Following Big Ten football games on Aug. 29-31, the 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:
Offensive Player of the Week
Jonathan Taylor, Wisconsin
Jr., RB, Salem, N.J./Salem
- Totalled 183 all-purpose yards and four touchdowns at South Florida, becoming the first Big Ten student to record at least two rushing and two receiving touchdowns in the same game since Illinois’ Mikel Leshoure in 2010
- Rushed 16 times for 135 yards and a pair of touchdowns, topping the 100-yard rushing mark for the 23rd time in his career
- Caught two passess for 48 yards and two touchdowns, the first two receiving scores of his career
- Earns his fifth career Offensive Player of the Week award and first of the season
- Last Wisconsin Offensive Player of the Week: Jonathan Taylor (Nov. 19, 2018)
Defensive Player of the Week
Kenny Willekes, Michigan State
Sr., DE, Rockford, Mich./NorthPointe Christian
- Scored the first touchdown of his career with a fumble recovery in the end zone in Michigan State’s victory over Tulsa
- Tallied 2.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and two fumble recoveries in the contest
- Led the Spartans with seven tackles to help Michigan State set a school record by holding Tulsa to -73 rushing yards
- Receives his first career Defensive Player of the Week honor
- Last Michigan State Defensive Player of the Week: Josiah Scott (Nov. 26, 2018)
Special Teams Player of the Week
Logan Justus, Indiana
Sr., K, McCordsville, Ind./Mt. Vernon
- Tied a school record with four field goals, connecting on all of his attempts in the Hoosiers’ victory over Ball State
- Topped his previous career-long field goal three times, converting from 48, 49 and 50 yards in the contest, as well as from 30 yards
- Added two extra points to score 14 points in the contest
- Earns his second career Special Teams Player of the Week honor and first of the season
- Last Indiana Special Teams Player of the Week: Logan Justus (Nov. 12, 2018)
Freshman of the Week
Michael Penix Jr., Indiana
Fr., QB, Tampa, Fla./Tampa Bay Tech
- Became the first Indiana freshman quarterback to start a season-opener since Antwaan Randle El in 1998 and joined Randle El as the only Hoosier freshmen to record more than 300 passing yards in his first start
- Completed 24 of 40 passes for 326 yards and a touchdown in the team’s victory against Ball State
- Carried the ball seven times for 67 yards to finish the game with 393 total yards
- Earns his first career Freshman of the Week award
- Last Indiana Freshman of the Week: Stevie Scott (Sept. 17, 2018)