By Pat Harty

IOWA CITY, Iowa – The fans want it to happen.

The media wants it to happen.

And Cooper DeJean is certainly receptive to playing a role on offense for the Iowa football team.

“I’m open to it,” DeJean said to the media on Tuesday.

Asked if he has lobbied to play on offense, DeJean said:

“I haven’t, but if it happens, I’d be more than happy to do that.”

Hawkeye fans would be thrilled if Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz would decide to use DeJean as a receiver to help jumpstart an offense that is averaging just 240.8 yards per game, and that is now without injured starting quarterback Cade McNamara for the rest of the season.

DeJean, who plays cornerback and returns punts, has scored four touchdowns since the start of the 2021 season, and only one player on offense – running back Kaleb Johnson – has scored more touchdowns during that time as Johnson has scored seven.

DeJean returned a punt 70 yards for a touchdown in last Saturday’s 26-16 victory over Michigan State and he set a program record with three pick-sixes last season.

He also had an interception deep in the Iowa end zone against Michigan State in which DeJean hardly had any space to get one foot down before stepping out of bounds.

DeJean looked like an accomplished receiver as he made the interception, his sixth as a Hawkeye, before stepping out of bounds.

Kirk Ferentz was asked in his weekly press conference on Tuesday if there could be a point where DeJean would be needed more on offense than defense where he is considered one of the best cornerbacks in college football.

“Yeah, but you have to think about how is that going to impact our defense,” Kirk Ferentz said. “We’ve seen that in the past, and it’s pretty dramatic actually.

“Typically, you don’t have players like him. If you’ve got a great player — and we didn’t have another Bob Sanders on the shelf. And they’re totally different players, but they’re both impactful players. So, if you move this guy over here, what are you going to do over here? Always have those equations to balance.

“It’s great to talk about, but it’s a little bit more complicated in terms of the impact and the ripples that it causes or the impact it could have on several places.”

Fair enough.

Kirk Ferentz doesn’t believe at this point that it would be worth the disruption, and the risk of adding more to De Jean’s already full plate.

Kirk Ferentz seems to think that the bad outweighs the good right now with playing DeJean on offense, and it’s Kirk Ferentz’s decision.

DeJean is a rare force on defense, and as a punt returner. And though it’s easy to envision him making an immediate impact on offense, you can’t say for certain until it happens.

The reference to Bob Sanders, a former Hawkeye All-American and All-Pro safety, shows just how much Kirk Ferentz respects DeJean because Sanders is held in the highest regard.

The circumstances are different, however, because even though Sanders played running back in high school, Iowa didn’t need him on offense.

Sanders probably would have been effective as a hard-charging running back because he was a special talent.

But it was never seriously discussed, at least publicly, because as great as he was, Sanders wasn’t needed on offense.

Kirk Ferentz mentioned Sanders it seems mostly to help show the impact that DeJean has on defense.

The problem with not giving DeJean at least a look on offense is that he’s playing at a time in which the Iowa offense has been historically bad and help is needed, especially at receiver.

Iowa only had seven touchdown passes last season in 13 games, and only has five so far this season, although, that’s an upgrade from last season.

With Iowa 4-1 overall, and 12-6 since the start of last season, it’s hard to say these are desperate times.

But from an offensive standpoint, the situation sure seems pretty desperate.

Iowa fans voiced their anger and frustration by chanting “Fire Brian” in reference to offensive coordinator Brain Ferentz, in the second half of the Michigan State the game last Saturday.

Iowa met the 25-point performance incentive in Brian Ferentz’s revised contract, but it took DeJean’s touchdown on special teams, and four field goals by Drew Stevens to get it done against Michigan State.

It would be unrealistic to think that DeJean could carry a heavy load on offense because he already carries a massive load on defense, and plays on multiple specials teams.

But the 6-foot-1, 207-pound Odebolt native could handle a package of plays, maybe even put him in the Wildcat, though, the risk of injury would increase, especially considering how much the Iowa offensive line has struggled with run blocking.

It just seems with the offense performing so woefully, and with DeJean being a generational talent, that giving him some touches on offense might be beneficial.

Redshirt freshman cornerback Deshaun Lee held his own as a starter in the first two games this season, while junior Jermari Harris has started nine games at cornerback.

DeJean could take a break on defense to compensate for the extra work on offense without leaving the defense in a desperate situation.

Colorado defensive back/receiver Travis Hunter has brought attention to the two-way player from the extensive workload he has carried on both offense and defense.

Hunter has missed the last two games with a lacerated liver that came from a controversial hit against Colorado State.

Prior to that, however, he was an ironman as he rarely left the field.

“I think it’s cool seeing guys playing both ways,” DeJean said.

It seems rather obvious that DeJean wants to play offense, but he’s just too soft-spoken and team-oriented to make a big deal about it.

He doesn’t want to be a distraction, and that is to be admired.

But there is also a good chance that DeJean is playing his final season as a Hawkeye since he now projects as a high pick in the 2024 NFL draft as a third-year junior.

So, why not use his greatness while you still can?

As for the heightened risk, injuries are so hard to predict.

The season-ending injury that McNamara suffered happened when he planted his foot to make a cut, and then his knee buckled. There was no contact.

There is always a chance that Kirk Ferentz and DeJean were both being coy on Tuesday, and that Iowa is preparing to unleash DeJean on offense to help Deacon Hill adjust to being the new starting quarterback.

DeJean already has shown that he can catch, and make tacklers miss in space.

And that’s just what the offense needs.

DeJean played quarterback in high school, and he said Tuesday that he misses playing offense.

“I think anybody that played quarterback in high school misses having the ball in their hand, but I’m on defense right now with coach Parker,” DeJean said of Iowa defensive coordinator Phil Parker.

DeJean’s experience as a quarterback could make him even a threat to throw on offense with just a little creativity and a willingness to take a risk.

Unfortunately, in this case, Kirk Ferentz is about as radical as an Easter egg hunt, and playing someone both ways would be extremely radical for him.

But in this case, the circumstances, and the player being considered, make it worth taking a chance.