By Pat Harty

IOWA CITY, Iowa – Excitement is defined as a feeling of great enthusiasm and eagerness, and it comes in all shapes, sizes and colors on the football field.

In over 30 years of covering the Iowa football team, I’ve had the privilege of watching some exciting players represent the Hawkeyes.

From Sedrick Shaw to Tim Dwight and Tavian Banks to Fred Russell to Bob Sanders to Shonn Greene to Ihmir Smith-Marsette and now Cooper DeJean, these are players that have thrilled fans with their immense physical talent and electrifying playmaking skills.

These are players that made you think anything was possible, and that the price for a ticket, and a 10-hour round trip to Iowa City on game day, is or was well worth the money and the time.

These are players that could shift the momentum in a game by doing something spectacular on the field.

It also isn’t a coincidence that these are some of the greatest players in program history because excitement and greatness often go together.

When the sobering news broke on Wednesday that Cooper DeJean would miss the rest of the 2023 season due to a lower leg injury, which he suffered in practice earlier that day, some fans started saying on social media that DeJean was the most exciting Hawkeye football player they had seen since Tim Dwight.

That is the ultimate compliment because Dwight in my opinion set the standard for excitement as a Hawkeye.

The way he would bolt past defenders on punt returns with his blazing speed and fearless nature made him unique and special.

The Iowa City native is believed to be the only player in NCAA history to return punts for touchdowns against Ohio State, Michigan and Penn State.

Dwight returned five punts for touchdowns during his Iowa career, which lasted from 1994 to 1997.

He was also a standout wide receiver for Iowa after having switched from running back prior to his sophomore season.

Dwight was an electrifying running back in high school, but he only stood about 5-foot-8 and weighed about 180 pounds.

So, Hayden Fry decided to get him in space more by switching Dwight to receiver.

And like many of Fry’s decisions as a head coach, it worked brilliantly.

Fans used to rise from their seats every time Dwight took the field to return a punt because there was always the chance that he would do something spectacular.

And now it’s the same with Cooper DeJean, who in less than two seasons as a starter at cornerback, and as a punt returner, has solidified himself as one of the greatest and most exciting players under Kirk Ferentz, and in program history.

Before you accuse me of being a prisoner of the moment, here is what Kirk Ferentz said on his weekly radio show on Wednesday when talking about DeJean.

“The thing about the way he’s played for almost a full two yes now, I was thinking about this last week, I’m not sure he’s one of the best players that I’ve ever been around at any level,” Ferentz said. “We’ve had a lot of great players here. But you think about how well he does so many things and how smoothly he does them.

“He doesn’t really draw a lot of attention to himself as an individual except with his play. It’s just stellar. And sometimes you catch yourself saying did he just do that?

“I mean’s it’s amazing.”

Other than greatness, DeJean doesn’t have a lot in common with Dwight from a physical and style standpoint.

DeJean isn’t as fast as Dwight was in his playing days, and DeJean would be the first to stay that.

But DeJean at 6-foot-1 and 207 pounds is bigger than Dwight.

DeJean also has great vision, balance and awareness as he showed on his now famous punt return against Minnesota in which he had a potential game-winning touchdown erased by what was ruled an invalid fair catch signal.

There were about six Gopher defenders within about three feet of DeJean when he made an incredible spin move just inches from the Minnesota sideline to escape from the pack.

He then reversed field and skillfully found his way to end the zone in what was for a few minutes one of the most exciting touchdowns in the history of the Iowa program until the replay official erased it.

Selfishly, I hope that DeJean hasn’t played his final game as a Hawkeye.

Imagine another season with DeJean returning punts, defending punts and blanketing receivers.

Iowa will hire a new offensive coordinator at some point after the season with Brian Ferentz having been relieved of his duties after the season.

So, maybe the new offensive coordinator would devise a way for DeJean to play some on offense as a receiver.

The possibilities seem endless, and yes, so exciting.

But should DeJean ultimately decide to move on to the NFL as a third-year junior, then good luck and more power to him because he has to do what he feels is in his best interest.

Football is a violent sport in which bodies are battered, bruised, and unfortunately, injured.

Players are in a race against time to earn as much money as they can before it’s too late.

DeJean’s injury, according to Kirk Ferentz, happened when he planted his foot and then his leg apparently gave out.

It is the kind of injury that could happen any second, and on any play.

And now he’s out for an extended period, while his team will forge ahead to Saturday’s home finale against Illinois needing just one win to clinch the Big Ten West Division outright.

Redshirt freshman Deshaun Lee started the first two games at cornerback this season opposite of DeJean when Jermari Harris was serving a two-game suspension.

So, it seems likely that Lee would replace DeJean and play opposite of Harris.

You don’t really replace Cooper DeJean, however.

You fill his spot and do the best you can.

Deshaun Lee is obviously a talented football player, or he wouldn’t have been recruited by Iowa.

He just needs to be concerned about doing his job, and not about trying to replace Cooper DeJean.

What’s even more incredible about DeJean’s rise to stardom is that he only appeared in seven games as true freshman in 2021.

In less than two full seasons, DeJean has earned a place among the greatest Hawkeyes of all time.

He probably wouldn’t say that because he is humble and soft-spoken.

DeJean doesn’t like talking about himself, and that makes you respect him even more.

Get healthy, Cooper DeJean, and good luck with whatever you decide.