The
Daily Iowan
PREGAME
PUNTING PERFECTION
Iowa football’s Rhys Dakin is another successful product of Australia’s mass production of punters.
5 things to watch
Anyone who watched Indiana’s demolition of Illinois certainly paid attention to the Hoosiers’ dominant defensive line performance. Illinois quarterback Luke Altmeyer had little to no time to throw and was sacked seven times, including twice by third-year Tyrique Tucker. Most of these pressures came with just a four or three-man rush, which is even more cause for concern. Iowa’s offensive line is one of the best in college football, but this will easily be the toughest challenge it has faced this season. Quarterback Mark Gronowski will need as much time in the pocket as he can get, and if the protection isn’t there, the Hawkeyes will have no chance to win this game. That’s putting it nicely.
Indiana did many things right in its win over Illinois, but it was the explosive plays that allowed it to essentially end the game before halftime. Hoosier quarterback Fernando Mendoza had no trouble carving up the Fighting Illini secondary, tossing 267 yards and five touchdowns.
When the big plays were there, Indiana connected, highlighted by 40+ yard scores from tight end Riley Nowakowski and running back Kaelon Black.
The Hawkeyes allowed Rutgers quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis to throw for 330 passing yards, often yielding big plays in the process.
Iowa was able to buckle down in the second half and steal a victory, but this Hoosiers team is far better.
If defensive coordinator Phil Parker can’t make adjustments fast enough, it could be a long day for the Hawkeye secondary.
Iowa paid Gronowski to win big-time football games. They failed to let him do that against Iowa State, but Friday’s win at Rutgers proved he can be the quarterback Hawkeye fans have waited years to have. Gronowski’s clutch 42-yard pass to Dayton Howard set up the go-ahead touchdown, and it’s those throws that can help him elevate the Hawkeye offense. Gronowski is now the winningest quarterback in NCAA football history with 52 career victories, and it’s his winning pedigree that has made him a household name at the position. The senior will win games if you put him in a good position to do so, and that’s exactly what offensive coordinator Tim Lester has done. Letting Gronowski play like himself will be a major factor in Iowa’s chances to win.
The Hawkeyes’ special teams usually rank as one of the best units in the nation, but there have been some struggles this year. Return specialist Kaden Wetjen has been fantastic, but the normally-dependable kicker Drew Stevens has had a shaky start to his senior campaign, missing two field goals and an extra point in the first four weeks. Stevens’ slow start is probably just a blip on the radar, but football is a game of inches, and leaving points on the scoreboard is not the recipe for success.
Kinnick Stadium always produces a great atmosphere, but Saturday’s game may be the biggest game the venue has hosted in a few years. Kinnick is known as a torchure chamber for opposing teams, and has often led to many upset victories for the Hawkeyes under Kirk Ferentz. It’s hard to expect the same record-setting environment that occurred in 2021, but anticipate another racuous crowd this weekend.
Punter by chance, Iowan by choice
Australian Rhys Dakin punted his way to college football in
Homesickness doesn’t exist for Rhys Dakin. Sure, he has moments where he wishes he could be with his family or visit one of the many Chinese restaurants located in his hometown of Melbourne, Australia, once more. But that’s 8,500 miles away, a 27-hour flight.
A Snapchat group chat keeps him company.
About 10-12 of Dakin’s close friends from Australia are part of a group chat on the app. Each person in that group chat is going through the same thing — living halfway across the world, away from everything they’ve known growing up, to punt a football with the hopes of making millions of dollars in the near future.
It’s a friendly reminder that he’s not on this journey alone.
“We’re all punters, so we all talk about the same problems we face and being out of [Australian] college,” Dakin said. “It’s good to sort of hear that they’re going through the same sort of shoot that I am. That’s what makes it easier — knowing we’re all in this together, and we’re not too far from either.”
Ahead of Iowa’s matchup against Massachusetts on Sept. 13, Dakin chatted with three players from the opposing team who are also Australian special-teamers and took a photo with them. It’s something he tries to do whenever he runs into a fellow Aussie on the gridiron.
ProKick Australia is responsible for that.
The Melbourne-based football business has developed talented Australian athletes into U.S. college football kickers for more than 18 years. The opportunity, however, is invite-only. Dakin found his way in by chance.
He grew up in the suburbs of Melbourne, a city dominated by Australian rules football. His father, Mark, played the sport and pushed his son to do the same around the age of six. But the love for the sport permeated through the entire family.
“I just come from a family that grew up watching it and playing it,” Dakin said. “Melbourne is a pretty big footy city. That’s
the U.S.
where all the talent comes from, and so I’m always around it.”
Compared to American football, Australian rules football is distinctively different. The game has little stoppage. Padding is minimal. All 18 players on the field for each team can attack and defend simultaneously. And the ball is moved around differently.
“It’s not like you throw [the ball] like rugby. It’s all punching the ball to a teammate, but it’s 70 percent kicking and running around,” Dakin said. “So that’s what I grew up doing, and that’s why I can punt the football.”
Dakin played Australian rules football all the way until high school, where he attended Mazenod College, a Catholic school in the suburbs of Melbourne. Standing 6-foot-4 by the time he was 18 years old, he held high hopes of becoming a professional Australian rules football player.
It’s around that age when players get drafted into the Australian Football League. Due to the way things were looking at the time, Dakin felt off about his chances.
“You’ve got to be really fit to run out games in Australian rules football. It wasn’t really going to be my thing,” Dakin said. “So
I just found something else to do.”
After coming to this realization, Dakin took a trip to Flagstaff, Arizona, where his mom, Leann, is from. His parents recommended he try punting in Phoenix, so he took the two-hour drive south to AZ Kicking and Training Facility to do so.
The coaches saw his potential right away.
“They just took a quick look at me, taught me a couple of small things that set me up [when I got] to go back home,” Dakin said. “They said I had Division I potential, so I took their word and took a chance. They said I could join ProKick, or I could join Punt
Factory, which is their competitor, both in Australia, and I decided to go with ProKick.”
When Dakin returned to Melbourne, he began working with ProKick on and off for a few months while finishing school and his Australian rules football season. His full-time commitment paid off after a wave of scholarships came in during the first couple months of being in the program.
ProKick kept the names of schools to offer Dakin away from him, but one school he knew for sure he had an offer from: Iowa.
Special teams coordinator LeVar Woods came across Dakin’s film and was impressed. After a few phone calls, Woods felt like the person behind the kick was still a mystery, so he flew to Australia in November 2023 to meet the punter in person.
“It’s one thing to watch someone’s tape — he’s really talented and gifted,” Woods said. “But I don’t think you can really get to know what that person is going to be like until you get a chance to meet them. He was a very genuine person, a very hard-working person, great family — things that we thought mesh well here at Iowa.”
His time with Dakin consisted of minimal football talk, which left a strong impression on not just Dakin but also his family.
“He wasn’t just there to see me punt; he wasn’t worried about that. He cared about who I am and how I was brought up, and that helps him coach me,” Dakin said. “That just makes me feel like I’m in another family.
“It also made my family feel better knowing there’s a guy they can trust, that I’m going to be good and happy. Just knowing Coach Woods is a really good human being, wants to see me succeed, and wants the best for me — there was sort of a no-brainer that I’m going to be right and I’m going to be good.”
A month later, Dakin committed to Iowa, officially succeeding All-American and Ray Guy Award winner Tory Taylor.
and it looked like a really cool place… I also looked up [Iowa football head coach [Kirk] Ferentz, and it seemed like a really well put together program. I also heard from my coaches that he’s a really good coach. And also from Tory [Taylor] as well, he really enjoyed working with him.”
The first time Dakin visited Iowa City after committing was in January 2024, during one of the coldest periods of the year. A blizzard greeted the Australian upon his arrival, but his confidence in his commitment never wavered.
Woods said he was shaky about the timing of the visit, but spoke with an optimistic tone.
“If you like it here now, you’ll love it in June, July,” Woods told Dakin.
No matter how much research was done before the visit, Dakin couldn’t have been ready for the winter weather, though he did prepare himself through a set of YouTube videos.
“I knew nothing about Iowa. I was like, ‘Where the hell is Iowa?’” Dakin said. “I looked at some YouTube videos of the town,
Despite hailing from the same city and coming from the same punting program, Dakin and Taylor didn’t have a prior relationship. The two talked periodically shortly before and after Dakin’s commitment, and when he flew into town, Taylor was the one to pick him and his father up from the airport.
Taylor, now the punter for the NFL’s Chicago Bears, has mentored Dakin from a distance, giving him advice and even offering his jersey No. 9. Dakin now dons the number every time he’s on the field. To succeed a player like Taylor could be a daunting task, but Dakin remains focused on his own play.
“I feel like he’s really good about not playing the comparison game,” Iowa kicker Drew Stevens said. “If you shine light on it, he’s gonna see it … I feel like he’s done a really good job of staying his course and
being Rhys Dakin.”
Stevens has worked alongside both Dakin and Taylor and admits there are similarities between the two, one of them being that
What makes Dakin even more special is his character.
“[He’s] a great, great teammate, a great human being who cares about his teammates as people, not only just as players,” Woods said. “Loyal friend, loyal teammate. Never heard anyone complain about him or say otherwise.”
“He’s just a boneheaded, big, caring guy. He’s definitely a dude that I feel like everybody would be grateful to have in their room, especially coming from Australia,” Stevens said. “Maybe he was uncomfortable when he first got here, but having a year in the program and being in the room with the guys and getting closer, I feel like he’s definitely a good guy to have around.”
they both make punting look much easier than it is.
“From an outsider’s perspective, I always thought, ‘Oh, it’s just the guy who can hit the biggest ball.’ And I’ll say, there’s so many other factors that go into it,” Stevens said. “A lot of people might think it’s easy to just catch it and punt it. But doing it at that speed and actually hitting a good ball is probably the hardest part.”
Dakin had never punted a football in a game setting until his Hawkeye debut against Illinois State in 2024.
Dakin logged 64 punts for 2,822 yards in his first season at Iowa, finishing ninth in the country in total punting yards. Six of the eight punters who finished ahead of Dakin are also from Australia.
“They just find talented guys, and they teach them the ways of American football,” Woods said. “And I think that they instill all the hard work, all the things that we ask from people, and the things we ask for them in American football.”
Dakin earned several honors, including FWAA Freshman All-American, PFF All-True Freshman Team, second-team All-Big Ten by the media, third-team All-Big Ten by the coaches, AP second-team All-Big Ten; and Phil Steele third-team All-Big Ten.
“Last year, every time he went out on the field was a brand new experience for him,” Woods said. “You can talk about it in practice, and you can think about them and whatnot, but you can’t ever really simulate those things until you get into it. I think he’s done a really good job with that, and I think he’s grown with each and every rep and each and every opportunity.”
The transition from Australian rules football to American football appears seamless when it comes to punting.
In Dakin’s case, it acted as a security blanket for his shortcomings in a potential AFL career, and it’s all thanks to ProKick Australia.
Dakin said he stands with his decision to learn a new game and become an Iowan.
“I don’t feel like I’ve made a mistake coming here. This is what I was made to do, and I’m utilizing my strengths,” Dakin said. “I’m where I’m supposed to be.”
The DoughBoyz look to cash in
Iowa defensive backs look to shut down an explosive Indiana o ense.
The last time Iowa’s defense forced a turnover was Week 12 of the 2024 season, where defensive end Max Llewellyn forced a fumble to set up a game-winning field goal in the 13-10 victory over rival Nebraska.
After shockingly not forcing any turnovers through the first three weeks of the 2025 season, linebackers coach Seth Wallace jokingly called the defensive backs the “NoBoyz”, a spinoff of their self-proclaimed “DoughBoyz” nickname.
But the Hawkeyes ended the drought in their 38-28 win over Rutgers last Friday on a tipped-ball interception by fifth-year linebacker Jaxon Rexroth late in the fourth quarter. The pass was deflected at the line by Llewellyn, and Rexroth extended for the diving takeaway.
“I was just in man coverage, but I was in a good position,” Rexroth said at media availability on Sept. 23. “I heard something, and I just looked up and saw the ball there. I was like, ‘Oh, I gotta go get that,’ right, because we need some turnovers. So I just tried to make a play on the ball, and luckily came down with it.”
Rexroth also said the defense has been in a position to generate turnovers all season, but the ball simply hasn’t fallen their way. He emphasized that the defense doesn’t want to change how they’ve been playing, and that turnovers will continue coming to them throughout the season.
Iowa’s defensive identity has generated a plethora of turnovers in defensive coordinator Phil Parker’s tenure. The Hawkeyes have placed fourth in the country in interceptions since 2009.
Now that Iowa has forced its first turnover of the season, the defensive backs hope to keep them coming, beginning with Saturday’s game against No. 11 Indiana.
“It was a great feeling to get that first turnover, you know, break the ice with that. So hopefully now they just keep rolling in,” cornerback Deshaun Lee said.
“It’s probably prolonged and been longer than we wanted it to be,” cornerback Jaylen Watson said. “We finally got one, so I think it’s a great start to kind of ramp that up a little bit, try to get a few more turnovers back to the offense.”
The Hoosiers’ offense has generated over 63 points per game, and comes off a 63-10 domination of then-No. 9 Illinois
third-year is off to a flaming start, competing over 76 percent of his passes for 975 yards and 14 touchdowns.
seven yards per carry, totaling 306 yards. Watson said it will be important to stop the run, saying the Hoosiers do a wonderful job displacing defensive linemen up front to break off big runs.
Rexroth also said the Iowa defense will need to communicate well and understand their keys and alignment. The former defensive back, now linebacker, also explained the necessity to put pressure on Mendoza and force him to make plays outside of the pocket.
last weekend. Indiana has relied heavily on explosive plays so far this year, led by the play of quarterback Fernando Mendoza. The
While Mendoza has been outstanding, the run game has been just as good. Indiana’s lead running back, Kaelon Black, is averaging
“He has a cannon on him, and he gets that ball out really fast,” Rexroth said about Mendoza. “So we’re going to need to pressure him, whether that be on actual called blitzes or any types of add-ins we can get, that will be big.”
One on One: Kenneth Merriweather
The second-year defensive lineman discusses his proudest accomplishment, favorite holiday, and dream concert.
The Daily Iowan: What is something you did as a kid that makes you cringe now?
Kenneth Merriweather: I ate my boogers.
What is your go-to karaoke song? It’s that one song by Alicia Keys, Unthinkable.
What is something that always makes you smile? Just seeing Ethan Hurkett go hard at practice every single day.
Can the Hawkeyes snap their losing
What is your dream concert? My dream concert is a NoCap concert.
Where is the coolest place you’ve traveled to? Probably Florida, so far.
What is the greatest accomplishment of your life? Being the first person in my family to go to college.
streak against ranked
teams?
Iowa hasn’t won a game against a ranked team since the memorable win over Penn State in 2021.
Oct. 9, 2021, will go down as one of the most memorable days in the 96-year history of Kinnick Stadium.
That crisp, autumn Saturday featured a heavyweight clash between No. 3 Iowa and No. 4 Penn State. The Hawkeyes trailed throughout much of the game, but rallied to win, 23-20, behind a raucous crowd at Kinnick. Fans flooded the field in celebration, and Iowa enjoyed its marquee victory.
The memories of this game remain fresh in the minds of many Hawkeye fans, and while the day will stand as a positive one for the rest of time, the magical contest marks the most recent ranked victory for Iowa.
Kirk Ferentz and company have had plenty of chances to end the dubious streak, 10 to be exact, but the Hawkeyes have failed to pass each test. The first exam came in Week 2 against arch rival Iowa State, but Iowa’s offense sputtered and the Cyclones won, 16-13, on a late 54-yard field goal by Kyle Konrardy. That loss still stings for the Hawkeyes, but they have a golden opportunity to prove themselves on Saturday when No. 11 Indiana pays a visit to Kinnick Stadium.
Once regarded as one of the worst power conference programs of all time, the Hoosiers have undergone an improbable resurgence under second-year head coach Curt Cignetti. Indiana won 11 games and reached the College Football Playoff in 2024, but the 2025 Hoosiers might be even better.
Indiana was criticized for playing a weak schedule last year, but it will face Big Ten juggernauts Oregon and Penn State this season. The Hoosiers passed their first test of the season with flying colors, dismantling then-No. 9 Illinois by 53 points last weekend. Indiana boasts one of the nation’s most explosive offenses, posting a nation-high 63.8 points per game.
“They’re really playing at a high level right now,” Ferentz said. “Didn’t look like they had a flaw the other night at all, just
a really strong performance. And it’s pretty much been that way all season long. Every game they’ve been in, they’ve been winning very decisively.”
The Hoosiers feature plenty of star-studded talent on offense, but quarterback Fernando Mendoza has been the key to their hot start. Mendoza, a transfer from California, is one of the most efficient quarterbacks in the country, completing over 76 percent of his passes for 14 touchdowns and no interceptions.
Mendoza’s hot start has earned him plenty of praise from analysts, with some listing him on their early Heisman Trophy watchlists.
“I don’t have a Heisman vote, but I would vote for him based on what I saw,” Ferentz said. “He looks really good too. So I guess part of their sets why they’re putting up those numbers. They can run the ball pass it. Got the ability to hit the big play.”
Iowa is well-aware of the offensive firepower Mendoza and Indiana bring to the table, but is confident it can stifle the Hoosier attack.
“Effort, effort, and focus,” third-year defensive back Deshaun Lee said. “If you focus on your job, all 11 guys just focus on their job with the maximum effort that they can produce, you’ll definitely be in good shape and have a good chance to win.”
Indiana’s offense garnered most of the attention against Illinois, but its defense also produced a terrific outing against a strong Fighting Illini offense. The Hoosiers recorded seven sacks in the contest, many coming on three or four-man rushes.
“We can’t be on a different page,” second-year tackle Trevor Lauck said. “As long as we’re on the same page, we’ll have a decent shot. They’re a great defensive line. They do a lot of cool things, so it’ll be pretty important that we stick to the same plan and playing together.”
“We’re going against good players who are being coached by great coaches,” fifth-year center Logan Jones said. “It’s going to be a challenge up front. And I’m really looking forward to it, because this is what you dream of.”
Though Saturday’s matchup is Iowa’s annual Homecoming game, it will also mark a bit of a homecoming game for Lauck. The sophomore, who also celbrates his 21st birthday this weekend, grew up in Indianapolis and was recruited by the Hoosiers.
“It’s going to be a pretty big day. I’m pretty excited,” Lauck said. “Got about 30 or so family members making the trip. So, yeah, it’ll be a big day.”
While the Lauck family will certainly enjoy themselves, they will probably have a tough time hearing each other. Hawkeye fans have waited for a big game in Kinnick Stadium, and Saturday’s game is likely to produce the loudest crowd of the season, which could give Iowa an edge.
“It is their [Indiana’s] first road game, and we know our fans are going to going to be there, and they’re going to be excited and ready,” Lauck said.
Weekly Wager
Game Guide
No. 3 Penn State vs No. 6 Oregon
No. 3 Penn State’s prime time clash with No. 6 Oregon on Saturday night marks the return of its annual White Out tradition in Beaver Stadium, where over 106,000 Nittany Lions fans deck out the stadium in white to create an intimidating atmosphere for opposing teams. The White Out began in 2007 and has been one of the most recognizable game day traditions in college football. Iowa has participated in the White Out game twice, beating then-No. 5 Penn State in 2009 and losing in 2023. In fact, the Hawkeyes are just one of four teams to escape the White Out with a victory, joining Ohio State, Michigan, and Alabama.
Power Rankings
On The Line
The Daily Iowan sta shares their thoughts on this week’s upcoming games
Receiving support from all areas
Jaxton Engstrom has felt support from the UI Children’s Hospital and the Iowa Hawkeyes.
Just a short five years after Jaxton Engstrom was born, everything changed for him and his family. fter he began losing his vision around age five, Jaxton was misdiagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa.
Jaxton, the now 18-year-old from Waterloo, Iowa, learned braille and began walking with a cane for the next year, until he suddenly collapsed and had a seizure while waiting for the school bus. He was rushed to the emergency room and then transferred to the niversity of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital.
While at the I Children’s Hospital, Jaxton was diagnosed with Batten disease. ccording to the Cleveland Clinic, Batten disease is a group of rare genetic conditions that cause cells to collect waste instead of getting rid of it.
Jaxton’s mother, Tina, explained that Batten disease affects one in 100,000 kids, as both parents must have the causal gene that is passed down. The disease also commonly affects multiple siblings.
“ nd a lot of times, families have more than one sibling [affected],” Tina said. “So when they first told us, my husband’s next question was, What about his brothers ’ nd they showed us that they were too old to have it, and we would know it by now.”
s Batten disease slowly attacked Jaxton’s brain cells, it led to him losing his ability to walk, speak, and swallow. Tina described the disease as “ lzheimer’s in a child.”
Jaxton has many favorite things, including listening to dogs barking, as well as roaming the hallways while in school.
“He would do his thing in the halls,” Tina said.
“ nd the teachers, when he would be loud, would just be like, h, that’s just
Jaxton.’ They would shut the door, and some of them would put things outside so he could feel them. He didn’t really have a favorite subject other than just doing what he wants to in school, and they’ve created a sensory room where he can go in and feel things.”
Jaxton also loved to ride his scooter, even when he couldn’t see very well.
Tina said that Jaxton would use the edges of the sidewalk to know where he was going. Now, his favorite hobby is listening to music and going for rides.
Tina said the doctors and nurses at the I Children’s Hospital have saved Jaxton’s life multiple times, and she is also grateful for the Hawkeye football players and how much they enjoyed meeting Jaxton.
“The football players come in, and to me, they’re just young kids too,” Tina added about the Iowa football team. “They’re happy to see them [the kids] and interact, and they take the time to do that. I think they’re genuine when they’re in there, and I think they do have compassion for those kids.”
nother one of Tina’s hopeful messages to all who hear Jaxton’s story is simple
“I always say, if Jaxton can smile, you can smile.”
Tina said that she and her family want Jaxton’s story to inspire others to be patient, not sweat the little things, and find a reason to be kind, because nobody knows what everyone else is going through.
Hawkeye Lookback: 2015 win over Illinois
Iowa’s memorable 2015 campaign featured many exciting games, but the one that often gets overlooked is its 29-20 homecoming victory over Illinois. The Hawkeyes appeared to run away with the game early, but the Fighting Illini roared back to cut the deficit down to three midway through the third quarter. Jordan Canzeri’s 75-yard touchdown run on Iowa’s next possession gave the Hawkeyes some breathing room, but Illinois continued to hang around and had the ball with a chance to win the game late. Parker Hesse saved the day and forced a fumble to put the game on ice. Iowa finished the 2015 campaign with an impressive 12-2 record.
