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