By Tyler Devine

IOWA CITY, Iowa – Unless Iowa plays at home during Big Ten Champions Week, senior kicker Keith Duncan will be playing his final game in Kinnick Stadium when Iowa faces Wisconsin on Saturday.

The Weddington, N.C., native has the option to return for a sixth season with the NCAA essentially giving all players a free year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the 2019 consensus All-American has decided to start the next chapter in his life.

“It’s been great being an Iowa Hawkeye,” Duncan said. “I’ve loved every single second of it and wouldn’t trade it for the world. This will most likely be my last home game. Again, it’s a very emotional thing to say and it’s been great being here, but I think it’s time to move on.”

It’s not exactly the kind of senior day Duncan had in mind, with fan attendance limited to family members of players and coaches.

Players are limited in the amount of tickets they can give to family members, but Duncan said he has been hounding his fellow specialists for extra tickets, though he wishes he didn’t have to.

“Definitely not (what I imagined),” Duncan said. “But it’s something I’m happy to be a part of. We get four tickets, I have 13, 12 members coming from my family. We have a fairly large stadium, so I don’t get how the social distancing thing won’t work out. I’m not a politician so I’m not going to get really deep into that. But it’s just fun to be a part of the team.

“Being a senior, being here for five years is something that I never really would have imagined. I learned so much being here, and just having a senior day, whether it’s with or without fans, is just special to me. I love being a part of the Iowa program. I eventually want to live here, whether it’s after college or a couple years after. It’s a great community and I couldn’t want anything more.”

Duncan hopes to get a shot in the NFL before he settles down in Iowa City.

Senior linebacker Nick Niemann also said Tuesday that he plans to take his chances in the NFL after this season.

Junior defensive lineman Daviyon Nixon and junior defensive back Matt Hankins both said they were unsure about coming back to Iowa for their senior seasons.

Regardless, Duncan will leave Iowa at least sixth in scoring in school history and will have provided countless memories of last-second field goals for Iowa fans.

“I think I do have that ability,” Duncan said. “I’ve said before I think my mental game is very strong and I’m going to use that to my advantage. Training for the NFL, I’m going to work out all the kinks I’ve had this year, whether it be mental, physical, whatever. I’m going to try to do as much as I can to improve and become the best NFL kicker possible.”