MSU’s Jones top defensive player
Published 10:36 pm Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Michigan State’s Greg Jones has been named the Big Ten Conference’s defensive player of the week.
Ohio State’s Terelle Pryor was the offensive player, while Mike Daniels of Iowa shared the defensive honor.
Collin Wagner of Penn State was the special teams player of the week and James White of Wisconsin was the top freshman.
Offense:
Terrelle Pryor, Ohio State
JR, QB, Jeannette, Pa./Jeannette
Pryor accounted for six touchdowns to help lead Ohio State to 73 points against Eastern Michigan, the most points for the Buckeyes since 1950.
The junior quarterback completed 20 of 26 passes (76.9 percent) for 224 yards and four touchdowns, rushed seven times for 104 yards (14.9 yards per carry) and another touchdown and also hauled in a 20-yard scoring toss. He matched a career high with four scoring strikes and all four went to wide receiver Dane Sanzenbacher, just the second time in school history two Buckeyes have hooked up on four scoring tosses in a single game.
Ohio State’s 73 points rank ninth in school annals and are the most for the Buckeyes since tallying 83 points against Iowa in 1950. Pryor earns his first weekly offensive accolade.
Co-defense:
Mike Daniels, Iowa
JR, DT, Blackwood, N.J./Highland Regional
Daniels recorded four tackles for loss, including a seven-yard sack, to help Iowa blank Ball State in a 45-0 victory. The junior defensive tackle collected six tackles on the day, and his four tackles for loss pushed the offense back 20 yards. He was part of a defense that collected two takeaways and allowed only 56 passing yards, the second-fewest yards through the air allowed in 11-plus years under head coach Kirk Ferentz.
The New Jersey native collects weekly laurels for the first time in his career.
Greg Jones, Michigan State
SR, LB, Cincinnati, Ohio/Archbishop Moeller
Jones recorded the first two interceptions of his career and added a forced fumble to help Michigan State sprint to a 42-0 lead over Northern Colorado after three quarters. The senior linebacker recorded four tackles to move into fifth place in school history with 392 career defensive stops.
Both of Jones’ picks led to touchdowns, as he returned his first interception 34 yards to set up MSU’s first score. He picked off his second pass in the second quarter to set up another touchdown, giving the Spartans a 28-0 lead.
The reigning Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year earns his first player of the week honor.
Special teams:
Collin Wagner, Penn State
SR, K, State College, Pa./State College Area
Wagner set a career high and matched a school record with five field goals and added an extra point to tally 16 points in a 22-13 victory over previously undefeated Temple. The senior kicker became the fourth Nittany Lion to make five field goals in a game and the first since Travis Forney accomplished the feat against Michigan State in 1998. Wagner’s five field goals also match the second-highest single-game effort in Big Ten history. The Pennsylvania native connected on field goals of 45, 42, 32, 32 and 21 yards, the latter of which gave PSU a lead it would not relinquish at 15-13. Wagner nabs weekly accolades for the first time in his career.
Freshmen:
James White, Wisconsin
FR, RB, Fort Lauderdale, Fla./St. Thomas Aquinas
White matched a school freshman record with four rushing touchdowns and averaged 13.2 yards per carry in a victory over Austin Peay. The freshman running back broke loose for a career-high 145 yards on just 11 carries and added a 12-yard reception and 43 yards on two kickoff returns to amass 200 all-purpose yards in the game. He joins former Heisman Trophy winner Ron Dayne as the only other Wisconsin freshman to tally four rushing touchdowns in a single game.