Thank You, Jake Hummel

At Iowa State, linebacker has always been a position of relative strength, even on defenses that weren’t much to write home about.

Cyclone fans remember the likes of Alvin Bowen, Jeremiah George, Jake Knott, and AJ Klein. Mike Rose headlines the current group, but his running mates combined to form a formidable position group over the past couple seasons

Jake Hummel has been an instrumental leader and impact player on the defense, and that is how Cyclone fans should remember his career.

Iowa players will always have a special place in the heart ofCyclone fans, especially legacy Cyclones like Jake. Perry Hummel, Jake’s father, won two Big Eight titles, compiled 118 victories and was the runner-up national champion in 1980.

Jake followed in his fathers footsteps in choosing Iowa State, coming to Ames from Dowling where he won 3 state titles in high school, and represented a big get for Matt Campbell, as Jake was a top 10 in-state player.

Becoming a starting linebacker took determination, as Jake was a key reserve for the first several years of his career. After playing behind and learning from greats like Marcel Spears and Willey Harvey Jr., he finally broke through in 2020

The 2020 season saw #35 burst onto the scene, finishing second on the team in tackles and earning Honorable Mention All Big-12 honors.

After an incredible effort in the Fiesta Bowl, Jake Hummel decided to come back for his super senior season, a decision that worked out well both for himself and for his team.

As a super-senior, Jake has turned in an even better campaign, where he has already amassed 70 tackles, a sack, and an interception returned for a touchdown.

Leadership, another attribute this senior is known for, has been instrumental in developing the linebacker class of the future in Dae’Shawn Davis, Gerry Vaughn, and Aric Horne.

We should always remember Jake Hummel as an Iowa kid who chose to stay loyal and stay home, who patiently waited his turn behind Cyclone greats, shone when his time to step up came, and stuck around to complete the Process and help the next generation of Cyclone linebackers learn and grow

Jake Hummel is a product of the Process, and his impact on the Cyclone Football program will be felt for years.