BiG Ten Football Players of the Week

Following Big Ten football games on Oct. 20, the Offensive, Defensive and Special Teams Players of the Week and Co-Freshmen of the Week in the Big Ten were announced this morning. Please note that since the Big Ten added a Freshman of the Week award prior to the 2010 football season, no school had previously won all four awards in the same week until Purdue did so today.

Below are this week’s honorees:

Offensive Player of the Week
David Blough, Purdue
Sr., QB, Carrollton, Texas/Creekview
•              Threw for 378 yards and three touchdowns in Purdue’s victory over Ohio State, extending the Boilermakers’ winning streak to four games
•              Became the fifth quarterback in school history to throw for at least 300 yards in three consecutive games, joining Jim Everett (twice), Drew Brees (twice), Kyle Orton and Curtis Painter
•              In the last five games, has thrown for 1,951 yards and 13 touchdowns against two interceptions
•              Earns his third career Offensive Player of the Week award and second this season
•              Last Purdue Offensive Player of the Week: David Blough (Sept. 17, 2018)

Defensive Player of the Week
Markus Bailey, Purdue
Jr., LB, Columbus, Ohio/Hilliard Davidson
•              Recorded a game-high 15 tackles, including eight solo stops, in the Boilermakers’ win against Ohio State
•              Returned an interception 41 yards for a touchdown late in the fourth quarter to cap Purdue’s largest scoring total against the Buckeyes in school history
•              Became the first Boilermaker to record 15 or more tackles in a game since Anthony Spencer had 15 at Notre Dame on Sept. 30, 2006
•              Receives his first career Defensive Player of the Week honor
•              Last Purdue Defensive Player of the Week: Anthony Brown (Nov. 2, 2015)

Special Teams Player of the Week
Joe Schopper, Purdue
Sr., P, Indianapolis, Ind./Cathedral
•              Averaged 43.3 yards per punt in Purdue’s victory over Ohio State
•              Rushed for a first down on a fake field goal that set up the Boilermakers’ second touchdown of the contest
•              Placed two punts inside the Ohio State 20-yard line
•              Earns his second career Special Teams Player of the Week honor
•              Last Purdue Special Teams Player of the Week: Joe Schopper (Oct. 1, 2018)

Co-Freshmen of the Week
Adrian Martinez, Nebraska
Fr., QB, Fresno, Calif./Clovis West
•              Accounted for 401 yards of total offense in Nebraska’s victory over Minnesota, marking his third 400-yard effort of the season
•              Completed 25 of 29 passes for 276 yards and three touchdowns, with his 86.2 completion percentage setting a school record for single-game completion percentage with a minimum of 20 attempts and breaking a record that had stood for 44 years
•              Added a career-high 125 rushing yards, including one touchdown and a career-long 53-yard carry
•              Records his first Freshman of the Week award
•              Last Nebraska Freshman of the Week: Ben Stille (Oct. 2, 2017)

Rondale Moore, Purdue
Fr., WR, New Albany, Ind./Trinity
•              Racked up 252 all-purpose yards in Purdue’s win against Ohio State, marking the sixth time in seven career games that he has recorded at least 112 all-purpose yards
•              Finished with a game-high 12 receptions for 170 yards and two touchdowns
•              Returned three kicks for 49 yards, rushed twice for 24 yards and had a punt return for nine yards
•              Records his third Freshman of the Week award
•              Last Purdue Freshman of the Week: Rondale Moore (Sept. 24, 2018)