Big Ten Football Players of the Week

by | Nov 27, 2017 | RRSN News | 0 comments

Following Big Ten football games on Nov. 24-25, the Co-Offensive, Defensive and Special Teams Players of the Week and Freshman of the Week in the Big Ten were announced this morning. Below are this week’s honorees:

Co-Offensive Player of the Week

Markell Jones, Purdue

Jr., RB, Columbus, Ind./Columbus East

Rushed 31 times for 217 yards, both career highs, in Purdue’s win vs. Indiana, including 159 yards on 22 carries (7.2 YPC) in the second half

First career 200-yard rushing game and the first by a Boilermaker since Ralph Bolden rushed for 234 yards against Toledo on Sept. 5, 2009

Fourth career 100-yard rushing game and now has 1,968 rushing yards for his career (13th in school history)

Receives his first career Offensive Player of the Week award

Last Purdue Offensive Player of the Week: David Blough (Nov. 2, 2015)

Akrum Wadley, Iowa

Sr., RB, Newark, N.J./Weequahic

Rushed for 159 yards and three touchdowns and added one catch for eight yards in Iowa’s win vs. Nebraska

Became only the third opposing player in the last 20 years with 150+ rushing yards and 3+ rushing touchdowns in Nebraska’s Memorial Stadium

Became the fourth Hawkeye to post back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons and the first since Fred Russell in 2002-03

Earns his third career Offensive Player of the Week award

Last Iowa Offensive Player of the Week: Nate Stanley (Sept. 10, 2017)

Defensive Player of the Week

Sam Hubbard, Ohio State

Jr., DE, Cincinnati, Ohio/Archbishop Moeller

Recorded five total tackles (four solo) and a forced fumble in Ohio State’s win at Michigan

Set a career high with 2.5 sacks for minus-27 yards

Led a defense that limited Michigan to 100 rushing yards

Earns his first career Defensive Player of the Week honor

Last Ohio State Defensive Player of the Week: Raekwon McMillan (Nov. 28, 2016)

Special Teams Player of the Week

Hunter Niswander, Northwestern

Sr., P, Peninsula, Ohio/Woodridge

Averaged 48.3 yards on six punts and placed 3 punts inside the 20-yard line in Northwestern’s win at Illinois

Hit his longest punt of the day (61 yards) with Northwestern on its own 13-yard line and holding a 14-7 lead in the second quarter

Receives his second career Special Teams Player of the Week award

Last Northwestern Special Teams Player of the Week: Hunter Niswander (Oct. 22, 2017)

Freshman of the Week

Jonathan Taylor, Wisconsin

Fr., RB, Salem, N.J./Salem

Rushed for 149 yards on 20 carries and a touchdown in Wisconsin’s win at Minnesota

Recorded his ninth 100-yard rushing game in 12 career games

Has 1,806 yards on the season, third-most by a freshman in FBS history behind only Ron Dayne (2,109 – 1996) and Adrian Peterson (1,925 – 2004)

Claims his eighth Freshman of the Week award and his seventh consecutive honor this season

Last Wisconsin Freshman of the Week: Jonathan Taylor (Nov. 20, 2017)

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