tie the game at 17.

Earlier this season, Wetjen was named Big Ten Player of the Week in back to back occasions. The first was against UMASS when he returned a punt 95 yards for a score and had 216 yards in the return game. Then the following week, Wetjen returned a kickoff 100 yards for a score against Rutgers.

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