Iowa Football: Deserving Josh Jackson Not Named Jim Thorpe Winner
By Joe Favia
The national media outlets are lining up to hand out first team All-American honors to Hawkeyes Josey Jewell and Josh Jackson after their stellar 2017. But, at the College Football Awards Jackson was not given the Jim Thorpe Award.
The junior corner back exploded onto the scene in his first season as the starting cornerback for Iowa after seasons behind Desmond King (Chargers) and Greg Mabin (49ers). Jackson led all major college football with 7 interceptions on the year. His 18 pass deflections were also second in the country behind Wisconsin’s Nick Nelson.
Many thought Iowa would be seeing their second winner of the Jim Thorpe Award in three seasons, after Desmond King’s win in 2015. But, it wasn’t to be.
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Potential top ten NFL prospect Minkah Fitzpatrick took home the honor despite only having one interception on the 2017 campaign. The junior Alabama from also took home the Chuck Bednarik Award.
Jackson still has a bowl game if he inclined to play. The recent trend has some top picks bypassing bowl games a la Leonard Fournette and Christian McCaffrey. Jackson is projected by most draft experts to be a first round pick. Some even has him as the top cornerback talent available. Iowa fans most certainly want him to play to end a horrible bowl losing streak that has encompassed this decade.
Although Jackson and Josey Jewell were wrongfully not selected as the winners as their respective positions nationally (both won the awards for best in the Big Ten), Iowa did not leave the award ceremony empty handed.
The newest and greatest tradition in college sports, the wave after the first quarter to the Stead UI Childrens Hospital was honored with the Disney Spirit Award. No award could be more meaningful than the touching show of appreciation for the kids and families right next to Kinnick Stadium.
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