Iowa looks forward to ‘fun year’ with Jay Higgins back following decision that could have domino effect

ORLANDO — Deontae Craig might gain as much as anyone from Jay Higgins returning to Iowa football for his extra COVID-19 year of eligibility.

“I have less rent to pay, honestly,” said Craig, the fourth-year Iowa defensive lineman.

Craig’s rent costs aside, the Hawkeyes received a big boost with the return of Higgins — Iowa’s starting middle linebacker and the leading tackler among Power Five players — in 2024.

“It’s awesome getting him back,” Craig said. “Obviously he had an extremely tough decision to make. … It definitely is going to make for a fun year next year with him back.”

Higgins’ 155 total tackles this season are only 16 short of tying Andre Jackson’s 51-year-old program record. He earned either first- or second-team recognition on all five of the preeminent All-America teams.

His accolade-filled senior season has been especially impressive considering Higgins only started two games in his previous three years in Iowa City.

“He’s gotten better year in and year out,” defensive back Quinn Schulte said. “The thing that I think people don’t realize is that last year, before (Jack) Campbell had his breakout season, Jay was still running with the ones during the spring."

Time will tell whether Higgins’ decision to stay could have a domino effect on other key defensive players with decisions looming.

Cooper DeJean, if he forgoes his senior season, could be a first-round pick in next year’s NFL Draft. He said last week he has been “trying to take my time” with his decision.

Schulte, who has not announced whether he will use his extra COVID-19 year of eligibility, said Higgins’ return influences his decision “a little bit.”

“Obviously, if I do decide to come back, it’d be nice to have Jay there as well,” Schulte said.

The idea of coming back to “such a good program” has an appeal to Schulte.

“But then there’s also the possibility of the NFL or, for me, dental school as well,” Schulte said. “So kind of a lot of things going into the picture and things that I have to consider.”

Schulte already has been accepted into the University of Iowa’s dental school, although he could defer his enrollment.

Defensive back Sebastian Castro, like Schulte, must decide whether to use his COVID-19 year of eligibility or pursue a professional career. Castro said last week he has gone “back and forth on what I want to do.”

Linebacker Nick Jackson, one of Higgins’ closest friends on the team, is now in the stay-or-go conversation after the NCAA granted him a waiver for another year of eligibility. The waiver is a result of the shooting at the University of Virginia that cut the Cavaliers’ 2022 season short.

If all of those question marks go the Hawkeyes’ way — a big “if” considering the NFL money DeJean would be passing up — the Hawkeyes could return all but two starters from a defense that ranked among the best in the country.

For perspective, the 2023 Iowa defense — which is on pace to hold opponents to fewer than 4 yards per play for a second consecutive season — had only five returning starters.

“We had a really solid defense this year, and another year of all of us playing together would be really big,” said safety Xavier Nwankpa, who has been trying to sway his fellow defensive players to return.

As good as Iowa’s defense could potentially be if the roster question marks become exclamation points, Craig has another financial interest in what Jackson decides.

“(Jackson) being my roommate, again, easier on the rent,” Craig said. “So I want him back for sure."

Comments: john.steppe@thegazette.com