Nov. 8, 2010

PARK RIDGE, Ill. - Illinois running back Mikel Leshoure and quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase earned Big Ten weekly honors, the conference office announced Monday. Leshoure was named Big Ten Co-Offensive Player of the Week and Scheelhaase was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week after Illinois' historic 67-65 triple-overtime loss at Michigan on Saturday. It is Leshoure's second career weekly honor and Scheelhaase's fifth Freshman of the Week laurel.

Leshoure scored five touchdowns against the Wolverines - Illinois' final five touchdowns in the game - tying Red Grange's five TDs against Michigan in 1924 as the second-most scores in school history and fourth-most in Big Ten history. He also posted 120 rushing yards on 24 carries (5.0 ypc) and three touchdowns, and added two receiving TDs and 52 receiving yards to equal 172 all-purpose yards. It was Leshoure's fifth 100-yard game this year and eighth in his career.

Scheelhaase completed 14-of-25 passes for 211 yards and three touchdowns to go with 101 rushing yards on 21 carries (4.8 ypc) and a touchdown. It was his second-straight 100-yard rushing game and third this season, and moves him up to fourth on the record list for single-season rushing yards by a quarterback. In the last two games, Scheelhaase is 30-of-45 (67 percent) for 406 yards, seven TDs and zero interceptions with 219 rushing yards on 41 carries (5.3 ypc) and one TD.

Big Ten Players of the Week
Co-Offense: Mikel Leshoure, ILL // Roy Roundtree, MICH
Co-Defense: Michael Mauti, PSU // Antonio Fenelus, WIS
Special Teams: Mike Meyer, IOWA
Freshman: Nathan Scheelhaase, ILL