Maryland, Minnesota, Rutgers and Wisconsin Earn Weekly Football Honors

Following Week 3 contests, the Big Ten Conference Offensive, 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

Kyle Monangai, Rutgers

RB – Jr. – Roseland, N.J. – Don Bosco Prep

Rushed for 143 yards and a career-high three touchdowns on 16 carries (8.9 yards per carry) in the Scarlet Knights’ 35-16 win against Virginia Tech, marking the first time a Scarlet Knight topped 100 rushing yards in consecutive games since 2016
Ripped off a 55-yard touchdown in a one-score game in the fourth quarter, his longest career carry and longest by a Scarlet Knight since 2020
The three rushing scores were the most by a Rutgers player in a game since 2019 and his 357 yards this season leads the Big Ten through three weeks
The two-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree earns his first career Offensive Player of the Week award
Last Rutgers Offensive Player of the Week: Gary Nova (Dec. 1, 2014)

Defensive Player of the Week

Hunter Wohler, Wisconsin

S – Jr. – Muskego, Wis. – Muskego

Picked off two passes in Wisconsin's 35-14 win over Georgia Southern and made a team-high 10 tackles, including a sack, to become the first Badger to pick off two passes in a game since John Torchio vs. Purdue on Oct. 22, 2022
Recorded 10 tackles to improve his streak of 10+ tackles per game to three straight games, becoming the first Badger to do so since Leo Chenal in 2021
Just the second player in the country and first in the Big Ten this season to record two interceptions and a sack in the same game
The Academic All-Big Ten honoree earns the first Defensive Player of the Week accolade of his career
Last Wisconsin Defensive Player of the Week: John Torchio (Oct. 24, 2022)

Special Teams Player of the Week

Braedan Wisloski, Maryland

WR – Fr. – Elysburg, Pa. – Southern Columbia Area

Jumpstarted Maryland to scoring 42 consecutive points by taking a kickoff return 98 yards for a touchdown in Maryland's win over Virginia
It was Wisloski's first career touchdown and it marked the first time a Terp returned a kickoff for a touchdown since Javon Leake had a 97-yard score against Michigan on Nov. 2, 2019
Marked the longest kickoff return for a Maryland player since Leake equaled a school record with a 100-yard return at Rutgers on Oct. 5, 2019
Garners the first Special Teams Player of the Week honor of his career
Last Maryland Special Teams Player of the Week: Chad Ryland (Nov. 28, 2022)

Freshman of the Week

Darius Taylor, Minnesota

RB – Detroit, Mich. – Walled Lake Western

Made his first career start at running back for the Gophers at North Carolina, finishing the game with 22 carries for 138 yards and a touchdown, while adding a 25-yard reception
After running for 193 yards last week against Eastern Michigan, Taylor became the first Gopher true freshman to run for 100+ yards in consecutive weeks since Laurence Maroney did so in November of 2003
His two-yard touchdown run with 0:30 left in the first half at North Carolina was his second in as many games
Earns the second Freshman of the Week honor of his career
Last Minnesota Freshman of the Week: Darius Taylor (Sept. 11, 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