Associated Press Names Kenneth Walker III Big Ten Co-Offensive Player of the Year, Mel Tucker Coach of the Year
12/7/2021 6:12:00 PM | Football
EAST LANSING, Mich. – The Associated Press has named Michigan State junior running back Kenneth Walker III the Big Ten Co-Offensive Player of the Year and Mel Tucker the Big Ten Coach of the Year.
The voting panel for The Associated Press All-Big Ten Team includes 26 media members who cover the conference. The team was announced on Tuesday.
Tucker previously earned Big Ten Coach of the Year honors from the coaches and media last week, and was named a finalist for National Coach of the Year this week by the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) and Football Writers Association of America (FWAA). In just his second year in East Lansing, Tucker has led MSU to a 10-2 record and a berth in the New Year's Six with a matchup against No. 12 Pittsburgh in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl on Thursday, Dec. 30 in Atlanta. The Spartans finished No. 10 in the final College Football Playoff Top 25 rankings and are also ranked No. 10 in the AFCA/USA TODAY Coaches Poll and No. 11 in the AP Poll.
Walker was also named the Big Ten Newcomer of the Year and a unanimous selection to the All-Big Ten First Team. In addition, Jayden Reed – a finalist for the Paul Hornung Award – earned first-team honors as an all-purpose player.
Named a finalist for the Maxwell Award, the Walter Camp Player of the Year and the Doak Walker Award, Walker currently ranks second in the FBS with 1,636 rushing yards (136.3 ypg). He leads the FBS in rushing yards after contact (1,168), 20-plus yard carries (21) and missed forced tackles (89), and also ranks among the nation's leaders in 10-plus yard carries (tied for second with 46), yards from scrimmage (sixth with 143.8 ypg), all-purpose yards (seventh with 143.8 ypg), total touchdowns (tied for seventh with 19), rushing touchdowns (eighth with 18) and yards per carry (14th with 6.2 avg.).
Reed ranks second in the Big Ten in all-purpose yards, right behind his teammate Walker, with 130.6 yards per game. Reed's 18.5 yards per play ranks sixth most in the FBS (946 receiving yards, 376 kick return, 213 punt return, 34 rushing for a total of 1,569 yards on 85 total plays). Reed leads the team and ranks among the Big Ten leaders in touchdown catches (fourth with eight), receiving yards (fifth with 946; 78.8 ypg) and receptions (10th with 53). He is the only Big Ten player and one of four in the FBS with two punt returns for touchdowns (62 yards vs. Nebraska; 88 yards vs. Western Kentucky).
Jacob Slade garnered second-team All-Big Ten honors. Slade has started 11 of 12 games and leads all Big Ten defensive tackles with 37 quarterback pressures and 32 QB hurries, according to Pro Football Focus. He has a career-high 34 tackles, including three TFLs.
No. 10 Michigan State (10-2, 7-2 Big Ten) returns to action to face No. 12 Pittsburgh (11-2, 7-1 ACC) in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl on Thursday, Dec. 30 at 7 p.m. in Atlanta.
The voting panel for The Associated Press All-Big Ten Team includes 26 media members who cover the conference. The team was announced on Tuesday.
Tucker previously earned Big Ten Coach of the Year honors from the coaches and media last week, and was named a finalist for National Coach of the Year this week by the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) and Football Writers Association of America (FWAA). In just his second year in East Lansing, Tucker has led MSU to a 10-2 record and a berth in the New Year's Six with a matchup against No. 12 Pittsburgh in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl on Thursday, Dec. 30 in Atlanta. The Spartans finished No. 10 in the final College Football Playoff Top 25 rankings and are also ranked No. 10 in the AFCA/USA TODAY Coaches Poll and No. 11 in the AP Poll.
Walker was also named the Big Ten Newcomer of the Year and a unanimous selection to the All-Big Ten First Team. In addition, Jayden Reed – a finalist for the Paul Hornung Award – earned first-team honors as an all-purpose player.
Named a finalist for the Maxwell Award, the Walter Camp Player of the Year and the Doak Walker Award, Walker currently ranks second in the FBS with 1,636 rushing yards (136.3 ypg). He leads the FBS in rushing yards after contact (1,168), 20-plus yard carries (21) and missed forced tackles (89), and also ranks among the nation's leaders in 10-plus yard carries (tied for second with 46), yards from scrimmage (sixth with 143.8 ypg), all-purpose yards (seventh with 143.8 ypg), total touchdowns (tied for seventh with 19), rushing touchdowns (eighth with 18) and yards per carry (14th with 6.2 avg.).
Reed ranks second in the Big Ten in all-purpose yards, right behind his teammate Walker, with 130.6 yards per game. Reed's 18.5 yards per play ranks sixth most in the FBS (946 receiving yards, 376 kick return, 213 punt return, 34 rushing for a total of 1,569 yards on 85 total plays). Reed leads the team and ranks among the Big Ten leaders in touchdown catches (fourth with eight), receiving yards (fifth with 946; 78.8 ypg) and receptions (10th with 53). He is the only Big Ten player and one of four in the FBS with two punt returns for touchdowns (62 yards vs. Nebraska; 88 yards vs. Western Kentucky).
Jacob Slade garnered second-team All-Big Ten honors. Slade has started 11 of 12 games and leads all Big Ten defensive tackles with 37 quarterback pressures and 32 QB hurries, according to Pro Football Focus. He has a career-high 34 tackles, including three TFLs.
No. 10 Michigan State (10-2, 7-2 Big Ten) returns to action to face No. 12 Pittsburgh (11-2, 7-1 ACC) in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl on Thursday, Dec. 30 at 7 p.m. in Atlanta.
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