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Four Badgers lauded

Four Wisconsin football players earned first-team All-Big Ten honors—the most for the Badgers since five members were honored in 2004.

Tight end Travis Beckum and cornerback Jack Ikegwuonu were both consensus first-team selections, while center Marcus Coleman was a first-team choice of the media and kicker Taylor Mehlhaff was a first-team selection by the league’s coaches.

Offensive lineman Kraig Urbik and defensive end Matt Shaughnessy were both consensus second-team all-conference picks. Punter Ken DeBauche was a second-team selection of the Big Ten coaches, while Mehlhaff was a second-team pick by the media.

Several Badgers earned honorable mention, including consensus choices defensive back Shane Carter, linebacker Jonathan Casillas, quarterback Tyler Donovan and defensive lineman Nick Hayden. Coleman and receiver Paul Hubbard were honorable mention choices by the coaches. DeBauche and running back P.J. Hill were honorable mention picks by the media.

Beckum, named a semifinalist for the John Mackey Award (nation’s best tight end) earlier Monday, leads the nation’s tight ends with 73 receptions for 960 yards. Ikegwuonu led the Big Ten with 14 passes defended in conference games and ranks second in the league in overall games with 16 passes defended. Mehlhaff, a Lou Groza Award semifinalist, leads the Big Ten with 20 field goals. Coleman has started 25 straight games.

Urbik has started 38 consecutive games for the Badgers, while Shaughnessy leads Wisconsin with 16 tackles for loss. DeBauche’s 43-yard average in conference games ranked second in the Big Ten.

WR Luke Swan was named Wisconsin’s winner of the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award.

Zook is coach of the year

Illinois coach Ron Zook, his star running back Rashard Mendenhall and Ohio State linebacker James Laurinaitis were the Big Ten’s top honorees.

Zook was named the Dave McClain coach of the year by members of the media for leading the Illini to a 9-3 record that included an upset of then top-ranked Ohio State.

Mendenhall was named offensive player of the year and Laurinaitis was chosen defensive player of the year in balloting for both the media and coaches.

Michigan offensive tackle Jake Long was named offensive lineman of the year for a second straight season, while Vernon Gholston of conference champion Ohio State was tabbed defensive lineman of the year by the coaches.

Ohio State has won back-to-back outright titles for the first time since 1954 and 1955 and Laurinaitis was a big reason. He led the Buckeyes with 103 tackles and had five sacks. His teammate Gholston had 10 sacks during conference play.

Mendenhall broke school single-season records for rushing yards, leading the Big Ten with 1,526 yards and 16 rushing touchdowns.

All-Big Ten football

Coaches’ Selections

FIRST TEAM

Offense

QB—Chad Henne, Michigan

RB—Rashard Mendenhall, Illinois; Chris Wells, Ohio State

WR—James Hardy, Indiana; Mario Manningham, Michigan

C—A.Q. Shipley, Penn State

G—Martin O’Donnell, Illinois; Adam Kraus, Michigan

T—Jake Long, Michigan; Kirk Barton, Ohio State

TE—Travis Beckum, Wisconsin

PK—Taylor Mehlhaff, Wisconsin

Defense

DL— Greg Middleton, Indiana; Mitch King, Iowa; Vernon Gholston, Ohio State; Maurcie Evans, Penn State

LB—J. Leman, Illinois; James Laurinaitis, Ohio State; Dan Connor, Penn State

DB—Vontae Davis, Illinois; Malcolm Jenkins, Ohio State; Justin King, Penn State; Jack Ikegwuonu, Wisconsin;

P—Jeremy Boone, Penn State

SECOND TEAM

Offense

QB—Kellen Lewis, Indiana

RB—Javon Ringer, Michigan; Mike Hart, Michigan

WR—Devin Thomas, Michigan State; Dorien Bryant, Purdue

C—Ryan McDonald, Illinois

G—Rich Ohrnberger, Penn State; Kraig Urbik, Wisconsin

T—Xavier Fulton, Illinois; Alex Boone, Ohio State

TE—Dustin Keller, Purdue

PK—Austin Starr, Indiana

Defense

DL—Terrance Taylor, Michigan; Jonal Saint-Dic, Michigan State; Cliff Avril, Purdue; Matt Shaughnessy, Wisconsin

LB—Shawn Crable, Michigan; Marcus Freeman, Ohio State; Sean Lee, Penn State

DB—Tracy Porter, Indiana; Charles Godfrey, Iowa; Jamar Adams, Michigan; Dominique Barber, Minnesota

P—Ken DeBauche, Wisconsin

Offensive Player of the Year—Rashard Mendenhall, Illinois

Offensive Lineman of the Year—Jake Long, Michigan

Defensive Player of the Year—James Laurinaitis, Ohio State

Defensive Lineman of the Year—Vernon Gholston, Ohio State

Freshman of the Year—Arrelious Benn, Illinois

HONORABLE MENTION

Illinois—Will Davis, Kevin Mitchell, Chris Norwell, Jason Reda, Juice Williams. Indiana—John Sandberg. Iowa—Ryan Donahue, Rafael Eubanks, Mike Humpal, Ken Iwebema, Bryan Mattison, Seth Olsen, Albert Young. Michigan—Justin Boren, Brandent Englemon, Morgan Trent. Michigan State—Ervin Baldwin, Jehuu Caulcrick, Kellen Davis. Minnesota—Justin Kucek.

Northwestern—John Gill, Adam Kadela, Trevor Rees, Tyrell Sutton. Ohio State—Todd Boeckman, Kurt Coleman, Brian Robiskie, Anderson Russell, A.J. Trapasso, Donald Washington. Penn State—Gerald Cadogan, Josh Gaines, Anthony Scirrotto. Purdue—Anthony Heygood, Curtis Painter, Sean Sester, Terrell Vinson. Wisconsin—Shane Carter, Jonathan Casillas, Marcus Coleman, Tyler Donovan, Nick Hayden, Paul Hubbard.

Media Selections

FIRST TEAM

Offense

QB —Todd Boeckman, Ohio State

RB—Rashard Mendenhall, Illinois; Chris Wells, Ohio State

WR—James Hardy, Indina; Mario Manningham, Michigan

C—Marcus Coleman, Wisconsin

G—Martin O’Donnell, Illinois; Adam Kraus, Michigan

T—Jake Long, Michigan; Kirk Barton, Ohio State

TE—Travis Beckum, Wisconsin

PK—Austin Starr, Indiana

Defense

DL Greg Middleton, Indiana; Jonal Saint-Dic, Michigan State; Vernon Gholston, Ohio State; Maurice Evans, Penn State

LB—J. Leman, Illinois; James Laurinaitis, Ohio State; Dan Connor, Penn State

DB—Tracy Porter, Indiana; Malcolm Jenkins, Ohio State; Justin King, Penn State; Jack Ikegwuonu, Wisconsin

P—Jeremy Boone, Penn State

SECOND TEAM

Offense

QB—Kellen Lewis, Indiana

RB—Mike Hart, Michigan; Javon Ringer, Michigan State

WR—Devin Thomas, Michigan State; Dorien Bryant, Purdue

C—Ryan McDonald, Illinois

G—Rich Ohrnberger, Penn State; Kraig Urbik, Wisconsin

T—Pete Clifford, Michigan State; Alex Boone, Ohio State

TE—Dustin Keller, Purdue

PK—Taylor Mehlhaff, Wisconsin

Defense

DL—Will Davis, Illinois; Mitch King, Iowa; Bryan Mattison, Iowa; Matt Shaughnessy, Wisconsin

LB—Mike Humpal, Iowa; Shawn Crable, Michigan; Sean Lee, Penn State

DB—Vontae Davis, Illinois; Jamar Adams, Michigan; Dominique Barber, Minnesota; Terrell Vinson, Purdue

P—Justin Kucek, Minnesota

Offensive Player of the Year—Rashard Mendenhall, Illinois

Defensive Player of the Year—James Laurinaitis, Ohio State

Freshman of the Year—Arrelious Benn, Illinois

Dave McClain Coach of the Year—Ron Zook, Illinois

HONORABLE MENTION

Illinois—Xavier Fulton, Kevin Mitchell, Chris Norwell, Jason Reda, Juice Williams. Indiana—John Sandberg, Austin Thomas. Iowa—Ryan Donahue, Charles Godfrey, Mike Klinkenborg, Matt Kroul, Adam Shada, Albert Young. Michigan—Justin Boren, Brandent Englemon, Chris Graham, Tim Jamison, Will Johnson, Terrance Taylor. Michigan State—Ervin Baldwin, Kellen Davis, Brian Hoyer, Travis Key. Minnesota—Tony Brinkhaus, Steve Shidell.

Northwestern—C.J. Bacher, John Gill, Adam Kadela, Trevor Rees. Ohio State—Kurt Coleman, Marcus Freeman, Ryan Pretorius, Brian Robiskie, Anderson Russell, A.J. Trapasso. Penn State—Gerald Cadogan, Josh Gaines, Kevin Kelly, Rodney Kinlaw, Anthony Scirrotto, A.Q. Shipley. Purdue—Cliff Avril, Jordan Grimes, Curtis Painter, Robbie Powell, Sean Sester. Wisconsin—Shane Carter, Jonathan Casillas, Ken DeBauche, Tyler Donovan, Nick Hayden, P.J. Hill.