Indiana’s Allen named top Big Ten coach; seven Hoosiers earn all-league honors

Tom Allen, whose Hoosiers enjoyed their best season in decades, was named The Associated Press Big Ten Coach of the Year on Tuesday.

Allen led No. 7 Indiana (6-1) to its highest ranking since 1967, knocking off three ranked teams along the way. Its only loss was 42-35 at Ohio State in a game that went down to the final play. Allen is 14-6 over two seasons at a school that hasn’t had back-to-back winning seasons since 1993-94.

The Hoosiers also had seven players on The AP All-Big Ten team. Wide receiver Ty Fryfogle, defensive tackle Jerome Johnson, linebacker Micah McFadden and safety Jamar Johnson made the first team, while quarterback Michael Penix Jr., running back Stevie Scott III and cornerback Tiawan Mullen were named to the second team.

Purdue wide receiver David Bell, a first-team pick, was the only Boilermakers player on either squad.

Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields repeated as Offensive Player of the Year. Lineman Daviyon Nixon of Iowa is the Defensive Player of the Year. Northwestern redshirt freshman safety Brandon Joseph is Newcomer of the Year.

Fields is a repeat first-team selection along with Buckeyes offensive lineman Wyatt Davis. Fields, Nixon, Iowa offensive lineman Alaric Jackson and Minnesota running back Mohamed Ibrahim were unanimous picks.

Fields led Ohio State to a 6-0 record and the No. 3 seed in the College Football Playoff. He has completed 73% of his passes this season for 1,521 yards, 15 touchdowns and five interceptions.

Nixon led the Big Ten with 13.5 tackles for loss, including 5.5 sacks, and was part of a defensive line that allowed a conference-low 2.84 yards per rushing attempt.

Joseph leads the nation with six interceptions and is the first Northwestern player since at least 1996 with multiple games with two or more picks.

FIRST TEAM

Offense

WR — Ty Fryfogle, Indiana, 6-2, 214, Sr., Lucedale, Mississippi.

WR — David Bell, Purdue, 6-2, 205, So., Indianapolis.

u-OT — Alaric Jackson, Iowa, 6-6, 315, Sr., Detroit.

OT — Thayer Munford, Ohio State, 6-6, 315, Sr., Cincinnati.

OG — Wyatt Davis, Ohio State, 6-4, 315, Jr., Bellflower, California.

OG — Kendrick Green, Illinois, 6-4, 315, Jr., Peoria, Illinois.

C — Tyler Linderbaum, Iowa, 6-3, 289, So., Solon, Iowa.

TE — Jake Ferguson, Wisconsin, 6-5, 245, Jr., Madison, Wisconsin.

u-QB — Justin Fields, Ohio State, 6-3, 228, Jr., Kennesaw, Georgia.

u-RB — Mohamed Ibrahim, Minnesota, 5-10, 210, Jr., Baltimore.

RB — Tyler Goodson, Iowa, 5-10, 200, So., Suwanee, Georgia.

PK — Connor Culp, Nebraska, 5-10, 190, Sr., Phoenix.

All-purpose — Aron Cruickshank, Rutgers, 5-10, 160, Jr., New York.

Defense

DE — Chauncey Golston, Iowa, 6-5, 270, Sr., Detroit.

DE — Shaka Toney, Penn State, 6-3, 252, Sr., Philadelphia.

u-DT — Daviyon Nixon, Iowa, 6-3, 305, Jr., Kenosha, Wisconsin.

DT — Jerome Johnson, Indiana, 6-3, 304, Sr., Bassfield, Mississippi.

LB — Paddy Fisher, Northwestern, 6-4, 240, Sr., Katy, Texas.

LB — Micah McFadden, Indiana, 6-2, 235, Jr., Tampa, Florida.

LB — Olakunle Fatukasi, Rutgers, 6-1, 234, Sr., Far Rockaway, New York.

CB — Greg Newsome II, Northwestern, 6-1, 190, Jr., Chicago.

CB — Shaun Wade, Ohio State, 6-1, 195, Sr., Jacksonville, Florida.

S —Brandon Joseph, Northwestern, 6-1, 192, Fr., College Station, Texas.

S — Jamar Johnson, Indiana, 6-1, 197, Jr., Sarasota, Florida.

P — Tory Taylor, Iowa, 6-4, 225, Fr., Melbourne, Australia.

SECOND TEAM

Offense

WR — Garrett Wilson, Ohio State, 6-0, 193, So., Austin.

WR — Chris Olave, Ohio State, 6-1, 188, Jr., San Marcos, California.

OT — Cole Van Lanen, Wisconsin, 6-5, 305, Sr., Green Bay, Wisconsin.

OT — Peter Skoronski, Northwestern, 6-4, 294, Fr., Park Ridge, Illinois.

OG — Cole Banwart, Iowa, 6-4, 296, Sr.,. Ottosen, Iowa.

OG — Mike Miranda, Penn State, 6-3, 301, Jr., Stow, Ohio.

C — Josh Myers, Ohio State, 6-5, 312, Jr., Miamisburg, Ohio.

TE — Pat Freiermuth, Penn State, 6-5, 258, Jr., Merrimac, Massachusetts.

QB — Michael Penix Jr., Indiana, 6-3, 218, So., Tampa, Florida.

RB — Master Teague III, Ohio State, 5-11, 225, So., Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

RB— Stevie Scott III, Indiana, 6-2, 231, Jr., Syracuse, New York.

PK — Keith Duncan, Iowa, 5-10, 179, Sr., Weddington, North Carolina.

All-purpose — Giles Jackson, Michigan, 5-9, 188, So., Antioch, California.

Defense

DE — Jason Oweh, Penn State, 6-5, 252, So., Howell, New Jersey.

DE — Owen Carney Jr., Illinois, 6-3, 260, Sr., Miami.

DT — Haskell Garrett, Ohio State, 6-2, 299, Sr., Las Vegas.

DT — Tommy Togiai, Ohio State, 6-2, 300, Jr., Pocatello, Idaho.

LB — Blake Gallagher, Northwestern, 6-1, 228, Sr. Raynham, Massachusetts.

LB — Pete Werner, Ohio State, 6-3, 242, Sr., Indianapolis.

LB — Antjuan Simmons, Michigan State, 6-0, 225, Sr., Ann Arbor, Michigan.

CB — Shakur Brown, Michigan State, 5-11, 190, Jr. Stockbridge, Georgia.

CB — Tiawan Mullen, Indiana, 5-10, 176, So., Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

S — Jack Koerner, Iowa, 6-0, 205, Jr., Des Moines, Iowa.

S — Lamont Wade, Penn State, 5-9, 191, Sr., Clairton, Pennsylvania.

P — Drue Chrisman, Ohio State, 6-3, 222, Sr., Lawrenceburg, Indiana.

Offensive Player of the Year — Justin Fields, Ohio State.

Defensive Player of the Year — Daviyon Nixon, Iowa.

Newcomer of the Year — Brandon Joseph, Northwestern.

Coach of the Year — Tom Allen, Indiana.

u-Unanimous selection