Jewell of the Nile
Kinnick Stadium was different Saturday. That’s because No. 43 was one of the 11 regulars on the Hawkeye defense.
A few weeks ago, I ranked Josey Jewell the No. 3 guy the Hawkeyes can’t afford to lose. He’s up to No. 2 on my list now (behind you-know-who), after seeing the middle linebacker’s first full game as a junior.
There was no better play to illustrate Jewell's impact than the second-and-5, first-quarter screen to Allen Lazard. Joel Lanning’s pass hit Lazard at Iowa’s 38-yard line near the right sideline, and Jewell was in coverage, at the 32 on the opposite hash mark.
Relentless, Jewell took off on a determined sprint and dove to disrupt Lazard’s jaunt to the end zone, tripping him up with an ankle tackle at Iowa’s 7: A two-star linebacker making up ground against a high four-star receiver.
Jewell saved a touchdown; Iowa State settled for a field goal. Those were the only points the Cyclones would score in four quarters.
Does Jewell make a difference? Watch him pre-snap: It seems like he knows exactly what play is coming.
Jewell has essentially played three quarters this season (he played only one series in the opener against Miami of Ohio because of a targeting-penalty ejection); Iowa hasn't allowed a TD when he's in there.
Jewell's relentless motor was one of the only silver linings that emerged during the 2015 TaxSlayer Bowl.
“The game was pretty much out of question, second half,” coach Kirk Ferentz said in an understatement. “Just the effort, tenacity that (Jewell) played with in that game, those are things that just indicate, 'Hey, this guy's for real.'"
And probably irreplaceable.
Kinnick Stadium was different Saturday. That’s because No. 43 was one of the 11 regulars on the Hawkeye defense.
A few weeks ago, I ranked Josey Jewell the No. 3 guy the Hawkeyes can’t afford to lose. He’s up to No. 2 on my list now (behind you-know-who), after seeing the middle linebacker’s first full game as a junior.
There was no better play to illustrate Jewell's impact than the second-and-5, first-quarter screen to Allen Lazard. Joel Lanning’s pass hit Lazard at Iowa’s 38-yard line near the right sideline, and Jewell was in coverage, at the 32 on the opposite hash mark.
Relentless, Jewell took off on a determined sprint and dove to disrupt Lazard’s jaunt to the end zone, tripping him up with an ankle tackle at Iowa’s 7: A two-star linebacker making up ground against a high four-star receiver.
Jewell saved a touchdown; Iowa State settled for a field goal. Those were the only points the Cyclones would score in four quarters.
Does Jewell make a difference? Watch him pre-snap: It seems like he knows exactly what play is coming.
Jewell has essentially played three quarters this season (he played only one series in the opener against Miami of Ohio because of a targeting-penalty ejection); Iowa hasn't allowed a TD when he's in there.
Jewell's relentless motor was one of the only silver linings that emerged during the 2015 TaxSlayer Bowl.
“The game was pretty much out of question, second half,” coach Kirk Ferentz said in an understatement. “Just the effort, tenacity that (Jewell) played with in that game, those are things that just indicate, 'Hey, this guy's for real.'"
And probably irreplaceable.
