Michigan State University Athletics
Five Spartans Earn First-Team All-Big Ten Honors
12/1/2014 12:00:00 AM | Football
Complete All-Big Ten Team
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Five Michigan State players have been named to the All-Big Ten First Team and a total of 14 Spartans have received all-conference recognition, as BTN announced the 2014 All-Big Ten Teams Monday evening. The five first-team selections by the coaches are the most of any school in the conference.
Two Spartans took home individual awards, as fifth-year senior Kurtis Drummond was named the Tatum-Woodson Big Ten Defensive Back of the Year, while fifth-year senior Tony Lippett was selected the Richter-Howard Big Ten Receiver of the Year. It marks the second-straight year a Spartan has won the Big Ten Defensive Back of the Year Award (Darqueze Dennard, 2013).
Drummond, Lippett, junior center Jack Allen, junior defensive end Shilique Calhoun and junior cornerback Trae Waynes were first-team selections by both the coaches and media.
Michigan State has had two defensive backs on the All-Big Ten First Team each year the past four seasons (Johnny Adams and Trenton Robinson in 2011; Adams and Dennard in 2012; Dennard and Drummond in 2013).
Since 2007, MSU head coach Mark Dantonio has helped produce 31 first-team All-Big Ten selections.
Sophomore offensive tackle Jack Conklin, junior quarterback Connor Cook and fifth-year senior offensive guard Travis Jackson landed on the second team by both the coaches and media, while senior linebacker Taiwan Jones earned a second-team nod from the coaches.
Junior linebacker Ed Davis, senior running back Jeremy Langford, sophomore tight end Josiah Price, senior defensive end Marcus Rush and fifth-year senior punter Mike Sadler were named honorable mention by the coaches and media. Jones was also an honorable mention pick by the media.
SENIOR SAFTETY Kurtis Drummond: TATUM-WOODSON BIG TEN DEFENSIVE BACK OF THE YEAR/FIRST-TEAM ALL-BIG TEN
Kurtis Drummond, who earned first-team All-Big Ten honors from the coaches in 2013, is the first two-time All-Big Ten First Team safety at MSU since John Miller (1988-89) and just the fifth in school history (Drummond, Miller, Phil Parker: 1983-84-85, Thomas Hannon: 1975-76, Brad Van Pelt: 1971-72).
The 6-foot-1, 202-pound Drummond leads the Big Ten with a career-high 15 passes defended (four interceptions, 11 pass break-ups), which also ranks tied for 13th in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision. The career-high 11 pass break-ups rank second most in the conference and the four interceptions rank tied for fourth. Drummond also leads the team with 65 tackles, including three for losses (10 yards).
"Kurtis Drummond is an extremely hard worker, who has been a three-year starter and two-time first-team All-Big Ten selection," MSU head coach Mark Dantonio said. "Kurtis has great ball skills and awareness. He's the quarterback of our secondary.
"With what we expect from our free safety, Kurtis is really isolated a lot and almost plays like another cover corner, especially with the way the game is now stretched horizontally. He's an extremely confident player, who performs his best in the big games."
"Kurtis Drummond is an outstanding football player, and he had a great year for us," MSU assistant head coach and defensive coordinator Pat Narduzzi said. "Kurtis does an incredible job communicating and making everyone around him better. He's the quarterback for our defense.
"I recruited Kurtis from Hubbard High School and he is exactly what we thought he would be. We will miss him next season."
A native of Masury, Ohio, Drummond closed the regular season by tying his career high with two pass break-ups while also leading the Spartans with six tackles in the 34-10 win at Penn State, MSU's largest margin of victory ever at Beaver Stadium.
On Senior Day against Rutgers, Drummond led the Spartan secondary with 15 production points, as he recorded his fourth interception of the season and compiled six tackles. He had 14 production points in the road win over Maryland with three tackles, a 15-yard interception return and two pass break-ups.
Drummond tallied a career-high 11 stops and broke up a pass against No. 14 Ohio State.
In the 35-11 victory over Michigan, Drummond collected two pass break-ups and six tackles, including a 4-yard loss, to lead the secondary with 21 production points. In the first two conference games, Drummond opened Big Ten play with nine stops, including a 5-yard loss, and broke up a pass against No. 19 Nebraska, then followed with a team-high seven tackles and a pass break-up at Purdue.
In non-conference play, Drummond had interceptions against Wyoming and Jacksonville State and recovered a fumble vs. Eastern Michigan.
Drummond, who was elected a co-captain at the beginning of the season, has started a team-high 33 consecutive games at free safety. He has 226 tackles in 51 career games and ranks tied for seventh in school history in interceptions (12) and 11th in passes defended (33).
SENIOR WIDE RECEIVER Tony Lippett: RICHTER-HOWARD BIG TEN RECEIVER OF THE YEAR/FIRST-TEAM ALL-BIG TEN
Tony Lippett is the first Spartan to win the Richter-Howard Big Ten Receiver of the Year since the award's inception in 2011. He's also the first Spartan wide receiver to be named first-team All-Big Ten since Blair White in 2009. It marks the first All-Big Ten recognition for Lippett in his career.
The 6-foot-3, 185-pound Lippett is having a career year in his last season wearing the Green and White. The Detroit, Michigan, native ranks first in the Big Ten and tied for 18th in the FBS with 93.7 receiving yards per game. He also leads the Big Ten and ranks tied for eighth in the FBS with 11 TD receptions, and his 18.7 reception average ranks third in the conference.
Lippett, who has collected career highs in receptions (60), receiving yards (1,124) and touchdown catches (11) this season, is just the fourth Spartan in school history to record at least 50 receptions, 1,000 receiving yards and 10 TD catches in a single-season (Plaxico Burress: 1999; Charles Rogers: 2001, 2002; B.J. Cunningham: 2011). He ranks among MSU's single-season leaders in 100-yard receiving games (tied for third with six), touchdown catches (fifth with 11), receiving yards (sixth with 1,124) and receptions (tied for 10th with 60). He has caught a touchdown pass in 11 of his last 14 games and has at least one reception in 22 consecutive games.
Lippett also is fifth in the conference with 5.0 receptions per game. Fifty-two of his 60 catches (87 percent) have gone for either a touchdown or first down, and he leads the Spartan receivers with 17 receptions of 20-plus yards.
"Tony Lippett has had a remarkable season, and he's become an outstanding leader," Dantonio said. "With more than 1,100 receiving yards, he has put together one of the top six single-season performances in school history while leading the Big Ten in receiving yards per game. Tony is a big-play receiver, and when the pressure is on, he's going to make the clutch catch.
"Tony came on strong late last season and that momentum carried on into this year, and he's posted career-best totals. Late in the season, Tony also has contributed on the defensive side of the football at cornerback."
"Tony Lippett entered this season with high expectations and did not disappoint," MSU co-offensive coordinator Dave Warner said. "Every week, he made spectacular big plays for this team and was a major contributor to a record-setting season (on offense)."
Lippett showcased his versatility in the regular-season finale at Penn State, starting at both wide receiver and cornerback for the Spartans to become MSU's first two-way starter in the same game since Allen Brenner (split end and safety) in 1968. Lippett caught four passes for 53 yards against the Nittany Lions, including a 10-yard TD reception from Cook in the third quarter; he also had one tackle and one pass break-up.
On Senior Day against Rutgers Nov. 22 in Spartan Stadium, Lippett saw extended time at cornerback in his first appearance on defense since he was a red-shirt freshman in 2011. He didn't miss a beat against the Scarlet Knights, breaking up two passes and recording a tackle in his final home game. He also had a game-high 72 receiving yards on five catches, including a 30-yard touchdown reception, against the Scarlet Knights.
Lippett recorded his sixth 100-yard receiving game of the season, with three receptions for 103 yards and one score with a 70-yard TD catch, in the win over Michigan Oct. 25. The 70-yarder was Lippett's second longest of the season and his career, behind a 71-yarder in the season-opener against Jacksonville State.
Lippett led the Spartans with seven catches for 123 yards at Indiana; however, his streak of eight straight games with a touchdown grab was snapped.
He caught a scoring pass for the eighth straight game with a 39-yard TD reception from Connor Cook in the first quarter at Purdue. He ended up with 138 receiving yards on seven catches against the Boilermakers.
In the Big Ten opener against Nebraska, Lippett had three receptions for 105 yards, including a 55-yard TD from Cook. He also scored on a 32-yard TD run on a double reverse in the third quarter for his first career rushing touchdown.
Lippett caught two touchdown passes (23 and 8 yards) in limited action vs. Eastern Michigan; he finished with three receptions for 45 yards against the Eagles. In the non-conference finale against Wyoming, Lippett hauled in four catches for 76 yards, including a 19-yard TD pass from Cook.
At No. 3 Oregon Sept. 6, Lippett had a career-best 11 receptions for 133 yards, becoming the first Spartan receiver to record back-to-back 100-yard receiving games since B.J. Cunningham in 2011. The 11 receptions tied for seventh most in MSU single-game history.
Lippett established a career high with 167 receiving yards on just four catches in the season opener against Jacksonville State, including touchdown receptions of 71 and 64 yards from Cook in the first quarter.
A three-year letterwinner, Lippett has 144 catches for 2,173 yards (15.1 avg.) and 15 touchdowns in 53 career games, including 27 starts (22 consecutive) at wide receiver. He currently ranks among MSU's all-time leaders in receptions (fourth with 144), receiving yards (eighth with 2,173) and touchdown receptions (tied for eighth with 15).
JUNIOR CENTER Jack Allen: FIRST-TEAM ALL-BIG TEN (COACHES AND MEDIA)
Jack Allen was named the league's first-team center by both the coaches and media after earning second-team honors from the media as a sophomore last season. He is the first Spartan center to land on the All-Big Ten First Team since Jason Strayhorn in 1998.
The Hinsdale, Illinois, native is ranked first on the team with 16.5 dominators and second with 75 knockdowns. He started 10 of MSU's 12 games at center (missed the Wyoming and Indiana games with an ankle injury).
Allen is a key reason why Michigan State has allowed just 10 sacks this season, which ranks second-fewest in the Big Ten and tied for fourth-fewest in the FBS. The Spartan offensive line has cleared the way for the Big Ten's second-ranked total offense (496.5 ypg.) and scoring offense (43.1 ppg.). MSU features the No. 1 passing offense in the conference (261.6 ypg.) and the 21st rushing attack in the FBS (234.9 ypg.) and has already set school records for points (517), offensive touchdowns (64), rushing touchdowns (40) and total offense (5,958 yards).
"Jack Allen is extremely tough, strong and athletic," Dantonio said. "Jack has a great understanding of our offensive concepts and plays with sound technique. He's versatile enough to play multiple positions - center as well as the two guard spots. When you have an outstanding center anchoring the line, great things can happen on the offensive side of the football. We're thrilled that he'll be back next year."
"Jack Allen added the `toughness' to our offensive line along with his consistent play," Warner said. "He was the guy up front making all the calls in the run game and pass game, which allowed us to operate at a high level."
The 6-foot-2, 299-pound Allen compiled a career-best 12.5 knockdowns in the win over Michigan, including four dominators. In the Big Ten opener vs. No. 19 Nebraska, he recorded a team-best nine knockdowns. He was named the Spartan Offensive Lineman of the Week vs. Eastern Michigan after leading the team with nine knockdowns as MSU rushed for 336 yards against the Eagles.
A three-year starter on the offensive line, Allen has played in 35 career games, including 34 starts (29 at center, five at left guard).
JUNIOR DEFENSIVE END Shilique Calhoun: FIRST-TEAM ALL-BIG TEN (COACHES AND MEDIA)
With his second-straight selection to the All-Big Ten First Team, junior Shilique Calhoun enters elite company in Michigan State history, joining College Football Hall of Famer Charles "Bubba" Smith (1965-66) and Sam Williams (1957-58) as the only other Spartan defensive ends to earn back-to-back first-team All-Big Ten honors.
A year after being named the Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year, Calhoun continued to produce big plays for the Spartans in 2014. Calhoun is tied for the team lead in tackles for loss (11.0 for 97 yards) and ranks second in sacks (6.5 for 79 yards). He ranks second in the Big Ten and seventh in the FBS in sack yardage (79 yards) and second in the conference and ninth in the FBS in tackles for loss yardage (97).
Calhoun also ranks among the Big Ten leaders in sacks (tied for 10th with 0.54 per game) and tackles for loss (tied for 13th with 0.92 per game), and leads the Spartan defensive linemen with 37 tackles overall. In addition, he blocked a field goal in the Wyoming game and recovered a fumble and returned it 38 yards against No. 19 Nebraska.
A product of Middletown, New Jersey, Calhoun was named one of 20 semifinalists for the Bednarik Award, which is awarded to the Outstanding Defensive Player of the Year. He was also one of 12 semifinalists for the Lombardi Award (college lineman of the year) and one of 20 quarterfinalists for the Lott IMPACT Trophy.
"Shilique Calhoun has emerged as an outstanding leader on defense," Dantonio said. "He's an exciting, explosive player, who plays with great technique. Much like our football team, Shilique has become one of the hunted as opposing offenses have to account for No. 89 on every play. He's another two-time first-team All-Big Ten selection."
"Shilique Calhoun is a guy up font that faced a bunch of double teams as well as offenses sliding protections to his side," Narduzzi said. "He's a guy that if an offense is going to attempt to block him one-on-one, we had great confidence that he could beat a blocker and put pressure on the quarterback. I happened to recruit him as well, and he's a super person and a leader on our defense."
The 6-foot-5, 256-pound Calhoun had a tackle for loss in nine of MSU's 12 regular-season games. He recorded a tackle for loss in his eighth straight game with a 2-yard loss at Maryland, as the Spartans held the Terrapins to just 6 yards rushing.
Calhoun, a co-captain, led the Spartan defense with 19 production points against No. 14 Ohio State, recording five tackles, including 1.5 for losses (9 yards) and a half sack (4 yards). He also led the Spartan defensive linemen with 15 production points in the win over Michigan Oct. 25, including three solo tackles with a 5-yard sack.
Calhoun paced the Spartans with 17 production points at Indiana after collecting four tackles, including 2.5 for losses (20 yards) and one sack (11 yards).
In MSU's Big Ten opener, a 27-22 win over No. 19 Nebraska, Calhoun had four tackles, including a 7-yard sack, and scooped up an Ameer Abdullah fumble at the MSU 7-yard line and returned it 38 yards.
Calhoun ranks among MSU's all-time leaders in tackles for loss yardage (sixth with 174), sack yardage (seventh with 125), sacks (tied for 10th with 15), and fumble recoveries (tied for 10th with five). In 39 career games, including 26 consecutive starts, he has 80 tackles with 27.5 resulting in losses (34 percent).
JUNIOR CORNERBACK Trae Waynes: FIRST-TEAM ALL-BIG TEN
A year after garnering honorable mention All-Big Ten accolades, Trae Waynes becomes MSU's third first-team All-Big Ten cornerback under MSU head coach Mark Dantonio (Johnny Adams, 2011-12; Darqueze Dennard, 2012-13).
Named one of 15 semifinalists for the Jim Thorpe Award, which is presented annually to the nation's top defensive back by the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame, Waynes ranks second on the team with a career-best seven pass break-ups and tied for second with three interceptions. He has 43 tackles (37 solo, 12 assists), including two for loss (9 yards) with a 4-yard sack.
Waynes is one of the main factors why the Spartans rank fifth in the FBS in passing efficiency defense (102.9 rating) and 25th in passing defense (196.0 ypg.).
"Trae Waynes is an outstanding cover corner," Dantonio said. "We place Trae on an island because he has the ability to run and play the deep ball. He's also an excellent tackler, especially on the perimeter. Trae has played both field and boundary corner this season."
"Trae Waynes is a great football player and a key to our defense," Narduzzi said. "He is a natural coverage guy, who played a big part in stopping our opponents this year. We could match him on a team's best receiver and take him out of the ball game. Trae is also a tremendous person and a joy to coach."
In the regular-season finale at Penn State, Waynes recorded his third interception of the season and sixth of his career. He also broke up a pass and had four stops against the Nittany Lions.
The Kenosha, Wisconsin, native was selected the Spartan Defensive Player of the Week after limiting Rutgers' Leonte Carroo to one catch for 6 yards while recording three tackles. Carroo entered the game ranked second in the Big Ten, averaging 93.3 receiving yards per game.
Waynes led the secondary with 20 production points, including four tackles and a pass break-up, in Michigan State's 37-15 win at Maryland.
He recorded five tackles and a pass break-up in MSU's 35-11 win over Michigan Oct. 25, the Spartans' biggest win (24 points) over the Wolverines since 1967. Waynes helped the secondary limit Michigan to 125 yards passing.
Waynes recorded a career-best two tackles for loss (9 yards), including a 4-yard sack, in MSU's 56-17 win at Indiana Oct. 18. He led the secondary with 20 production points at Purdue after collecting five tackles and recovering a fumble in the fourth quarter.
In the Big Ten opener against No. 19 Nebraska, Waynes tied his career high with two interceptions and also posted career bests in tackles (7) and pass break-ups (2). His second interception with 30 seconds remaining in the game sealed the 27-22 victory over the Huskers.
Waynes, who has started 26 consecutive games, has 98 tackles, six interceptions and 12 pass break-ups in 35 career contests.
SOPHOMORE OFFENSIVE TACKLE Jack Conklin: SECOND-TEAM ALL-BIG TEN (COACHES AND MEDIA)
Jack Conklin anchors an offensive line that has helped produced the most prolific offense in Michigan State history. The Spartans have set school single-season records for most points (517), offensive touchdowns (64), rushing touchdowns (40) and total offense (5,958) in 2014, and rank second in the Big Ten and 14th in the FBS in total offense (496.5 ypg.) and second in the league and seventh in the FBS in scoring offense (43.1 ppg.).
Conklin, who has started 22 consecutive games at left tackle, has teamed up to pave the way for senior running back Jeremy Langford, who just set an MSU record by rushing for more than 100 yards in his ninth consecutive game. In addition, the offensive line has given up just 10 sacks all season, which is second-fewest in the Big Ten and tied for fourth-fewest in the FBS.
The Plainwell, Michigan, native, leads the Spartans with 101 knockdowns, including 10 dominators. He has played the most snaps of any player on the MSU offensive line and has allowed just 1.5 sacks this season.
"Jack Conklin is an unbelievable lineman," Dantonio said. "Jack has great size and athletic ability along with an understanding of our offensive concepts. He's developed into an outstanding left tackle - truly one of the best I've been around. Jack is tremendous in pass protection and dominant as a run-blocker."
"Jack Conklin was fantastic each week in protecting our quarterback's blind side along with being a force in the run game," Warner said. "He was our most consistent player up front throughout the year."
Conklin has been selected the Spartan Offensive Lineman of the Week a team-high four times (vs. Rutgers, Purdue, Wyoming and Jacksonville State). He led the team with a career-best 15 knockdowns in the win over Michigan and also led the Spartans with 10 knockdowns at Indiana as the Spartans rushed for 330 yards. He compiled 12.5 knockdowns against Wyoming to earn Spartan Offensive Lineman of the Week accolades.
Conklin was named one of 10 semifinalists for the Burlsworth Trophy, which is awarded annually to a former outstanding walk-on in college football.
JUNIOR QUARTERBACK Connor Cook: SECOND-TEAM ALL-BIG TEN (COACHES AND MEDIA)
Connor Cook, a second-team choice by the coaches last season, is the first Spartan quarterback to earn second-team All-Big Ten honors in consecutive years. Cook leads the Big Ten in passing (241.7 ypg.) and ranks second in the conference and 14th in the NCAA FBS in passing efficiency with a 152.4 rating. He also ranks among the Big Ten leaders in touchdown passes (second with 22), total offense (third with 247.4 ypg.) and completion percentage (tied for fourth at .582).
Cook tied a school record, shared by Kirk Cousins and Drew Stanton, by throwing for a TD pass in 16 straight games (streak snapped at Maryland Nov. 15). Cook threw for at least 200 yards in seven of eight Big Ten games, and led the league in passing in conference games (257.9 ypg.).
The 6-foot-4, 218-pound Cook ranks among MSU's single-season leaders in touchdown passes (tied for second with 22), passing efficiency (third with 152.4 rating), passing (fourth with 2,900 yards), total offense (fourth with 2,969 yards), 200-yard passing games (fourth with nine) and pass completions (12th with 188).
Cook was named one of 20 semifinalists for the Maxwell Award, which is given annually to the collegiate player of the year, and one of 16 semifinalists for the Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award.
"Connor Cook is a gamer," Dantonio said. "He's a confident, resilient young man, who is extremely competitive. Connor isn't afraid to make the throws and take calculated risks. He's got a great arm and a great release. He's our guy, and we believe in him."
"Connor Cook followed up his Big Ten Championship Game and Rose Bowl MVP performances last year by leading the Spartan offense to a record-breaking season in terms of points scored, rushing touchdowns, total TDs and total yardage," Warner said. "Connor made a lot of strides in his second year as a starter, especially in terms of his accuracy and decision making. He's 15-1 as a starter in Big Ten (regular-season) games, so he's a winner."
A product of Hinckley, Ohio, Cook recorded his seventh straight 200-yard passing game (254 yards) while completing 16-of-24 throws and two touchdowns against Rutgers. He passed for 240 yards on 14-of-31 attempts at Maryland, but had his streak of consecutive games with a touchdown pass halted at 16.
Cook threw for a career-high 358 yards, completing 25-of-45 throws in the loss to No. 14 Ohio State Nov. 8. The 358 yards were the fifth most in a single-game in MSU history and second most against Ohio State (Jim Miller, 360 yards, 1993). Cook fired two touchdown passes (15 yards to Keith Mumphery, 16 yards to Josiah Price) to tie a school record with 16 straight games with at least one touchdown pass.
Cook completed 12-of-22 throws for 227 yards with one TD in leading the Spartans to their second straight win against Michigan Oct. 25. With the one TD, he became the seventh MSU QB to throw for at least 40 career TDs.
Cook was 24-of-32 passing for 332 yards, three touchdowns and one interception in the 56-17 victory at Indiana Oct. 18. For his effort at Indiana, Cook was named one of eight quarterback "Stars of the Week" by The Manning Award.
Cook threw for 238 yards on 19-of-27 throws and three TDs in the 45-31 win at Purdue Oct. 11.
In the Big Ten opener against No. 19 Nebraska Oct. 4, Cook was 11-of-29 passing for 234 yards, one touchdown (55 yards to Tony Lippett) and one interception.
In limited action against Eastern Michigan (Sept. 20) and Wyoming (Sept. 27), Cook threw for two touchdowns and completed 5-of-6 passes for 83 yards against EMU, and had two TDs and 126 yards on 8-of-12 throws against the Cowboys.
Cook completed 12-of-13 passes for 285 yards and three touchdowns in the season opener against Jacksonville State Aug. 29, and set career highs in completions (29) and attempts (47) while passing for 343 yards at No. 3 Oregon Sept. 6.
Cook, who went 12-1 in his first season as the starter in 2013, owns a 22-3 record (.880) as the starting quarterback, including a 16-1 record against Big Ten opponents. He already ranks among MSU's all-time leaders in passing efficiency (third with 142.4 rating), touchdown passes (fourth with 45), total offense (fifth with 5,891 yards), passing yards (sixth with 5,749), pass completions (seventh with 420) and completion percentage (ninth at .583). His 17 200-yard passing games rank fourth most in MSU history, and his five 300-yard passing games are tied for third most.
SENIOR OFFENSIVE GUARD Travis Jackson: SECOND-TEAM ALL-BIG TEN (COACHES AND MEDIA)
Travis Jackson garners his first All-Big Ten honor by being named a second-team offensive guard by both the coaches and media.
In his first year as a starter at left guard, Jackson helped the Spartans produce record-setting numbers on offense, including most points (517), offensive touchdowns (64), rushing touchdowns (40) and yards of total offense (5,958) in an MSU single-season.
Jackson started 10 games at left guard and one at center (Wyoming) before sitting out the regular-season finale at Penn State with an ankle injury. He tallied 46.5 knockdowns and played 614 snaps in his 11 games of action.
"Travis Jackson has essentially been a four-year starter on our offensive line," Dantonio said. "He has been the heart and soul of our offensive line. Travis played through a series of injuries this season; he refused to sit out games (until an ankle injury sidelined him for the regular-season finale at Penn State). He has outstanding toughness, a great motor and plays with great technique."
"Travis Jackson gave us experience, knowledge and versatility up front, which allowed us to be a balanced offense," Warner said. "His leadership was a big part of our success."
The New Albany, Ohio, native compiled nine knockdowns, including three dominators, in MSU's 35-11 win over Michigan at Spartan Stadium. He was named the Spartan Offensive Lineman of the Week for his role in the victory over Indiana as the Spartans rushed for 330 yards, the most by MSU in a Big Ten game in seven years.
Elected a co-captain at the beginning of the season, Jackson has played in 39 career games, including 29 starting assignments (18 at center, 10 at left guard, one at right guard).
SENIOR LINEBACKER Taiwan Jones: SECOND-TEAM ALL-BIG TEN (COACHES)
Taiwan Jones, who is tied for the team lead with a career-high 11 tackles for loss (37 yards), was named to the second team by the coaches for his first career Big Ten honor.
Jones also ranks third on the Spartans in tackles (54) and fourth in sacks (career-high four for 19 yards). He entered the Penn State game ranked second on the team in production points.
A three-year starter at linebacker, Jones is in first season as the starting middle linebacker for the Spartans.
"As a senior, Taiwan Jones was asked to make the tough transition from outside linebacker to the Mike position," Dantonio said. "By the time Big Ten play opened, Taiwan had developed into a real thumper inside, and he became a force on the inside against the run."
"Taiwan Jones made the switch from outside linebacker to Mike, and he did a tremendous job for us," Narduzzi said. "He's a very gifted athlete. Taiwan is a young football player, who is just now reaching his potential. He made all of our front adjustments, and we couldn't be prouder of what he did for the Spartan defense this year."
Jones was named the Spartan Defensive Player of the Week for his role in the 35-11 win over Michigan after he led the team eight tackles, including two for loss (15 yards) and an 8-yard sack, and recorded his first career interception.
In MSU's 27-23 win over No. 19 Nebraska in the Big Ten opener, Jones tied a career high with 10 tackles and set a career high with three tackles for loss (8 yards) while compiling 29 production points.
In 53 career games, Jones has 177 tackles, including 24 for losses (83 yards), and has started 29 games (17 at Star linebacker, 12 at Mike linebacker).
A QUICK GLANCE AT MSU'S HONORABLE MENTION ALL-BIG TEN SELECTIONS
Five additional Spartan earned honorable mention All-Big Ten accolades from the coaches: junior linebacker Ed Davis, fifth-year senior running back Jeremy Langford, sophomore tight end Josiah Price, fifth-year senior Marcus Rush and fifth-year senior punter Mike Sadler. Those five also appeared on the media's honorable mention team, along with Jones at linebacker.
"We had several players who weren't selected first- or second-team All-Big Ten, but they had extremely productive seasons," Dantonio said. "While were disappointed they weren't recognized as a first- or second-teamer, we also understand there are now 14 teams competing for the same number of all-conference positions.
"Jeremy Langford had a spectacular senior year and put together a 100-yard rushing streak in Big Ten games that hasn't been accomplished in 20 years. Marcus Rush has started a school-record 52 games in his career and he too has been a model of consistency. Ed Davis has been our most productive defensive player, and he's the most complete linebacker I've seen in the conference this season. Josiah Price had a number of big catches this season and helped give our tight ends an identity. Mike Sadler earned first-team All-America honors as a junior and his punting continued to help dictate field position."
Davis started 11 of 12 games at Sam linebacker and led the Spartans in production points during the regular season while tying for the team lead in tackles for loss (11 for 40 yards). He also ranked second in tackles (56) and third in sacks (six for 25 yards).
Langford was named honorable mention All-Big Ten for the second straight year. He broke his own school record by rushing for more than 100 yards in his ninth consecutive game against Penn State with 118 yards and two touchdowns on 30 carries against the Nittany Lions. In addition, Langford has rushed for more than 100 yards in 15 straight Big Ten regular-season games and 16 consecutive games against Big Ten opponents; his 15 consecutive 100-yard rushing performances in Big Ten regular-season games is a school record, and it's also the longest 100-yard streak in the FBS for regular-season conference games since STATS began tracking such records in 1996.
With his two rushing TDs against Penn State, Langford has 37 in his career, which moved him into third place in MSU history (school record: Lorenzo White with 43). Langford's 19 rushing TDs this season are a career high (18 in 2013) and tied for third most in an MSU single-season (school record: Javon Ringer with 22 in 2008). Langford has scored multiple rushing TDs in six consecutive games.
Langford has 1,360 rushing yards this season, which ranks 11th most in an MSU single-season, and his 2,805 career rushing yards are ninth most in school history. He is one of only three Spartan running backs, along with Javon Ringer and T.J. Duckett, to record at least 1,300 yards rushing in back-to-back seasons (1,422 in 2013; 1,360 in 2014).
Price ranked second on the team in receiving touchdowns (five) and fourth in receptions (23) and receiving yards (347). He tied his career high with five catches for 72 yards, including a 16-yard TD reception, vs. No. 14 Ohio State. The Greentown, Indiana, native collected a career-high 83 receiving yards on three receptions, including a 67-yard catch and 10-yard TD reception, at Indiana.
A four-year starter, Rush has started more games (52) than any other Spartan position player in school history. After tying a career high with two sacks at Penn State, Rush led the Spartans with a career-best seven sacks (56 yards) in the regular season while ranking fourth with 10 tackles for loss (62 yards). Rush also had two sacks in the win at Maryland and tied his career high in tackles (11) and tackles for loss (2.5 for 14 yards) against No. 3 Oregon. The Cincinnati, Ohio, product ranks seventh in MSU history in both sacks (18) and tackles for loss (37).
Sadler, a two-time first-team All-Big Ten selection by the coaches, earned honorable mention accolades this season. He ranks sixth in the Big Ten with his 41.3-yard punting average, including 14 placed inside the 20. Sadler ranks second in MSU history in punts (265) and punting yards (11,188) and sixth in punting average (42.2 yards).
In addition to the All-Big Ten Teams, fifth-year senior Keith Mumphery was named MSU's Sportsmanship Award recipient. The Vienna, Georgia, product ranks second on the team in receiving yards (408), tied for third in touchdown catches (2) and fifth in receptions (22).
2014 ALL-BIG TEN TEAMS - MICHIGAN STATE SELECTIONS
COACHES
First Team - Offense
Jack Allen, C
Tony Lippett, WR
First Team - Defense
Shilique Calhoun, DE
Kurtis Drummond, S
Trae Waynes, CB
Second Team - Offense
Jack Conklin, OT
Connor Cook, QB
Travis Jackson, OG
Second Team - Defense
Taiwan Jones, LB
Honorable Mention - Offense
Jeremy Langford, RB
Josiah Price, TE
Honorable Mention - Defense
Ed Davis, LB
Marcus Rush, DE
Mike Sadler, P
MEDIA
First Team - Offense
Jack Allen, C
Tony Lippett, WR
First Team - Defense
Shilique Calhoun, DE
Kurtis Drummond, S
Trae Waynes, CB
Second Team - Offense
Jack Conklin, OT
Connor Cook, QB
Travis Jackson, OG
Honorable Mention - Offense
Jeremy Langford, RB
Josiah Price, TE
Honorable Mention - Defense
Ed Davis, LB
Taiwan Jones, LB
Marcus Rush, DE
Mike Sadler, P
Sportsmanship Award
Keith Mumphery, WR
