Maxx Williams of @GopherFootball named the 2014 #B1G Kwalick-Clark Tight End of the Year. pic.twitter.com/3yTEylrUfg
— Big Ten Football (@B1Gfootball) December 1, 2014
Several members of the Minnesota Gophers football team were honored by the Big Ten on Monday, when the conference announced its year-end individual awards.
Most notably, Gophers tight end Maxx Williams was named the Kwalick-Clark Tight End of the Year. He was also named All-Big Ten First Team and last week was named a finalist for the John Mackey Award, which goes to the nation’s top tight end.
Gophers punter Peter Mortell was named the Eddleman-Fields Punter of the Year. Mortell also was named All-Big Ten First Team. The university says Mortell becomes the first Gopher specialist to earn first-team all-conference accolades since Chip Lohmiller in 1986.
Williams and Mortell were two of the five Gophers named All-Big Ten First Team.
Briean Boddy-Calhoun, Zac Epping and Damien Wilson were named to the media’s All-Big Ten First Team and the coaches’ All-Big Ten Second Team.
Boddy-Calhoun led the Gophers with four interceptions, none more important than the one that sealed the victory over Nebraska.
ICYMI: Briean Boddy-Calhoun preserves a @GopherFootball win with a late forced-fumble. Brought to you by @Buick. http://t.co/0e28tZHWAq
— Minnesota on BTN (@MinnesotaOnBTN) November 22, 2014
According to the Star Tribune, the last time Minnesota had five players named to the first team was in 1987 when Lohmiller, Darrell Thompson, Rickey Foggie, Jon Leverenz and Paul Anderson were honored.
David Cobb, who broke the school’s single-season rushing record with 1,548 yards, was named to the second team from both the media and coaches. Cobb ranked third in the conference in rushing through 12 games, had 13 touchdowns and seven 100-yard games this year. He was named the team MVP by his teammates, Sunday.
Five other Gophers were named All-Big Ten Honorable mention.
- Cameron Botticelli, DL
- Josh Campion, OL
- Theiren Cockran DL
- Eric Murray CB
- Tommy Olson C
The Gophers finished the regular season at 8-4, but missed a chance for a rematch with Ohio State in the Big Ten Championship Game, following their 34-24 loss to Wisconsin.
