Iowa football all-time roster: Defensive starters and backups
The Iowa Hawkeyes have a rich history with some of the game’s titans suiting up in the black and gold. Hawkeyes Wire is taking a look back at Iowa’s finest offensive playmakers, defensive standouts, specialists and coaches from its entire history.
Now, it’s time to take a glance at the Hawkeyes’ defensive history. Which defensive linemen have frustrated opposing quarterbacks? Who are the Iowa linebackers that have snuffed out the opponents’ running game? In the secondary, which ball Hawks find their way onto the all-time list?
Here’s a look at our Iowa Hawkeyes all-time defensive players two-deep.
See the all-time Iowa offense here.
Check out our other College Wire all-time defenses: Alabama / Auburn / Clemson / Colorado / Florida / Georgia / LSU / Michigan / Michigan State / Nebraska / North Carolina / Ohio State / Oklahoma / Oregon / Penn State / Rutgers / Tennessee / Texas / Texas A&M / USC
Starting DE No. 1: Adrian Clayborn
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Adrian Clayborn jumps out as one of the Hawkeyes’ starting defensive ends. The St. Louis, Mo., native racked up 20 tackles for loss and 11.5 sacks in 2009. Then, in 2010, Clayborn earned consensus All-American honors. He was a two-time first-team All-Big Ten member. Clayborn also finished as a finalist for the Rotary Lombardi Award and a Ted Hendricks Award and as a semifinalist for the Chuck Bednarik Award in 2010.
Backup DE No. 1: Leroy Smith
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Leroy Smith was an absolute menace in 1991. He set the Iowa and Big Ten single-season records with 18 sacks during the 1991 season. Smith also had a single-game program best five sacks in a 16-9 win at Ohio State that season. The Sicklerville, N.J., product was a consensus All-American in 1991, a first-team All-Big Ten choice and was voted Defensive Player of the Year by the league’s coaches. He was also the Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year in 1991.
Starting DE No. 2: Andre Tippett
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Andre Tippett led the Hawkeyes in tackles for loss in consecutive seasons, tallying 20 in 1980 and then 14 in 1981. The Newark, N.J., native was the first consensus All-American for head coach Hayden Fry in 1981. He was also a two-time first-team All-Big Ten member.
Backup DE No. 2: Matt Roth
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Matt Roth was a two-time first-team All-Big Ten selection in 2003 and 2004. He led Iowa in sacks during the 2002 and 2003 seasons with 10 and 12 sacks, respectively. In Roth’s final season in Iowa City, another talented Hawkeye defensive lineman named Jonathan Babineaux led Iowa with 11 sacks in 2004.
Starting DT No. 1: Alex Karras
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Alex Karras was a consensus All-American in 1957 and Iowa’s second Outland Trophy winner. He was also the Hawkeyes’ first two-time Associated Press All-American. Karras grabbed first-team All-Big Ten honors in the 1956 and 1957 seasons.
Backup DT No. 1: Mitch King
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Mitch King finished his Iowa career with 228 total tackles. He was the Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year and grabbed first-team All-Big Ten status in 2008.
Starting DT No. 2: Jared DeVries
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Jared DeVries was sensational for the Hawkeyes during the 1990s. In fact, he led Iowa in sacks for four consecutive seasons spanning the 1995-98 campaigns. As a result, Devries is Iowa’s all-time career sacks leaders with 43, holds the Hawkeye record for tackles for loss in a season with 22 and during an Iowa career with 78. He also ended his career with 260 tackles. Devries was a consensus All-American in 1998 and was the Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year in 1997.
Backup DT No. 2: Dave Haight
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Dave Haight checks in as the second backup defensive tackle with a career that featured the most total tackles by a defensive tackle in Hawkeyes history. Haight finished with 346 tackles and led Iowa with 126 tackles during the 1987 season. Dave Haight was a three-time All-Big Ten first teamer, the Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year in 1987 and a first-team All-American in 1988.
Starting LB No. 1: Larry Station
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Larry Station is a no-brainer. He was a consensus All-American twice in the 1984 and 1985 seasons. The Omaha, Neb., linebacker is the only player in Hawkeye history to lead Iowa in tackles four times. It’s probably not a surprise after that to read that Station is Iowa’s all-time career tackles leader with 492.
Backup LB No. 1: Pat Angerer
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Pat Angerer led Iowa in tackling with 107 tackles in 2008 and then 145 in 2009. The Bettendorf, Iowa, native was a first-team All-American as well as a Bednarik Award semifinalist in 2009.
Starting LB No. 2: Chad Greenway
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Chad Greenway is No. 6 on Iowa’s all-time career tackles list with 416. He was a two-time first-team All-Big Ten choice in the 2004 and 2005 seasons. He was a semifinalist for the Butkus Award and Bednarik Award in 2005. Greenway was a first-round NFL draft choice of the Minnesota Vikings when he went No. 17 overall in the 2006 NFL draft.
Backup LB No. 2: Andre Jackson
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Andre Jackson has the single-season tackles program best with 171 during the 1972 season. He garnered second-team All-Big Ten status that season as well as in 1975. Jackson also ranks second in all-time career tackles with 465.
Starting LB No. 3: Josey Jewell
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Josey Jewell was a consensus All-American in 2017 and ranks No. 4 in career tackles with 437. From the 2015-17 seasons, Jewell led Iowa in tackles with 126, 124, and 136. He was a first-team All-Big Ten selection in 2017 as well. The Decorah, Iowa, product was a Butkus Award finalist in 2016 and a semifinalist in 2017. Jewell was also a Bednarik Award semifinalist in 2017.
Backup LB No. 3: Abdul Hodge
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Alongside Chad Greenway, Abdul Hodge led the Hawkeyes in tackles during the 2003-05 seasons. Hodge finished with 141, 116, and 158 tackles over those respective seasons and earned first-team All-Big Ten status in 2003 and 2004.
Starting CB No. 1: Micah Hyde
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Micah Hyde has become a mainstay star in the NFL with the Buffalo Bills. That certainly only enhances his case here. Hyde was the Big Ten’s 2012 Tatum-Woodson Defensive Back of the Year. He also picked up first-team All-Big Ten honors from both the league’s media and coaches in 2012 and finished his Hawkeye career with eight interceptions.
Backup CB No. 1: Jovon Johnson
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Jovon Johnson is third on Iowa’s all-time career interceptions list with 17. He earned first-team All-Big Ten status in 2005.
Starting CB No. 2: Desmond King
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Desmond King ranks fourth in career interceptions with 14, three of which he returned for touchdowns. He was an unanimous All-American in 2015 and is Iowa’s only Jim Thorpe Award winner.
Backup CB No. 2: Lou King
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Lou King earned first-team All-Big Ten honors in 1981 and is tied for the most interceptions in a single season with eight.
Starting S No. 1: Bob Sanders
AP Photo/Morry Gash
Bob Sanders was phenomenal for the Hawkeyes, leading Iowa in tackles with 122 during the 2001 season. His 348 career tackles rank No. 11 all-time in Iowa history. Sanders was a three-time All-Big Ten first-team selection.
Backup S No. 1: Tyler Sash
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Tyler Sash was a two-time first-team All-Big Ten selection in 2009 and 2010. He ranks sixth all-time in interceptions with 13.
Starting S No. 2: Devon Mitchell
Joseph Cress/Iowa City Press-Citizen
Devon Mitchell is tied atop Iowa’s career lead in interceptions with 18. He was a first-team All-Big Ten honoree in 1984.
Backup S No. 2: Bob Stoops
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Bob Stoops was a first-team All-Big Ten choice during the 1982 season and registered 230 career tackles.
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