Written by BTN.com staffSpoiler alert: Wisconsin RB Montee Ball, who has scored a Big Ten record 34 touchdowns, is the Big Ten’s only unanimous choice. Watch our interview with Ball and Wisconsin QB Russell Wilson now. And check out all of our Monday interviews here.
The inaugural award winners included only the positional awards, as offensive, defensive, freshman and coach of the year will be released Wednesday. See all the winners in this post.
2011 Big Ten Individual Award Winners
Griese-Brees Quarterback of the Year: Russell Wilson, Wisconsin
Named for Purdue’s Bob Griese and Drew Brees
Richter-Howard Receiver of the Year: Marvin McNutt, Iowa
Named for Wisconsin’s Pat Richter and Michigan’s Desmond Howard
Ameche-Dayne Running Back of the Year: Montee Ball, Wisconsin
Named for Wisconsin’s Alan Ameche and Ron Dayne
Kwalick-Clark Tight End of the Year: DrakeDunsmore, Northwestern
Named for Penn State’s Ted Kwalick and Iowa’s Dallas Clark
Rimington-Pace Offensive Lineman of the Year: David Molk, Michigan
Named for Nebraska’s Dave Rimington and Ohio State’s Orlando Pace
Smith-Brown Defensive Lineman of the Year: Devon Still, Penn State
Named for Michigan State’s Bubba Smith and Penn State’s Courtney Brown
Butkus-Fitzgerald Linebacker of the Year: Lavonte David, Nebraska
Named for Illinois’ Dick Butkus and Northwestern’s Pat Fitzgerald
Tatum-Woodson Defensive Back of the Year: Alfonzo Dennard, Nebraska
Named for Ohio State’s Jack Tatum and Purdue’s Rod Woodson
Bakken-Andersen Kicker of the Year: Brett Maher, Nebraska
Named for Wisconsin’s Jim Bakken and Michigan State’s Morten Andersen
Eddleman-Fields Punter of the Year: Brett Maher, Nebraska
Named for Illinois’ Dike Eddleman and Michigan State’s Brandon Fields
| 2011 All-Big Ten Conference Football Team – Coaches | ||
| OFFENSE | FIRST TEAM | SECOND TEAM (*-additional honorees due to ties) |
| QB | Russell Wilson, Wisconsin | Kirk Cousins, Michigan State |
| RB | Rex Burkhead, Nebraska | Marcus Coker, Iowa |
| RB | MONTEE BALL, Wisconsin | Silas Redd, Penn State |
| WR | A.J. Jenkins, Illinois | B.J. Cunningham, Michigan State |
| WR | Marvin McNutt, Iowa | Nick Toon, Wisconsin |
| C | David Molk, Michigan | Mike Caputo, Nebraska*; Mike Brewster, Ohio State* |
| G | Joel Foreman, Michigan State | Adam Gettis, Iowa |
| G | Kevin Zeitler, Wisconsin | Travis Frederick, Wisconsin |
| T | Riley Reiff, Iowa | Taylor Lewan, Michigan |
| T | Josh Oglesby, Wisconsin | Mike Adams, Ohio State |
| TE | Drake Dunsmore, Northwestern | Brian Linthicum, Michigan State |
| K | Brett Maher, Nebraska | Carson Wiggs, Purdue |
| DEFENSE | FIRST TEAM | SECOND TEAM (*-additional honorees due to ties) |
| DL | Whitney Mercilus, Illinois | Michael Buchanan, Illinois* |
| DL | Jerel Worthy, Michigan State | Mike Daniels, Iowa* |
| DL | John Simon, Ohio State | Mike Martin, Michigan*, William Gholston, Michigan State* |
| DL | Devon Still, Penn State | Jack Crawford, Penn State*, Kawann Short, Purdue* |
| LB | Lavonte David, Nebraska | Max Bullough, Michigan State |
| LB | Gerald Hodges, Penn State | Andrew Sweat, Ohio State |
| LB | Chris Borland, Wisconsin | Mike Taylor, Wisconsin |
| DB | Shaun Prater, Iowa | Isaiah Lewis, Michigan State |
| DB | Johnny Adams, Michigan State | C.J. Barnett, Ohio State |
| DB | Alfonzo Dennard, Nebraska | Nick Sukay, Penn State |
| DB | Aaron Henry, Wisconsin | Ricardo Allen, Purdue |
| P | Brett Maher, Nebraska | Cody Webster, Purdue |
HONORABLE MENTION: ILLINOIS: Jeff Allen, Jonathan Brown, Derek Dimke, Terry Hawthorne, Ian Thomas; INDIANA: Mitch Ewald, Jeff Thomas; IOWA: Broderick Binns, James Ferentz, Eric Guthrie, Micah Hyde, James Morris, Markus Zusevics; MICHIGAN: Kenny Demens, J.T. Floyd, Kevin Koger, Junior Hemingway, Denard Robinson, Fitzgerald Toussaint, Ryan Van Bergen; MICHIGAN STATE: Denicos Allen, Le’Veon Bell, Keshawn Martin, Trenton Robinson, Marcus Rush; MINNESOTA: Kim Royston; NEBRASKA: Will Compton, Ben Cotton, Spencer Long, Marcel Jones, Baker Steinkuhler; NORTHWESTERN: Jeremy Ebert, Jordan Mabin, Brian Mulroe, Al Netter, Dan Persa, Brian Peters; OHIO STATE: Johnathan Hankins, Dan Herron, Jack Mewhort, Jake Stoneburner; PENN STATE: Drew Astorino, Anthony Fera, Jordan Hill, D’Anton Lynn, Derek Moye, Chima Okoli, Chaz Powell, Johnnie Troutman; PURDUE: Dennis Kelly, Joe Holland; WISCONSIN: Jared Abbrederis, Patrick Butrym, Antonio Fenelus, Peter Konz, Brad Nortman, Jacob Pederson, Rocky Wagner.
Big Ten Sportsmanship Award Honorees: Nathan Scheelhaase, ILL; Adam Replogle, IND; Eric Guthrie, IOWA; Jordan Kovacs, MICH; Kirk Cousins, MSU; Collin McGarry, MINN; Jared Crick, NEB; Al Netter, NU; Andrew Sweat, OSU; Drew Astorino, PSU; Joe Holland, PUR; Aaron Henry, WIS.
| 2011 All-Big Ten Conference Football Team – Media | ||
| OFFENSE | FIRST TEAM | SECOND TEAM (*-additional honorees due to ties) |
| QB | Russell Wilson, Wisconsin | Denard Robinson, Michigan |
| RB | Rex Burkhead, Nebraska | Marcus Coker, Iowa |
| RB | MONTEE BALL, Wisconsin | Silas Redd, Penn State |
| WR | A.J. Jenkins, Illinois | B.J. Cunningham, Michigan State |
| WR | Marvin McNutt, Iowa | Jeremy Ebert, Northwestern |
| C | Peter Konz, Wisconsin | David Molk, Michigan |
| G | Joel Foreman, Michigan State | Spencer Long, Nebraska |
| G | Kevin Zeitler, Wisconsin | Travis Frederick, Wisconsin |
| T | Riley Reiff, Iowa | Jeff Allen, Illinois |
| T | Josh Oglesby, Wisconsin | Mike Adams, Ohio State |
| TE | Drake Dunsmore, Northwestern | Jacob Pedersen, Wisconsin |
| K | Brett Maher, Nebraska | Anthony Fera, Penn State |
| DEFENSE | FIRST TEAM | SECOND TEAM (*-additional honorees due to ties) |
| DL | Whitney Mercilus, Illinois | Michael Buchanan, Illinois* |
| DL | Jerel Worthy, Michigan State | Broderick Binns, Iowa* |
| DL | Devon Still, Penn State | Mike Martin, Michigan* |
| DL | Kawann Short, Purdue | William Gholston, Michigan State*; John Simon, Ohio State* |
| LB | Lavonte David, Nebraska | Jonathan Brown, Illinois |
| LB | Chris Borland, Wisconsin | Denicos Allen, Michigan State |
| LB | Mike Taylor, Wisconsin | Gerald Hodges, Penn State |
| DB | Trenton Robinson, Michigan State | Micah Hyde, Iowa |
| DB | Alfonzo Dennard, Nebraska | Johnny Adams, Michigan State |
| DB | Brian Peters, Northwestern | Isaiah Lewis, Michigan State |
| DB | Antonio Fenelus, Wisconsin | Nick Sukay, Penn State |
| P | Brett Maher, Nebraska | Cody Webster, Purdue |
HONORABLE MENTION: ILLINOIS: Derek Dimke, Terry Hawthorne, Tavon Wilson; INDIANA: Mitch Ewald; IOWA: Mike Daniels, James Ferentz, Adam Gettis, Eric Guthrie, James Morris, Tyler Nielsen, Shaun Prater, Markus Zusevics; MICHIGAN: Kenny Demens, J.T. Floyd, Kevin Koger, Jordan Kovacs, Taylor Lewan, Craig Roh, Fitzgerald Toussaint, Ryan Van Bergen; MICHIGAN STATE: Le’Veon Bell, Max Bullough, Dan Conroy, Kirk Cousins, Darqueze Dennard, Brian Linthicum, Chris McDonald, Chris Norman, Kevin Pickelman, Marcus Rush; MINNESOTA: Chris Bunders, Kim Royston; NEBRASKA: Mike Caputo, Austin Cassidy, Will Compton, Ben Cotton, Marcel Jones, Cameron Meredith, Daimion Stafford, Baker Steinkuhler; NORTHWESTERN: Kain Colter, Jordan Mabin, Brian Mulroe, Al Netter, Dan Persa; OHIO STATE: C.J. Barnett, Mike Brewster, Johnathan Hankins, Jack Mewhort, Tyler Moeller, Andrew Norwell, Jake Stoneburner, Andrew Sweat; PENN STATE: Drew Astorino, Quinn Barham, Jack Crawford, Anthony Fera, Jordan Hill, D’Anton Lynn, Chima Okoli, Chaz Powell, Nate Stupar, Johnnie Troutman; PURDUE: Ricardo Allen, Dwayne Beckford, Joe Holland, Dennis Kelly, Carson Wiggs; WISCONSIN: Jared Abbrederis, Patrick Butrym, Aaron Henry, Brad Nortman, Nick Toon, Rocky Wagner, Philip Welch.
Congrats to Lavonte David, Rex Burkhead, Alfonzo Dennard, & Bret Maher! Also congrats to all award winners! As a Nebraska fan I enjoyed our 1st season in the Big 10! Hopefully next year I will see the Huskers in the title game! GO BIG RED!
It’s great having Nebraska. I always have LOVED going to games in Lincoln back when I was with Sporting Newss. Great fans, great people, great program. The Huskers came close this year to winning the Legends and always will be in the race. Lots of talent is back. In fact, I think Nebraska may be the 2012 favorite in the Legends Division, with Michigan also bringing back lots of talent.
Wow, no love for the leading passer in the bigten-James Vandenberg??
When you have Russell Wilson, Kirk Cousins, Denard Robinson and Dan Persa, it can get crowded at the top!!!
Illinois may have had a disappointing end to the season, but their defensive players got absolutely robbed.
Whitney Mercilus not voted defensive lineman of the year? He led the NCAA in sacks. Set the all-time B10 record for forced fumbles. Nagurski and Bednarik (national Def POY) finalist. What more could he do? He should be B10 Def POY, let alone DL of the year.
Jonathan Brown was the leader in B10 play for TFL and #2 in total tackles. Ranked 7th in sacks, but #2 among LBs. He flat out dominated some games. Yet the coaches thought there were 6 better LBs? Give me a break.
You make valid points. Unfortunatley, I think often times good players on average/bad teams often get down graded when it comes to postseason awards. It’s nothing new. And I’m not saying it’s right. It’s just reality. Happens in all sports.
Brett Maher is an awesome kicker. Way to go.
He may end up winning the Groza Award. I know I voted for him.
Explain to me how the idiotic coaches voted Toon over Ebert? Here are the numbers for the Big 10 season for all of the top receivers:
Jenkins: 56 rec; 831 yds, 5 tds
McNutt: 53 rec; 856 yds, 8 tds
Cunningham: 38 rec, 697 yds, 8 tds
Toon: 31 rec, 435 yds, 4 tds
Ebert: 54 rec, 655 yds, 7 tds
Surprised to see that Antonio Fenelus and Peter Konz were both forgotten in 1/2 team by the Coaches. Konz is arguably the best C in the country and Fenelus had another solid year showing he is a near shutdown corner but also a corner not afraid to come up and make some big tackles following his ABT season last year. Plus he did it without Devin Smith on the other side.
It is too bad that the kicker of the year award could not have been named for Alex Henry. He after is the NCAA career leader in FG %
He was a great one! I saw the guy hit some big kicks. He had a monster leg!!