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Iowa football: Top five wide receivers in Kirk Ferentz era

By Andrew Wade

IOWA CITY, IA - OCTOBER 30- Wide receiver Marvin McNutt #7 of the University of Iowa Hawkeyes drives the ball into the end zone for a touch down during the second half of play against the Michigan State Spartans at Kinnick Stadium on October 30, 2010 in Iowa City, Iowa. Iowa won 37-6 over Michigan State. (Photo by David Purdy/Getty Images)
IOWA CITY, IA - OCTOBER 30- Wide receiver Marvin McNutt #7 of the University of Iowa Hawkeyes drives the ball into the end zone for a touch down during the second half of play against the Michigan State Spartans at Kinnick Stadium on October 30, 2010 in Iowa City, Iowa. Iowa won 37-6 over Michigan State. (Photo by David Purdy/Getty Images) /
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IOWA CITY, IA – OCTOBER 30: Wide reciver Derrell Johnson-Koulianos #15 of the University of Iowa Hawkeyes runs the ball past defensive end Colin Neely #89 of the Michigan State Spartans during the first half of play at Kinnick Stadium on October 30, 2010 in Iowa City, Iowa. Iowa won 37-6 over Michigan State. (Photo by David Purdy/Getty Images)
IOWA CITY, IA – OCTOBER 30: Wide reciver Derrell Johnson-Koulianos #15 of the University of Iowa Hawkeyes runs the ball past defensive end Colin Neely #89 of the Michigan State Spartans during the first half of play at Kinnick Stadium on October 30, 2010 in Iowa City, Iowa. Iowa won 37-6 over Michigan State. (Photo by David Purdy/Getty Images) /

3. Derrell Johnson-Koulianos

The controversial Derrell Johnson-Koulianos was quite the entertainer on the field, and he was a key contributor on the Iowa football team’s 2010 Orange Bowl championship team.

After redshirting his first season in Iowa City, Johnson-Koulianos busted out for 38 catches and 482 yards in his redshirt freshman season despite playing with the much maligned Jake Christenson.

He would continue to build off his freshman season posting higher catch totals in every season he spent with the Iowa football team. During his sophomore campaign, he reeled in 44 catches for 639 yards and three touchdowns. His junior year saw him add one more reception and 111 more yards than the year before, helping the Iowa football team go 11-2 and win the Orange Bowl.

Heading into his senior season, Johnson-Koulianos was beginning to receive a lot of hype. Fresh off receiving Second Team All-Big Ten honors, Johnson-Koulianos (often referred to as DJK) was listed on many preseason watch lists including the famed Belitnikoff Award watch list given to the nation’s best wide receiver.

DJK would not disappoint. He would go on to catch 46 passes for 745 yards and ten touchdowns. Those ten touchdowns were three more than his first three seasons combined. Moreover, he had a fantastic season as a kick returner, returning 17 kick for 498  yards and a 29.3 yard per return average.

His outstanding senior year would culminate in First Team All-Big Ten honors and the Iowa football record for receiving yards (2,616) and catches (173) in a career. Both of these records, however, would fall just a few years later.

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