Wideouts Stanley Morgan Jr. and JD Spielman were named to All-Big Ten teams by both members of the media and conference coaches, the conference announced on Wednesday.
Morgan, a junior who now owns the Huskers’ single-season receiving record, was named to the second team by both media and coaches, while the redshirt freshman Spielman earned a third-team nod from the media and an honorable mention from the coaches.
Morgan had a legitimate case for a first team spot – filled by Indiana’s Simmie Cobbs Jr. (841 yards, 8 touchdowns) and Maryland’s DJ Moore (1,033 yards, 8 touchdowns) – after leading the Huskers in both receptions (61) and receiving yards (986). Morgan broke Heisman winner Johnny Rodgers’ single-season record of 942 yards and fell just short of the first 1,000 yard receiving season in Nebraska history.
The junior wideout set career highs across the board with 10 touchdowns this season and five 100-yard outings, including a seven-catch, 185-yard explosion against Penn State on Nov. 18.
While Morgan was doing damage as a deep threat on the outside, Spielman was setting freshman records inside from the slot receiver position.
Spielman was second on the team with 55 catches and 830 receiving yards – both Nebraska freshman records – and set another freshman record with 1,572 all-purpose yards. Spielman even missed the last game of the season with a shoulder injury and still led all freshmen receivers in yards on the year.
Left tackle Nick Gates and left guard Jerald Foster also earned honorable mentions nods from media and coaches and kicker Drew Brown earned an honorable mention from the media.
Derek is a newbie on the Hail Varsity staff covering Husker athletics. In college, he was best known as ‘that guy from Twitter.’ He has covered a Sugar Bowl, a tennis national championship and almost everything in between (except an NCAA men’s basketball tournament game… *tears*). In his spare time, he can be found arguing with literally anyone about sports.
