Iowa football: Three players who stood out in the win over Iowa State

Honorable Mention

The better question is who doesn’t deserve honorable mention on the defensive side of the ball?

Amani Hooker had himself a heck of a game registering seven tackles and constantly being in the right position at the right time. As a safety, he was all over the field, and could be jumping on the screen of NFL scouts with his back to back performances.

Opposite of Ojemudia, Matt Hankins was fantastic. His open field tackling was just as impressive as Ojemudia. With the Cyclones threatening to score in the 1^st quarter, Hankins managed to take down the Iowa State tight end in space, which is no easy thing to do considering the size differential.

At linebacker, Jack Hockaday and Djimon Colbert both had outstanding performances.

Finally, on the defensive line, this veteran group of players continued to put the fear into offensive lineman as they tormented Iowa State’s inexperienced group of lineman all day. They finished with four sacks collectively and one QB hurry.

I don’t want to say it too early until we see how this team fares against stiffer competition in the Big Ten, but the defense is looking real good. This defense could help Iowa contend for a Big Ten West title.