2000 All-Big Ten Football Teams & Individual Honors Announced – Ohio State Buckeyes
11/28/2000 12:00:00 AM | Football
Nov. 28, 2000
PARK RIDGE, IL – In July, media attending the Big Ten Conference Kickoff Luncheon tabbed Purdue senior quarterback Drew Brees and Wisconsin junior defensive back Jamar Fletcher as the League’s pre-season Players of the Year. They were right.
The Big Ten today announced its 2000 All-Conference teams and individual honors. Brees and Fletcher were named the Players of the Year by both the coaches and media panel. Brees becomes a two-time First Team honoree while Fletcher collects his third straight First Team All-Big Ten honor. Brees has re-written nearly every Purdue and Big Ten passing record during his four-year career. He holds Conference marks for passing attempts in a season and career, completions in a season and career, yards in a season and career, touchdowns in a season and career and total offense in a season and career. He also holds a pair of NCAA standards for attempts and completions in a game.
Fletcher too has etched his name in the Big Ten record books, as he is the Conference’s leader in career interception return yards and interceptions returned for touchdowns.
In all, 20 players make repeat appearances from last year’s All-Conference Teams, including Michigan senior lineman Steve Hutchinson, who becomes just the third player in the history of the Big Ten to be named a four-time First Team All-Conference honoree. The other two players who accomplished this feat were Michigan defensive lineman Mark Messner (1985-88) and Michigan State punter Ray Stachowitz (1977-80). For his performance this year, Hutchinson was voted the Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year by the Conference coaches.
Purdue freshman Stuart Schweigert stepped into a starting role for the Boilermakers at free safety and finished the regular season as the team’s leading tackler (75). Both the Big Ten coaches and media chose Schweigert as the Conference’s Freshman of the Year.
The Defensive Lineman of the Year award will be shared this year by Wisconsin junior tackle Wendell Bryant and Minnesota senior end Karon Riley. Bryant collected 45 tackles this year, including Badger-bests of 10 tackles for a loss of 50 yards, six sacks for -38 yards and 13 quarterback hurries. Riley has been among the Conference sack leaders for the past two seasons. This year, he tops that category with 13 for -105 yards and shares the lead in tackles for a loss with 20 for -121 yards. In just his second season at Northwestern, Randy Walker earns the Conference’s Coach of the Year award after turning the Wildcats’ program from a 10 th place finisher a year ago to a championship season this year. Northwestern will make its first bowl appearance since 1996 on December 30 in the Alamo Bowl. NU shared the 2000 Big Ten title with Purdue and Michigan. The Wildcats improved their offensive output dramatically this year. After scoring a Conference-low 141 points last season, NU tallied 424 points this year – the Big Ten’s highest scoring offense. The Dave McClain Big Ten Coach of the Year award is voted on by a Conference media panel and is named for the late Wisconsin coach, Dave McClain, who served at the Badgers’ helm from 1978-1985. The Conference dedicated this award in his honor in 1986.
Complete All-Big Ten teams follow.
| 2000 All-Big Ten Conference Football Team As selected by CONFERENCE COACHES (Players in ALL CAPS have 2001 eligibility) |
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| FIRST TEAM | OFFENSE | SECOND TEAM |
| Drew Brees, Purdue | Quarterback | ANTWAAN RANDLE EL, Indiana |
| DAMIEN ANDERSON, Northwestern* | Running Back | MICHAEL BENNETT, Wisconsin |
| Anthony Thomas, Michigan | Running Back | T. J. DUCKETT, Michigan State |
| DAVID TERRELL, Michigan | Receiver | Chris Chambers, Wisconsin |
| Vinny Sutherland, Purdue | Receiver | RON JOHNSON, Minnesota |
| Ben Hamilton, Minnesota | Center | LeCHARLES BENTLEY, Ohio State |
| Steve Hutchinson, Michigan | Guard | Bill Ferrario, Wisconsin |
| Casey Rabach, Wisconsin | Guard | Ray Redziniak, Illinois |
| Jeff Backus, Michigan | Tackle | Kareem McKenzie, Penn State |
| Matt Light, Purdue | Tackle | Marques Sullivan, Illinois |
| TIM STRATTON, Purdue | Tight End | Tony Stewart, Penn State |
| Dan Stultz, Ohio State | Kicker | DAN NYSTROM, Minnesota |
| FIRST TEAM | DEFENSE | SECOND TEAM |
| WENDELL BRYANT, Wisconsin | Line | AKIN AYODELE, Purdue |
| Dwayne Missouri, Northwestern | Line | Justin Kurpeikis, Penn State |
| Karon Riley, Minnesota | Line | MATT MITRIONE, Purdue |
| Fred Wakefield, Illinois | Line | John Schlect, Minnesota |
| Joe Cooper, Ohio State | Linebacker | NAPOLEON HARRIS, Northwestern |
| LARRY FOOTE, Michigan | Linebacker | MATT WILHELM, Ohio State |
| JOSH THORNHILL, Michigan State | Linebacker | Sean Hoffman, Minnesota (tie) |
| JUSTIN SMITH, Indiana (tie) | ||
| NATE CLEMENTS, Ohio State | Defensive Back | James Boyd, Penn State |
| JAMAR FLETCHER, Wisconsin* | Defensive Back | MIKE DOSS, Ohio State |
| Renaldo Hill, Michigan State | Defensive Back | MIKE ECHOLS, Wisconsin |
| WILLIE MIDDLEBROOKS, Minnesota | Defensive Back | Richard Newsome, Michigan State |
| Kevin Stemke, Wisconsin | Punter | PRESTON GRUENING, Minnesota |
| *Denotes unanimous First Team selection | ||
| HONORABLE MENTION: ILLINOIS: LUKE BUTKUS, C, Robert Franklin, LB, ROCKY HARVEY, RB, Josh Whitman, TE, EUGENE WILSON, DB, INDIANA: Paul Mandina, DL, Andy Payne, PK, IOWA: Jason Baker, P, LADELL BETTS, RB, A.J. Blazek, C, Anthony Herron, DL, Kevin Kasper, WR, BRUCE NELSON, OG, LeVar Woods, LB, MICHIGAN: David Brandt, C, HAYDEN EPSTEIN, P, DREW HENSON, QB, VICTOR HOBSON, LB, TODD HOWARD, DB, DeWayne Patmon, DB, MARQUISE WALKER, WR, James Whitley, DB, Maurice Williams, OT, Eric Wilson, DL, MICHIGAN STATE: CHRIS BAKER, TE, CEDRIC HENRY, DB, Shaun Mason, OG, Siitupe Peko, OT, Jace Sayler, DL, JOSH SHAW, DL, MINNESOTA: Adam Haayer, OT, TELLIS REDMON, RB, GREG WHITE, DL, NORTHWESTERN: KEVIN BENTLEY, LB, Harold Blackmon, DB, LEON BROCKMEIER, OT, AUSTIN KING, C, Tim Long, PK, JEFF ROEHL, OG, BILLY SILVA, LB, OHIO STATE: Rodney Bailey, DL, MIKE COLLINS, DL, Tam Hopkins, OG, Brent Johnson, DL, Ken-Yon Rambo, WR, PENN STATE: Bhawoh Jue, DB, JIM KENNEDY, DL, Ryan Primanti, PK, PURDUE: LANDON JOHNSON, LB, GENE MRUCZKOWSKI, OG, JOE ODOM, LB, STUART SCHWEIGERT, DB, WISCONSIN: AL JOHNSON, C, NICK GREISEN, LB. | ||
| OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: | Drew Brees, QB, Purdue | |
| OFFENSIVE LINEMAN OF THE YEAR: | Steve Hutchinson, OG, Michigan | |
| DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: | JAMAR FLETCHER, DB, Wisconsin | |
| CO-DEFENSIVE LINEMEN OF THE YEAR: | WENDELL BRYANT, DT, Wisconsin | |
| Karon Riley, DE, Minnesota | ||
| FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR: | STUART SCHWEIGERT, DB, Purdue |
| 2000 All-Big Ten Conference Football Team As selected by CONFERENCE MEDIA PANEL (Players in ALL CAPS have 2001 eligibility) |
||
| FIRST TEAM | OFFENSE | SECOND TEAM |
| Drew Brees, Purdue* | Quarterback | ANTWAAN RANDLE EL, Indiana |
| DAMIEN ANDERSON, Northwestern* | Running Back | MICHAEL BENNETT, Wisconsin |
| Anthony Thomas, Michigan | Running Back | T. J. DUCKETT, Michigan State |
| RON JOHNSON, Minnesota | Receiver | Kevin Kasper, Iowa |
| DAVID TERRELL, Michigan | Receiver | Vinny Sutherland, Purdue |
| Ben Hamilton, Minnesota | Center | LeCHARLES BENTLEY, Ohio State |
| Steve Hutchinson, Michigan* | Guard | Bill Ferrario, Wisconsin |
| Casey Rabach, Wisconsin | Guard | Shaun Mason, Michigan State |
| Jeff Backus, Michigan | Tackle | LEON BROCKMEIER, Northwestern |
| Matt Light, Purdue | Tackle | Marques Sullivan, Illinois |
| TIM STRATTON, Purdue | Tight End | Tony Stewart, Penn State |
| Dan Stultz, Ohio State | Kicker | Tim Long, Northwestern |
| FIRST TEAM | DEFENSE | SECOND TEAM |
| Justin Kurpeikis, Penn State | Line | AKIN AYODELE, Purdue |
| Dwayne Missouri, Northwestern | Line | WENDELL BRYANT, Wisconsin |
| Karon Riley, Minnesota | Line | Brent Johnson, Ohio State |
| Fred Wakefield, Illinois | Line | MATT MITRIONE, Purdue |
| NICK GREISEN, Wisconsin | Linebacker | Joe Cooper, Ohio State |
| BILLY SILVA, Northwestern | Linebacker | LARRY FOOTE, Michigan |
| JOSH THORNHILL, Michigan State | Linebacker | NAPOLEON HARRIS, Northwestern |
| James Boyd, Penn State | Defensive Back | Harold Blackmon, Northwestern |
| NATE CLEMENTS, Ohio State | Defensive Back | MIKE ECHOLS, Wisconsin |
| MIKE DOSS, Ohio State | Defensive Back | CEDRIC HENRY, Michigan State |
| JAMAR FLETCHER, Wisconsin | Defensive Back | Renaldo Hill, Michigan State |
| Kevin Stemke, Wisconsin | Punter | PRESTON GRUENING, Minnesota |
| *Denotes unanimous First Team selection | ||
| HONORABLE MENTION: ILLINOIS: LUKE BUTKUS, C, STEVE FITTS, P, Robert Franklin, LB, Ray Redziniak, OG, Josh Whitman, TE, INDIANA: Johnny Anderson, DB, ENOCH DeMAR, OT, Paul Mandina, DL, Andy Payne, PK, JUSTIN SMITH, LB, IOWA: Jason Baker, P, LADELL BETTS, RB, Ryan Hansen, DB, KAHLIL HILL, WR, AARON KAMPMAN, DL, BRUCE NELSON, OG, BOB SANDERS, DB, LeVar Woods, LB, MICHIGAN: ERIC BRACKINS, LB, David Brandt, C, HAYDEN EPSTEIN, P, JONATHAN GOODWIN, OG, DREW HENSON, QB, VICTOR HOBSON, LB, TODD HOWARD, DB, DeWayne Patmon, DB, MARQUISE WALKER, WR, James Whitley, DB, Maurice Williams, OT, Eric Wilson, DL, MICHIGAN STATE: CHRIS BAKER, TE, Richard Newsome, DB, Siitupe Peko, OT, Jace Sayler, DL, JOSH SHAW, DL, MINNESOTA: Adam Haayer, OT, Sean Hoffman, LB, Ben Mezera, LB, WILLIE MIDDLEBROOKS, DB, DAN NYSTROM, PK, TELLIS REDMON, RB, John Schlect, DL, GREG WHITE, DL, NORTHWESTERN: KEVIN BENTLEY, LB, Teddy Johnson, WR, AUSTIN KING, C, ZAK KUSTOK, QB, SAM SIMMONS, WR, JEFF ROEHL, OG, OHIO STATE: Rodney Bailey, DL, MIKE COLLINS, DL, Tam Hopkins, OG, DONNIE NICKEY, DB, RYAN PICKETT, DL, Ken-Yon Rambo, WR, DARNELL SANDERS, TE, MATT WILHELM, LB, PENN STATE: Bhawoh Jue, DB, Kareem McKenzie, OT, Ryan Primanti, PK, PURDUE: TRAVIS DORSCH, PK, GENE MRUCZKOWSKI, OG, JOE ODOM, LB, SHAUN PHILLIPS, DL, STUART SCHWEIGERT, DB, WISCONSIN: Chris Chambers, WR. | ||
| OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: | Drew Brees, QB, Purdue | |
| DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: | JAMAR FLETCHER, DB, Wisconsin | |
| FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR: | STUART SCHWEIGERT, DB, Purdue | |
| DAVE McCLAIN BIG TEN COACH OF THE YEAR: | Randy Walker, Northwestern |
