Deshaun Lee's emergence for Iowa football driven by mother: 'The strongest woman I know'
Tyler TachmanDes Moines Register
Sep 7, 2023
IOWA CITY — Days before Iowa’s 2023 season opener against Utah State, Deshaun Lee made a FaceTime call.
He had news to share with his mother, Passion Lewis.
Entering Week 1, there was some uncertainty surrounding Iowa’s defensive secondary. Riley Moss, a standout defensive back for the Hawkeyes, moved on from the program during the offseason. That left an open cornerback spot for 2023, one likely to see a considerable amount of action given it would be opposite of preseason All-American Cooper DeJean.
But circumstances became more complicated. Jermari Harris, expected to fill that role, is serving a two-game suspension related to the state's sports gambling investigation. Iowa’s defense would have to turn to someone inexperienced at the college level, at least to begin the season.
That is why Lee, a redshirt freshman, FaceTimed his mother.
Lee asked: What’s going on, Ma?
Nothing, what are you doing? she responded.
Lee delivered the news: Your boy’s starting.
Lewis didn’t quite understand.
Lee said again: Ma, your boys starting.
“And I’m like aaaaaahhhhhh my God whaaaaaaat,” Lewis recalled.
This moment was not the beginning nor the end but rather a coronation in the journey of a mother’s determination, a son’s will to repay her, and a relationship bound by both blood and love.
“Really just the strongest woman I know,” Lee said. “Just real loving, caring, strong woman, independent. Just a great, great mom.”
The path to Iowa
Early stories of Lee and his mother include a diaper chase and a noodle incident. Needless to say, Lee was an energetic young kid.When Lee was 1, Lewis made Ramen noodles in a microwave. She set it on a paper towel on a table. But Lee pulled the paper towel from under it and the noodles fell on his arm. He was rushed to the hospital and admitted to the burn unit.
When he was about 2, Lee, wearing a diaper, opened a house door and ran down the street. His mother chased him.
While she cared for her son, Lewis wasn’t far removed from being a kid herself. Lewis was 16 when Lee was born. But she still graduated high school. She then juggled being a mom, attending community college and working a job in home health care, where she assisted a quadriplegic. If she worked the night shift, it was 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. With help from a strong support system, she created opportunities for Lee and graduated from community college with an associate's degree in science.
“I really have sacrificed a lot,” Lewis said. “But I look at it like it’s no sacrifice because when you’re a parent, this is the stuff you’re supposed to do. I don’t necessarily look to be congratulated for the things that I’m supposed to do.”
Over the years, the bond between mother and son became tight. They traveled and talked on FaceTime. They love Christmas time and enjoy watching the movie "Home Alone." At halftime of his football games, Lewis used to breathe positivity into her son, letting him know he was loved.
Football has brought great memories, though it wasn’t necessarily that way early on. When Lee started playing tackle football, he wasn’t fond of the sport. For one reason or another, a “very skinny, very scrawny" kid, Lewis said, was put on the line of scrimmage. Lee cried when he was dropped off at practice.
Not long after, though, Lee made a position change and the game grew on him. Eventually, he started as a freshman at Belleville High School in Michigan and went on to become a star. He helped lead Belleville to a state championship during his senior year. Lee drew attention from colleges but not necessarily a long list of powerhouses. His recruiting process might have been hindered because of surgery he underwent early in his high school career.
In early 2022, during Lee’s senior year of high school, he visited Iowa.
“Momma, if they offer me, I’m going here,” Lewis recalls Lee telling her. “I’m going here. I’m going here.”
The night before they left, Lewis found out Iowa was going to offer her son. But she wasn’t allowed to tell him yet.
“You have to understand, when (Iowa defensive coordinator) Phil (Parker) is involved in recruiting a guy, it's really hard to follow the timeline or the logic line,” Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said lightheartedly. “He's got his ways. I can't explain it to you. But he's right a lot more than he's wrong. Instead of just offering a guy, it's usually very cryptic. You have to go 43 steps … I'm not sure I fully understand his path to getting there, but at least we get there. That's a good thing. Deshaun is a great young guy.”
The following day, while sitting down and eating a meal, he finally found out Iowa was offering him. He committed on the spot.
He hugged his mother tight.
Lee told her: Momma, this is for you. We’re going to make it.
on signing day, when he officially became a Hawkeye
Deshaun and his mother, Passion Lewis, at this high school graduation in Michigan
'Maybe as good a story as there was today'
Lee, standing in front of reporters following Iowa’s 24-14 win over Utah State last Saturday, was a man of few words.On having the ball thrown his way early during Iowa's first defensive possesion, Lee said: “I’m happy they did. It woke me up a little bit.”
On what would've been an interception but was called back because of a penalty, Lee said: “I wasn’t really too worried about it. I was focused on the next play. As long as we got the win, that’s all I really care about.”
On what he did well during fall training camp to earn this position, Lee said: “Just doing my job. And when the ball is in my area just go get it and make a play at the point of attack. That’s really it.”
This is where Lee’s personality differs from his mother’s.
“She’s more outspoken and he’s just more laid-back,” Lee’s uncle, Darrieus Lewis, said. “When opportunity arises for her to talk about him and build up him, she’s gonna do that. He’ll sit back and just act like nothing happened.”
In other ways, they are similar. A few years ago, Lee and Lewis were at her sister’s house for Thanksgiving. They took leftovers with them. But as they came off the freeway, there were two people standing there. Lee asked his mother if they could give them the leftover food. And so they did.
Prioritizing other people’s needs is something Lee learned from his mother. In 2022, Lee struggled during his first fall camp at Iowa. He went from being the king of the hill in high school to simply trying to learn the playbook at Iowa. Making mistakes took a toll on him.
“I’d just give her a call and she’d just tell me it’s gonna be all right, just keep going, keep pushing, keep working day by day,” Lee said.
Last season, Lee redshirted and didn't see game action. But opportunity came early this season. He flashed potential at the Kids’ Day at Kinnick open practice with two interceptions. Then, given the circumstances in the secondary, he started against Utah State, marking his first college action. There is room to grow, but Lee did an admirable job, holding down that defensive back spot and finishing third on the team in total tackles. He did it front of his mother, who was at Kinnick Stadium for the game.
Ferentz said postgame of Lee: “Maybe as good a story as there was today.”
As much as Lee has learned from Lewis, she has also learned from watching him during his journey at Iowa.
“My son has taught me patience,” Lewis said “… I’m more so like on the go, on the go like all the time. I always got something going on. But like even with him being in college, with us having to wait this whole first year to play … The fact that he was OK with it. Man, OK, I got to wait my turn, I got to wait my turn.”
But the stakes will get higher. Iowa goes on the road to Iowa State on Saturday for a rivalry matchup in a hostile environment. With Harris out, Lee will likely be relied upon for the second consecutive week.
For this challenge, Lee can take after his mother again.
“Always gonna find a way no matter what it is,” Lee said of his mother. “Always going to find a solution. Get it done."
Follow Tyler Tachman on Twitter @Tyler_T15, contact via email at ttachman@gannett.com
Deshaun Lee's emergence for Iowa football driven by mother: 'The strongest woman I know'
Behind Deshaun Lee's ascent for Iowa football is his relationship with his mother: "Really just the strongest woman I know."
www.hawkcentral.com
