Is Wetjen This Year's Charlie Jones? Wasted Talent

[DogBoyRy]

The goddamn fair catches inside the 10 yard line were maddening!! One was at the 5!

I think you'd have a better chance of the ball going into the endzone and starting at the 25 rather the 5.

He seems to catch punts that have a good chance to go into the end zone. Did it in indy and again in orlando.

 

[toddhawkwi]

Hopefully he fixes that next year. I'm really excited about Kaden with another year under his belt playing for LW. Yes he can be another Charlie Jones.

 

[SDHawkDoc]

Yes, he wasn't used appropriately as an offensive weapon.
However, that he wasn't used is far down on the list of problems with the Iowa offense.
If the Iowa offense were a house you would level it and rebuild something aesthetically pleasing and functional on the property.

 

[IowasLaw]

Yes, he wasn't used appropriately as an offensive weapon.
However, that he wasn't used is far down on the list of problems with the Iowa offense.
If the Iowa offense were a house you would level it and rebuild something aesthetically pleasing and functional on the property.

The misuse of Wetjen, the quickest player on the team who was targeted 0 times on passes, is a symptom of the problem, not the cause. The cause is a stubborn coaching staff with a huge blind spot in terms of player personnel decisions.

Again, Iowa's 7th string tight end, Johnny Pascuzzi, and reserve fullback Hayden Large (who runs a 5.0 forty) had more receptions than Wetjen. Are we saying these two blockers have better hands than Wetjen? Better speed? If not, why are they catching passes with Wetjen on the bench?

Vines, who was gifted an entire season of Big 10 starting experience, averaged more drops per game than downs Wetjen got to play. He essentially robbed the younger guys of a year's worth of experience and then bolted for the transfer portal. Even the biggest Ferentz homers on earth cannot make that make sense.

 

[INXS83]

Watching Wetjen out there returning kicks with a sizzle we pretty much never see on the Iowa offense, it makes me wonder why guys like 5'6 Ragaini and stone hands Vines played nearly every snap this season while Wetjen, who averaged 27 yards per kick return and 17 yards per punt return vs Michigan, finished the season with ZERO catches or targets.

If you look at the stats, Vines and Ragaini averaged more drops per game than Wetjen had total targets all year. How is that possible? Johnny Pascuzi and Hayden Large had more receptions than the guy. Is Wetjen that bad of a blocker, or did the geniuses coaching Iowa's offense miss another one?

Charlie Jones wasted 2 years of eligibility at Iowa. He had a combined 21 catches for 323 yards. He transfers to a mediocre team with real offensive coaches and somehow managed 110 catches for 1400 yards in just 1 season. Did Charlie suddenly learn how to play WR or was coaching the difference. The same can be said for Kaleb Brown, who had just 1 catch in Iowa's first 9 games...he didn't get to see the field until permanent starter Vines got hurt. Suddenly, Brown had 18 catches in Iowa's final 4 games of the season. Did he suddenly learn to play WR too? It must be that famous WR development Iowa's known for. It's a miracle.

I don't know if Wetjen is a decent WR or not...but based on the speed and moves he displayed on KR and PR (he was pretty close to DeJean's level of play), I'd bet my next paycheck that the difference between Wetjen and guys like Vines or Anderson at WR isn't enough to justify them taking all the snaps and Wetjen taking none.

Kaden will have an expanded roll next year. He might slip into the slot receiver role pretty nicely. Dude has great wheels, not as elusive as Charlie Jones or CDJ, but he's a heat seeking missile when he sees an open lane.

 

[bogfeller]

Wetjen was Iowa’s best threat for a big play. His acceleration was the best on the team and he appeared to be the fastest on the team also. So—-yes—-Iowa wasted a year of him.

 

[ddeanHawk]

Just stop.

Just stop what? He has a good point. How about you stop with the "just stop"

 

[hawkeyebob62]

Just stop what? He has a good point. How about you stop with the "just stop"

How about you STFU when I'm not talking to you?

 

[BlackNGoldWings]

Is it possible that KF is not the great player devloper that the suck-up network pundits make him out to be?

 

[General Tso]

Just stop.

Dumb reply. He has a good point.