Iowa football: Studs and duds from week 5 victory over MTSU

IOWA CITY, IOWA- SEPTEMBER 28: Defensive back Dane Belton #4 and linebacker Barrington Wade #35 of the Iowa Hawkeyes combine for a tackle during the second half on running back Jayy McDonald #21 of the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders on September 28, 2019 at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa. (Photo by Matthew Holst/Getty Images)
IOWA CITY, IOWA- SEPTEMBER 28: Defensive back Dane Belton #4 and linebacker Barrington Wade #35 of the Iowa Hawkeyes combine for a tackle during the second half on running back Jayy McDonald #21 of the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders on September 28, 2019 at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa. (Photo by Matthew Holst/Getty Images)
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IOWA CITY, IOWA- SEPTEMBER 28: Defensive tackle Daviyon Nixon #54 of the Iowa Hawkeyes makes a sack during the first half on quarterback Asher OHara #10 of the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders on September 28, 2019 at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa. (Photo by Matthew Holst/Getty Images)
IOWA CITY, IOWA- SEPTEMBER 28: Defensive tackle Daviyon Nixon #54 of the Iowa Hawkeyes makes a sack during the first half on quarterback Asher OHara #10 of the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders on September 28, 2019 at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa. (Photo by Matthew Holst/Getty Images)

Stud: Daviyon Nixon

We finally saw signs of life from someone on the Iowa football team’s defensive line not named AJ Epenesa.

Considering its Daviyon Nixon, that’s quite a turnaround from earlier this year when the defensive tackle was considering transferring.

Nixon lived in the Blue Raiders backfield all morning and afternoon and made Asher O’Hara’s life miserable as he collected seven tackles, 2.5 of which were for a loss, and one sack. The seven tackles more than doubled his total career tackles, and that was just in a days work.

With Brady Reiff still out with a leg injury (for now at least), it is huge to see the next man up make waves for the Iowa football team especially with Michigan and a relatively mobile Shea Patterson looming in next week’s showdown.