Illinois, Minnesota, Penn State and Purdue Earn Weekly Football Honors

Following Week 1 contests, the Big Ten Conference Offensive, Co-Defensive, and Special Teams Players of the Week, and the Freshman of the Week were announced this morning. Below are this week's honorees:

Offensive Player of the Week

Drew Allar, Penn State

QB – So. – Medina, Ohio – Medina

• Completed 21 of his 29 pass attempts to finish with a career-high 325 passing yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions in the Nittany Lions’ 38-15 win against West Virginia
• Allar tossed a 72-yard touchdown pass to KeAndre Lambert-Smith on Penn State’s opening drive, the sophomore’s longest career pass  
• Surpassed 500 career passing yards in the second quarter, finishing the game with a career total of 669 yards
• Earns his first career Offensive Player of the Week award
• Last Penn State Offensive Player of the Week: Sean Clifford (Oct. 24, 2022)

Co-Defensive Players of the Week

Miles Scott, Illinois

DB – So. – Dolton, Ill. – St. Thomas More

• Made the key defensive play in Illinois' 30-28 win over Toledo, swinging momentum back in the Illini's favor with an interception return for touchdown in the third quarter
• The 48-yard TD return was the only interception return for touchdown by a Big Ten Player in Week 1 and ranks as one of the five longest interception returns for touchdown in Week 1 nationally
• Finished the game tied for third on the team with six tackles, included five solo stops
• The Academic All-Big Ten honoree earns the first Defensive Player of the Week accolade of his career
• Last Illinois Defensive Player of the Week: Sydney Brown (Nov. 28, 2022)

Tyler Nubin, Minnesota

S – Sr. – Saint Charles, Ill. – St. Charles North

• Made two interceptions in Minnesota's 13-10 win against Nebraska, marking Minnesota's fifth straight win against the Huskers
• His first interception came with 8:42 left in the first half and thwarted a Nebraska drive, while his second interception came with less a minute to play in the game, he returned it 14 yards to the Minnesota 49-yard line
• Also made three tackles and PFF gave him a 90.3 Grade after allowing only four yards and a 2.8 allowed passer rating
• The three-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree earns the first Defensive Player of the Week accolade of his career
• Last Minnesota Defensive Player of the Week: Mariano Sori-Marin (Dec. 14, 2020)

Special Teams Player of the Week

Dragan Kesich, Minnesota

K – Sr. – Oak Creek, Wis. – Oak Creek

• Recorded 2-of-3 field goals against Nebraska, connecting on kicks from 34 and 47 yards
• Made a 47-yard field goal with zero seconds left on the clock to lift Minnesota to a 13-10 victory, its fifth straight win against Nebraska, and first walk-off field goal win since 2003
• Added a long PAT on the night and had one touchback on three kickoffs
• The two-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree garners the first Special Teams Player of the Week honor of his career
• Last Minnesota Special Teams Player of the Week: Matthew Trickett (Nov. 7, 2022)

Freshman of the Week

Dillon Thieneman, Purdue

DB – Westfield, Ind. – Westfield

• Made a team-high 10 tackles, all solo, becoming the first true freshman to record 10 or more tackles in a game since Navon Moseley in 2016 and one of nine players in the country to record at least 10 solo tackles in their first game of the season
• Hauled in his first career interception in the fourth quarter, which led to a Purdue touchdown that gave the Boilermakers the lead
• Became just the third Purdue true freshman since 1996 to make an interception in their debut
• Earns the first Freshman of the Week honor of his career
• Last Purdue Freshman of the Week: Devin Mockobee (Nov. 28, 2022)

2023 Big Ten Football Players of the Week

Sept. 5

O: Drew Allar, So., QG, PSU

D: Miles Scott, So., DB, ILL

D: Tyler Nubin, Sr., S, MINN

S: Dragan Kesich, Sr., K, MINN

F: Dillon Thieneman, Fr., DB, PUR