#B1G Special Teams POW is K Ryan Santoso of @GopherFootball after hitting game-winning 52-yard FG vs. Purdue. pic.twitter.com/9Gz8ilLgvM
— Big Ten Football (@B1Gfootball) October 20, 2014
The awards continue to pile up for the Big Ten West Division leading Minnesota Golden Gophers. On Monday, the Big Ten Conference named its weekly award winners and two Gophers were named.
Team captain and starting safety Cedric Thompson took home the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week award. Thompson started and finished Saturday’s wild win over the Purdue Boilermakers with interceptions.
Cedric Thompson of @GopherFootball picked off Purdue's 1st pass to set up TD & picked off Purdue's last pass to clinch win.
— Big Ten Football (@B1Gfootball) October 20, 2014
Thompson’s interception on the first play of the game was nearly returned for a touchdown, but he was tackled at the two-yard line after a 27-yard return. David Cobb punched in a touchdown on the next play.
His second interception, the game-clincher on Purdue’s final drive of the game, wouldn’t have happened if Thompson didn’t play through a little bit of pain. He was the victim of a blindside block by Purdue’s Danny Anthrop that sent him to the training table.
Defensive coordinator Tracy Claeys told the Star Tribune that the two-interception game “couldn’t happen to a better kid.”
“It’s pretty good because for him (Thompson) to come back in the game after he got hit on a peel-back block, laid there on the turf,” Head Coach Jerry Kill said after the game, according to the Pioneer Press. “He got hit right on the shoulder. I didn’t know. I waited for the trainer to tell him if he’s out or in. He said, ‘Hey, he’s ready to go’, and then he comes back and makes a pick.”
Cedric Thompson claims 1st #B1G Defensive POW honor & 2nd straight for @GopherFootball after LB Damien Wilson was honored last week.
— Big Ten Football (@B1Gfootball) October 20, 2014
The other Gopher to win an award is kicker Ryan Santoso. The freshman connected on a 52-yard field goal that proved to be the game-winner.
Ryan Santoso collects 1st #B1G Special Teams POW award & 2nd straight for @GopherFootball after KR Jalen Myrick was honored last week.
— Big Ten Football (@B1Gfootball) October 20, 2014
