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Iowa, Michigan State, Minnesota and Rutgers Earn Weekly Football Honors
Following Week 2 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
Noah Kim, Michigan State
QB – Jr. – Centreville, Va. – Westfield
Went 18-for-22, passing for 292 yards and three touchdowns in the 45-14 win over Richmond, completing 15-straight passes to close out the game
The 292 yards marked a career-high for the second week in a row, topping last week's 279 yards in his starting debut vs. Central Michigan, while the 18 completions matches last week's 18-for-31 passing
Kim is now 36-for-53 for 571 yards with five touchdowns and no interceptions through the first two games of the season
The Academic All-Big Ten honoree earns his first career Offensive Player of the Week award
Last Michigan State Offensive Player of the Week: Kenneth Walker III (Nov. 1, 2021)
Defensive Player of the Week
Sebastian Castro, Iowa
DB – Sr. – Oak Lawn, Ill. – Richards
Recorded a 30-yard interception return for a touchdown in the second quarter that gave the Hawkeyes a 17-0 lead in an eventual 20-13 Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Series win at Iowa State
Castro's interception was the first of his career and it was his second career touchdown
Finished the game with four tackles and a key fourth quarter pass breakup that helped Iowa prevail in Ames for the sixth consecutive time and give head coach Kirk Ferentz his 200th career victory
Earns the first Defensive Player of the Week accolade of his career
Last Iowa Defensive Player of the Week: Jack Campbell (Nov. 20, 2022)
Special Teams Player of the Week
Jai Patel, Rutgers
K – So. – Monmouth Junction, N.J. – South Brunswick
Went 3-for-3 on field goals in the Scarlet Knights’ 36-7 win over Temple
Connected on a career-long 51-yard field goal, tied for the seventh-longest make in program history, and added successful attempts from 43 and 23 yards out
Contributed three extra points in as many attempts
Garners the first Special Teams Player of the Week honor of his career
Last Rutgers Special Teams Player of the Week: Adam Korsak (Nov. 1, 2021)
Freshman of the Week
Darius Taylor, Minnesota
RB – Detroit, Mich. – Walled Lake Western
Rushed 33 times for 193 yards and one touchdown in a 25-6 win against Eastern Michigan
His 193 yards were second most in school history for a true freshman, behind Darrell Thompson who rushed for 205 yards against Bowling Green in 1986
Added 13 receiving yards to finish with 206 all-purpose yards
Earns the first Freshman of the Week honor of his career
Last Minnesota Freshman of the Week: Athan Kaliakmanis (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, 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