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University of Minnesota Athletics
Big Ten Honors Five from Gophers Offense
12/1/2015 12:00:00 AM | Football
Dec. 1, 2015 
Defense and Special Teams Release
Joining the 10 Gophers who were awarded for their play on defense and special teams, five members of the offense on the Minnesota football team were honored by the Big Ten Conference.
Shannon Brooks, Brandon Lingen, KJ Maye and Jonah Pirsig were tabbed All-Big Ten Honorable Mention by both the coaches and conference's media. Jon Christenson was selected as Minnesota's recipient of the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award.
Brooks, a true freshman, was the team's leading rusher with 644 yards which sits sixth all-time in program history for a first-year back. The Atlanta, Ga. native notched seven touchdowns, including scoring runs of 75, 71, 40 and 38 yards, becoming the first Gopher to have four touchdowns eclipsing runs of 35 yards since Laurence Maroney in 2005. Brooks was also named the Big Ten Freshman of the week three times during the 2015 campaign.
After being thrust into the lineup at tight end early in the season, Lingen made the most of his opportunities. He caught 28 passes for 395 yards, which ranked third on the team in both categories. Lingen secured three touchdowns and also added two outings of 100-plus yards receiving. The Wayzata, Minn. native's 111-yard performance against Michigan was the highest total by a tight end since Ben Utecht had 104 versus Wisconsin in 2001.
Maye hauled a team-best 65 passes for 706 yards and four touchdowns in 2015. His 65 receptions rank fourth all-time in a single season by any receiver and second among senior pass-catchers. Maye's 706 yards were the highest total posted since 2011 by any Gopher. The Mobile, Ala. native also contributed on the ground with nine rushes for 46 yards and one score.
A model of consistency, Pirsig was the lone Minnesota offensive lineman to start all 12 games during the 2015 slate. He protected for an offense that passed for 2,570 yards and 14 touchdowns - both of which were team-bests since 2010. Pirsig also led the charge at the line, blocking for an offensive unit that rushed for 1,715 yards and 16 touchdowns.
Christenson, a native of Minnetonka, Minn., played in nine games and contributed to the offensive gains this season. The multiple-time Big Ten Distinguished Scholar made the transition from center to guard a year ago and has excelled ever since. Christenson has blocked for a pair of All-Conference selections during his tenure, including most recently David Cobb who broke the program record for rushing yards in a single season for the Gophers in 2014.
Brooks, Christenson, Lingen, Maye and Pirsig joined the 10 representatives on defense and special teams (Briean Boddy-Calhoun, De'Vondre Campbell, Theiren Cockran, Jack Lynn, Peter Mortell, Eric Murray, Jalen Myrick, Cody Poock, Steven Richardson and Ryan Santoso) who were honored by the league yesterday.
Minnesota's Big Ten Honorees
All-Big Ten Third Team
Briean Boddy-Calhoun (media)
Peter Mortell (coaches and media)
Eric Murray (coaches and media)
Ryan Santoso (coaches)
All-Big Ten Honorable Mention
Briean Boddy-Calhoun (coaches)
Shannon Brooks (coaches and media)
De'Vondre Campbell (coaches and media)
Theiren Cockran (coaches and media)
Brandon Lingen (coaches and media)
Jack Lynn (media)
KJ Maye (coaches and media)
Jalen Myrick (coaches)
Jonah Pirsig (coaches and media)
Cody Poock (media)
Steven Richardson (coaches)
Ryan Santoso (media)
Big Ten Sportsmanship Award
Jon Christenson
Joining the 10 Gophers who were awarded for their play on defense and special teams, five members of the offense on the Minnesota football team were honored by the Big Ten Conference.
Shannon Brooks, Brandon Lingen, KJ Maye and Jonah Pirsig were tabbed All-Big Ten Honorable Mention by both the coaches and conference's media. Jon Christenson was selected as Minnesota's recipient of the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award.
Brooks, a true freshman, was the team's leading rusher with 644 yards which sits sixth all-time in program history for a first-year back. The Atlanta, Ga. native notched seven touchdowns, including scoring runs of 75, 71, 40 and 38 yards, becoming the first Gopher to have four touchdowns eclipsing runs of 35 yards since Laurence Maroney in 2005. Brooks was also named the Big Ten Freshman of the week three times during the 2015 campaign.
After being thrust into the lineup at tight end early in the season, Lingen made the most of his opportunities. He caught 28 passes for 395 yards, which ranked third on the team in both categories. Lingen secured three touchdowns and also added two outings of 100-plus yards receiving. The Wayzata, Minn. native's 111-yard performance against Michigan was the highest total by a tight end since Ben Utecht had 104 versus Wisconsin in 2001.
Maye hauled a team-best 65 passes for 706 yards and four touchdowns in 2015. His 65 receptions rank fourth all-time in a single season by any receiver and second among senior pass-catchers. Maye's 706 yards were the highest total posted since 2011 by any Gopher. The Mobile, Ala. native also contributed on the ground with nine rushes for 46 yards and one score.
A model of consistency, Pirsig was the lone Minnesota offensive lineman to start all 12 games during the 2015 slate. He protected for an offense that passed for 2,570 yards and 14 touchdowns - both of which were team-bests since 2010. Pirsig also led the charge at the line, blocking for an offensive unit that rushed for 1,715 yards and 16 touchdowns.
Christenson, a native of Minnetonka, Minn., played in nine games and contributed to the offensive gains this season. The multiple-time Big Ten Distinguished Scholar made the transition from center to guard a year ago and has excelled ever since. Christenson has blocked for a pair of All-Conference selections during his tenure, including most recently David Cobb who broke the program record for rushing yards in a single season for the Gophers in 2014.
Brooks, Christenson, Lingen, Maye and Pirsig joined the 10 representatives on defense and special teams (Briean Boddy-Calhoun, De'Vondre Campbell, Theiren Cockran, Jack Lynn, Peter Mortell, Eric Murray, Jalen Myrick, Cody Poock, Steven Richardson and Ryan Santoso) who were honored by the league yesterday.
Minnesota's Big Ten Honorees
All-Big Ten Third Team
Briean Boddy-Calhoun (media)
Peter Mortell (coaches and media)
Eric Murray (coaches and media)
Ryan Santoso (coaches)
All-Big Ten Honorable Mention
Briean Boddy-Calhoun (coaches)
Shannon Brooks (coaches and media)
De'Vondre Campbell (coaches and media)
Theiren Cockran (coaches and media)
Brandon Lingen (coaches and media)
Jack Lynn (media)
KJ Maye (coaches and media)
Jalen Myrick (coaches)
Jonah Pirsig (coaches and media)
Cody Poock (media)
Steven Richardson (coaches)
Ryan Santoso (media)
Big Ten Sportsmanship Award
Jon Christenson
Players Mentioned
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Offensive Lineman
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Running Back
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Defensive End
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