Iowa, Maryland, Michigan and Minnesota Earn Weekly Football Honors

Following Week 5 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

Taulia Tagovailoa, Maryland

QB – Sr. – Ewa Beach, Hawaii – Thompson

Accounted for six touchdowns in Maryland's 44-17 win over Indiana to move the Terrapins to 5-0 on the season
Completed 24-of-34 passes for 352 yards and threw five touchdowns, while also rushing for 15 yards and a touchdown on the ground
Became the first Maryland quarterback to exceed 9,000 career passing yards in the win, improving his total to 9,343 career passing yards, which ranks 13th all-time in the Big Ten
The two-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree earns his third career Offensive Player of the Week award
Last Maryland Offensive Player of the Week: Taulia Tagovailoa (Sept. 12, 2022)

Co-Defensive Players of the Week

Nick Jackson, Iowa

LB – Gr. – Atlanta, Ga. – Lovett School

Had 10 tackles, his second straight game with 10 or more stops, in Iowa's 26-16 victory over Michigan State
Also added a key forced fumble in the fourth quarter on Michigan State's second-to-last possession, which led to a game-sealing field goal
Jackson, who has 22 career games with 10 or more tackles, has 42 tackles over his last four games with 9+ stops in each contest
Earns the first Defensive Player of the Week accolade of his career
Last Iowa Defensive Player of the Week: Sebastian Castro (Sept. 11, 2023)

Josaiah Stewart, Michigan

EDGE – Jr. – Bronx, N.Y. – Everett (Mass.)

Recorded the first two sacks of his career in Michigan’s 45-7 victory against Nebraska
Set a new career high for tackles (5), leading the defense in tackles for the first time
Part of a defense that permitted only 106 yards on the ground to the nation's No. 1 rush offense (including 74-yard run)
Earns the first Defensive Player of the Week accolade of his career
Last Michigan Defensive Player of the Week: Aidan Hutchinson (Nov. 29, 2021)

Special Teams Player of the Week

Cooper DeJean, Iowa

DB – Jr. – Odebolt, Iowa – OA-BCIG

Returned a punt 70 yards for a touchdown to give the Hawkeyes their first lead of the second half at 23-16 over Michigan State in an eventual 26-16 victory
The 70-yard punt return touchdown is the first of his career, the 15th longest in program history and the first punt return touchdown by a Hawkeye since 2020
Also had six tackles defensively and he intercepted a pass - his first of the season
Garners the first Special Teams Player of the Week honor of his career
Last Iowa Special Teams Player of the Week: Tory Taylor (Sept. 26, 2022)

Freshman of the Week

Zach Evans, Minnesota

RB – Heath, Texas – Rockwall-Heath

Saw his first action of the season against Louisiana and rushed 15 times for 85 yards and one touchdown
Averaged 5.7 yards per carry and did not have a negative rush
His longest run on the day was 18 yards
Earns the first Freshman of the Week honor of his career
Last Minnesota Freshman of the Week: Darius Taylor (Sept. 25, 2023)

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, DB, PUR

Sept. 11

O: Noah Kim, Jr., QB, MSU

D: Sebastian Castro, Sr., DB, IOWA

S: Jai Patel, So., K, RU

F: Darius Taylor, RB, MINN

Sept. 18

O: Kyle Monangai, Jr., RB, RU

D: Hunter Wohler, Jr., S, WIS

S: Braedan Wisloski, Fr., WR, MD

F: Darius Taylor, RB, MINN

Sept. 25

O: Bryce Kirtz, Sr., WR, NU

D: Lathan Ransom, Sr., S, OSU

S: Nathanial Vakos, So., K, WIS

F: Darius Taylor, RB, MINN

Oct. 2

O: Taulia Tagovailoa, Sr., QB, MD

D: Nick Jackson, Gr., LB, IOWA

D: Josaiah Stewart, Jr., EDGE, MICH

S: Cooper DeJean, Jr., DB, IOWA

F: Zach Evans, RB, MINN