6A | The Daily Iowan • Iowa City, Iowa • Thursday, October 25, 2012
The Daily Iowan • Iowa City, Iowa • Thursday, October 25, 2012 | 7A
8A | The Daily Iowan • Iowa City, Iowa • Thursday, October 25, 2012
Sports COTTON Continued from 10A board by an illegal-block penalty against tight end Ray Hamilton, who committed the penalty far away from the play. Cotton said that play gave the return unit confidence that it could break a big one,
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which the players proved just a week later. Quarterback James Vandenberg said Cotton was a “kick-return phenom” in high school. The junior came to Iowa with big expectations as a receiver, but he has had a difficult time finding his way onto the field early in his career. He seems to have found his role now, and fellow receiver Keenan Davis indicated it has been a long time coming. “He’s taking the oppor-
‘I definitely thought I could have contributed a lot earlier on the kick-return unit, but it was the coaches’ decision. I wasn’t producing well as a receiver yet, so I had to prove myself first there.’ — Jordan Cotton, UI junior tunity and being confident with it,” Davis said. “He’s a guy who knows maybe he should’ve been there a few years ago.” Cotton agreed, but said
Iowa coaches were right not to let him return kicks until he had improved as a wideout. “I definitely thought I could have contributed a lot
earlier on the kick-return unit, but it was the coaches’ decision,” he said. “I wasn’t producing well as a receiver yet, so I had to prove myself first there.” Cotton made that progress on offense. He has emerged as Iowa’s third receiver with 6 catches on the season for 114 yards. He also might have provided the highlight of Iowa’s season so far, with a 47-yard touchdown catch on a flea-flicker play against Minnesota.
So coaches let him do what he might do best: return kicks. Davis said Cotton thinks of himself as a “return specialist” now, and Vandenberg said he had given the Hawkeyes “a real spark.” Cotton, meanwhile, is just happy to be out there. “It’s been a fun year for me so far, getting to contribute a lot more than I have in the past,” he said. “I’ve just got to keep moving forward and getting better.”