Following Big Ten football games on Aug. 30 – Sept. 1, the Offensive, Co-Defensive and Co-Special Teams Players of the Week and Co-Freshmen of the Week in the Big Ten were announced this morning. Below are this week’s honorees:
Offensive Player of the Week
Dwayne Haskins, Ohio State
So., QB, Potomac, Md./Bullis School
• Making his first career start, completed 22 of 30 passes for 313 yards and five touchdowns to record a victory over Oregon State
• Became the first quarterback in program history to throw for 300 yards in his first career start
• Added 24 yards rushing on two carries
• Earns his first career Offensive Player of the Week award
• Last Ohio State Offensive Player of the Week: Mike Weber (Nov. 13, 2017)
Co-Defensive Players of the Week
Jake Hansen, Illinois
So., LB, Tarpon Springs, Fla./East Lake
• Tied the Illinois school record with 6.0 tackles for loss in the team’s win against Kent State
• Recorded a career-high 15 tackles in the contest, including 10 solo stops
• Nearly tripled his career total for tackles, as he had entered the season with eight tackles
• Claims his first career Defensive Player of the Week honor
• Last Illinois Defensive Player of the Week: Tre Watson (Nov. 7, 2016)
Antoine Brooks Jr., Maryland
Jr., DB, Lanham, Md./DuVal
• Led the team with 11 tackles, including seven solo stops, as Maryland defeated Texas to open the season for the second straight year
• Registered the game-sealing interception with 1:04 remaining to complete a 34-29 victory
• Added one tackle for loss in the contest
• Earns his first career Defensive Player of the Week honor
• Last Maryland Defensive Player of the Week: Cole Farrand (Sept. 29, 2014)
Co-Special Teams Players of the Week
Ambry Thomas, Michigan
So., DB, Detroit, Mich./Martin Luther King
• Registered a 99-yard touchdown on a kickoff return late in the first half at Notre Dame
• His touchdown marked the fourth kickoff return touchdown of 99 yards or longer in program history and the first since 1994
• Scored the first touchdown of his career and the first kickoff return score by a Wolverine since 2015
• Receives his first career Special Teams Player of the Week award
• Last Michigan Special Teams Player of the Week: Kenny Allen (Oct. 31, 2016)
Antoine Winfield Jr., Minnesota
So., DB, The Woodlands, Texas/The Woodlands
• Recorded a 76-yard punt return touchdown in a victory over New Mexico State
• Broke five tackles on the return, which was the first punt return touchdown by a Gopher since 2013
• Added five tackles in the contest
• Earns his first career Special Teams Player of the Week award
• Last Minnesota Special Teams Player of the Week: Rodney Smith (Nov. 13, 2017)
Co-Freshmen of the Week
Jeshaun Jones, Maryland
Fr., WR, Fort Myers, Fla./South Fort Myers
• Became the first freshman in at least the last 20 years to record a passing, rushing and receiving touchdown in his first career game and the first to do so in any game since Marcus Mariota in 2012
• Recorded two catches for 73 yards and one touchdown, one carry for a 28-yard touchdown and one pass completion for a 20-yard touchdown
• Became the first Big Ten student with a passing, rushing and receiving touchdown in a single contest since Michigan’s Vincent Smith in 2011
• Claims his first Freshman of the Week award
• Last Maryland Freshman of the Week: Lorenzo Harrison (Oct. 24, 2016)
Rondale Moore, Purdue
Fr., WR, New Albany, Ind./Trinity
• Broke Purdue’s 46-year old record for most all-purpose yards in a contest with 313 yards against Northwestern
• Rushed twice for 79 yards, including a 76-yard touchdown run, and caught 11 passes for 109 yards and a touchdown
• Added 125 yards on five kickoff returns
• Records his first Freshman of the Week award
• Last Purdue Freshman of the Week: Brian Lankford-Johnson (Oct. 10, 2016)
