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Iowa football: Mid-season MVP awards for the Hawkeyes

By Andrew Wade

IOWA CITY, IOWA- NOVEMBER 18: Wide receiver Ihmir Smith-Marsette #6 of the Iowa Hawkeyes runs back a punt return during the fourth quarter against the Purdue Boilermakers on November 18, 2017 at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa. (Photo by Matthew Holst/Getty Images)
IOWA CITY, IOWA- NOVEMBER 18: Wide receiver Ihmir Smith-Marsette #6 of the Iowa Hawkeyes runs back a punt return during the fourth quarter against the Purdue Boilermakers on November 18, 2017 at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa. (Photo by Matthew Holst/Getty Images) /
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MINNEAPOLIS, MN – OCTOBER 06: Chris Williamson #6 of the Minnesota Golden Gophers pulls Ihmir Smith-Marsette #6 of the Iowa Hawkeyes out of bounds during the first quarter of the game on October 6, 2018 at TCF Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – OCTOBER 06: Chris Williamson #6 of the Minnesota Golden Gophers pulls Ihmir Smith-Marsette #6 of the Iowa Hawkeyes out of bounds during the first quarter of the game on October 6, 2018 at TCF Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) /

Special Teams MVP: Ihmir Smith-Marsette

This is undoubtedly recency bias from the Indiana game, but did you see Ihmir Smith-Marsette’s kick return? I would have no problem arguing that he is the most dynamic returner in the Kirk Ferentz era save for Kevin Kasper.

Also, a few good special teams plays will go along way considering this unit has been arguably the Iowa football team’s weakest phase through six games. As we can all unfortunately remember, special team woes potentially cost them the game against Wisconsin. Furthermore, senior kicker Miguel Recinos struggled to begin the season and is currently hitting 70% of his field goal attempts on ten attempts.

This leaves the sophomore speedster from New Jersey who has shown quite a few flashes once the ball gets in his hands. With five returns to his name, Smith-Marsette is averaging 37.4 yards per return which is tops in the nation.

Not only is he fast, he’s got a ton of playmaking traits in his blood. Against Indiana, he broke off a kickoff return for 60 yards which included him hurdling the Indiana kicker (video can be found here or see the picture above).

It’s only a matter of time before he can take one all the way to the house.

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