Martinez’s Career Day Earns Him B1G Co-Offensive Player of the Week Honor

Following the first week of college football, the initial offensive, defensive and special teams players of the week and freshman of the week in the Big Ten were announced this morning. Below are this week’s honorees:

Offensive Co-Players of the Week

Le’Veon Bell, Michigan State

Jr., RB, Columbus, Ohio/Groveport Madison

· Recorded career-highs with 210 rushing yards and 44 carries, scoring two touchdowns to help Michigan State defeat nationally ranked Boise State on Friday night
· Amassed a career-best 265 all-purpose yards, more than Boise State’s total offensive yards (206) for the game
· Scored the Spartans’ only touchdowns of the game, including the game-winner midway through the fourth quarter
· Records his first Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week selection and third overall honor, having earned two Freshman of the Week awards during the 2010 season
· Last Michigan State Offensive Player of the Week: Kirk Cousins (Oct. 24, 2011)

Taylor Martinez, Nebraska

Jr., QB, Corona, Calif./Centennial

· Threw for a career-high 354 yards and tied a career best with five touchdown strikes to lead the Huskers to an opening-day victory over Southern Miss
· Completed 26 of 34 passes (76.5 percent) and became the sixth Nebraska quarterback to throw for more than 4,000 career yards
· Guided Nebraska to 632 yards of total offense, the most in fifth-year coach Bo Pelini’s tenure
· Wins his second career Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week award
· Last Nebraska Offensive Player of the Week: Taylor Martinez (Oct. 10, 2011)

Defensive Player of the Week

Derrick Wells, Minnesota

So., DB, Lehigh Acres, Fla./Lehigh

· Tied for the team lead with eight tackles and added two interceptions to help Minnesota to a road win at UNLV on Thursday night
· Intercepted his first pass midway through the fourth quarter to set up Minnesota’s go-ahead field goal
· Picked off his second pass in the third overtime, allowing Minnesota to kick the game-winning field goal
· Claims his first career Defensive Player of the Week honor
· Last Minnesota Defensive Player of the Week: Kim Royston (Nov. 28, 2011)

Special Teams Co-Players of the Week

Mike Meyer, Iowa

Jr., PK, Dubuque, Iowa/Wahlert

· Booted four field goals, tying a career best, against Northern Illinois, accounting for 12 points in the Hawkeyes’ 18-17 victory over the Huskies
· Converted on field goals from 22, 29, 34 and 50 yards, with the 50-yarder coming with 9:30 remaining in the fourth quarter to cut the NIU lead to one possession
· Wins his second career Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week honor
· Last Iowa Special Teams Player of the Week: Mike Meyer (Nov. 8, 2010)

Venric Mark, Northwestern

Jr., PR/KR, Tomball, Texas/St. Pius X

· Scored Northwestern’s first touchdown in a 42-41 win over Syracuse with an 82-yard punt return in the opening quarter
· Totaled 134 punt return yards, breaking a 21-year-old single-game school record, and collected 49 kickoff return yards, making him NU’s all-time kickoff return yardage leader with 1,513
· Matched a career high with 281 all-purpose yards, including the first touchdown catch of his career
· Wins his second Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week honor
· Last Northwestern Special Teams Player of the Week: Venric Mark (Nov. 29, 2010)

Freshman of the Week

Frankie Williams, Purdue

DB, Tampa, Fla./Coral Gables

· Led the Purdue defense with six tackles, including one for loss, and a pass breakup in Purdue’s 48-6 win over Eastern Kentucky
· Was part of a Purdue defense that held EKU to 85 passing yards on the day
· Wins his first career weekly award
· Last Purdue Freshman of the Week: Raheem Mostert (Nov. 7, 2011)

— Scott Chipman, Big Ten Conference