[bears9]

IOWA CITY -- Brett Greenwood might have earned a new nickname -- "The Hitter" -- in the Iowa Hawkeyes' 21-16 victory over Minnesota Saturday before the 29th straight sellout crowd inside historic Kinnick Stadium.
The redshirt freshman walk-on free safety from Bettendorf, Iowa, hit everything that moved that was wearing purple and yellow in Iowa's fourth victory in its last five games, a win that made the Hawkeyes eligible for a postseason bowl game for the seventh consecutive season. And twice he separated Gopher receivers from the football and a completion.


"I can't say enough about our D-backs. They're tough to beat and have been all year. And, in Brett's case, he's got quite a bright future. Imagine what he'll be like when he puts a little weight on," chuckled senior linebacker Mike Klinkenborg during a post-game interview with Gary Dolphin and Ed Podolak of the Hawkeye Radio Network.
Klinkenborg's praise is well-deserved. In addition to breaking up two passes, Greenwood was credited with seven tackles against Iowa's arch-rivals, a total that includes four solo stops. His second pass break-up came on Minnesota's two-point conversion attempt late in the fourth quarter. Had the Gophers converted, they would have been able to force overtime with a made field goal.
"He's been all over the field today. Hitting, making tackles, and breaking up passes. Not a bad day for a redshirt freshman," offered Chris Martin, color analyst for the Big Ten Network. Greenwood's performance against the Gophers pushed his season statistics to levels that are impressive whether you're a newcomer or a veteran: 41 tackles, two tackles for loss, four passes broken up and two picks.

Greenwood Makes His Presence Felt