Who’s defense MVP? So far
- Thread starter NCHawker
- Start date
HawkeyeHypnosis
Well-Known Member
That’s a tough one. Everyone has shined at parts of the season.
Northside Hawk
Well-Known Member
I've been his harshest critic in earlier years but it might be X.
He sets the tone for the whole defense. Aaron Graves deserves mention as well.
He sets the tone for the whole defense. Aaron Graves deserves mention as well.
I said before (keep in mind I know jack squat about how to play football or evaluate play beyond results like scores and stats) that this may be one of the more complete defenses we've seen. Because there's no standout certifiable "studs" beyond maybe Graves?
There's no Sanders, Devries, DeJean, King or King, Sash, Claiborne, Epenesa (yet)...
Just guys doing what they're supposed to do and executing...and getting similar results. Just a comprehensive unit of quality players. I do think it starts with a defensive line that makes it really hard for opposing offenses to do what they want when they want to do it.
trj
Well-Known Member
TJ Hall
Been the most consistent this season. Has shutdown his side of the field all year long.
Lutmer is coming on strong. Now doing double duty as the corner in base and cash in the 4-2-5.
Graves deserves some love, too…but for me it is Hall, Lutmer, and Graves. Ask me at end of the year and I might switch Lutmer and Hall.
Been the most consistent this season. Has shutdown his side of the field all year long.
Lutmer is coming on strong. Now doing double duty as the corner in base and cash in the 4-2-5.
Graves deserves some love, too…but for me it is Hall, Lutmer, and Graves. Ask me at end of the year and I might switch Lutmer and Hall.
Last edited:
HawkeyeHypnosis
Well-Known Member
NorthKCHawk
Well-Known Member
Phil Parker. His best coaching job to date.
If you make me choose a player, its Hall. Having one corner you can count on allows the DC to do so many things in terms of blitzing and protecting the other side. It is a gamechanger.
If you make me choose a player, its Hall. Having one corner you can count on allows the DC to do so many things in terms of blitzing and protecting the other side. It is a gamechanger.
Fryowa
Administrator
Has to be Lutmer so far IMO. Just because of the diversity of what he's doing out there.
3rd in total tackles
3rd in solo tackles
2.5 TFL
2 INT (leading the team) including a pick six that he had to work for
72 YDS on the two INTs
1 FR
1 Sack
4 PD
TJ Hall would be runner up but he has nowhere near the completeness in any stat other than passes defended.
Lutmer doing this as a sophomore and very obviously being the most improved defensive player over last year makes him the easy choice. He's quite literally all over the field and playing three different positions at a high level.
3rd in total tackles
3rd in solo tackles
2.5 TFL
2 INT (leading the team) including a pick six that he had to work for
72 YDS on the two INTs
1 FR
1 Sack
4 PD
TJ Hall would be runner up but he has nowhere near the completeness in any stat other than passes defended.
Lutmer doing this as a sophomore and very obviously being the most improved defensive player over last year makes him the easy choice. He's quite literally all over the field and playing three different positions at a high level.
NorthKCHawk
Well-Known Member
Stats can be deceiving for a DB if they never throw at you. There is no common stat for "I am too good for the other side to want play with me." They just call you Reevis Island and throw the other way.
You won't get much pushback on Lutmer though. I think we could certainly call him the most pleasant surprise of the season. He is playing at a really, really high level.
Lutmer is the Defensive Player of the Year. Hall is the most valuable. Two different things. Lutmer has really played well and is a play maker. Hall just shuts down whoever he is guarding. Hall does not have the opportunity to make the number of plays that Lutmer has had this year.
Fryowa
Administrator
Hall is absolutely no slouch, you won't get an argument against him from me.
I do think that Lutmer's ability to play cash, corner, and safety all at a high level tips the scales is all.
I'm going to get called out as a homer for this, but I coached against Lutmer and his teams in t-ball/baseball from the time he was in kindergarten all the way up through graduation, and I can say you won't find a nicer or more hard-working kid on any playing field around. He's very, very grounded and has high-character parents as well. Vander Zee had a no hitter going against us that my kid broke up in the 7th (for clarity he also struck out pretty bad the other 2 times), and both VZ and Lutmer high fived him and gave him a bunch of good natured shit about it after the handshake line when they could've been salty instead. They all knew each other from playing 4 sports for so many years and they still text back and forth (or Snap I guess is what kids do now) which to me is pretty cool. It'd be easy for those guys to get big heads and forget about NW Iowa outside their HS classmates.
Lutmer having 2 more years here if he wants them is exciting to say the least.
Not homerism at all. Really cool that you have a connection with two of the best players on the team.
I also think it's amazing how many Hawkeye football players are from the NW Iowa area. Not just walk-on fourth stringers, guys who work their way into starting roles and some, to the NFL. Must be something in the water up there.
Fryowa
Administrator
West Lyon, Central Lyon, and to a lesser degree Boyden Hull/Rock Valley are the schools up here responsible for a lot of it. OAGBIC was where DeJean came from.
It really started rolling when Woods and Vanden Bosch (husker...puke) came out of there. They have a ridiculous culture at those two Lyon County schools and it shows. They take a lot of pride in being blue collar and when you have NFLers and lots of high level college players young kids see that and want to do it too. Pretty amazing for such a low population area.
Just the ones from up here I can think of with decent playing time there's...
Hawks:
Mike Klinkenborg - CL/GLR
Zach Lutmer - CL/GLR
Reece Vander Zee - CL/GLR
Levar Woods - WL
Brandon Snyder - WL
Cooper DeJean - OABGIC
Landyn Van Kekerix - BH/RV
Non-Hawks:
Kyle Vanden Bosch - WL
Adam Timmerman - Cherokee
Andrew Van Ginkel - BH/RV
Kooper Ebel - HMS
Ko Kieft - Sioux Center
Plenty more who weren't as big impact. Doesn't seem like a lot when compared to other parts of Iowa but we also have some of the lowest population counties too.
SwirlinLingerie
Well-Known Member
In terms of dynamic play, agree, it is Lutmer. He looks to be out of the Dejean, Hyde, Hooker, King mode to me. Straight up baller. In my opinion, he is taking Iowa's defense to another level.
That said, they are getting great contributions everywhere.
I was listening to Glen Mason yesterday. He said Iowa's defense is tough, like really tough. He said you can't articulate it, but you know it when you see it. Tough.
#1DieHardHawk
Well-Known Member
I'd have a tie between Lutmer and Graves.
Hall has had a nice season, but there are some caveats there. Our pass-rush has been better than expected, which benefits the DBs obviously, and he's forced to play with quite a bit of cushion due to limited speed. Against the premier teams, that can be exploited. It will be interesting to see if Oregon tries to do just that. Regardless, he has made big strides with his route recognition and responsiveness.
Hall has had a nice season, but there are some caveats there. Our pass-rush has been better than expected, which benefits the DBs obviously, and he's forced to play with quite a bit of cushion due to limited speed. Against the premier teams, that can be exploited. It will be interesting to see if Oregon tries to do just that. Regardless, he has made big strides with his route recognition and responsiveness.
