Gabriel named AP’s Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year, seven total honored

Published 12:46 pm Tuesday, December 10, 2024

Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel headlined the Associated Press’ Big Ten awards, earning the Offensive Player of the Year award while six teammates also earned recognition with the release of the list Tuesday, Dec. 10. 

Gabriel was joined on the AP’s all-Big Ten first team by left tackle Josh Conerly Jr. and interior defensive lineman Derrick Harmon. Running back Jordan James, wide receiver Tez Johnson, edge rusher Matayo Uiagalelei and linebacker Bryce Boettcher earned second-team recognition. 

Gabriel now has been named the OPOTY by both the AP and the Big Ten’s coaches, an all-Big Ten first-team choice by the media and coaches as well as one of four finalists for the Heisman trophy. The sixth-year quarterback has thrown for 3,558 yards and 28 touchdowns and is second in the nation in completion percentage at 73.2%. 

Conerly Jr. has started all 13 games at left tackle for the Ducks. With 439 pass-blocking sets, the junior has allowed just six pressures, one sack and earned a team-high 80.9 pass-blocking grade from Pro Football Focus. Conerly Jr. was also named a first-team selection by the media and Big Ten’s coaches. 

Harmon was named a second-team choice by Big Ten media members and a third-team choice by the conference’s coaches. The Michigan State-transfer joined the Ducks in the spring and has wrecked havoc for the Ducks. Harmon is the third-highest graded interior defensive lineman in the nation and leads the country in pass-rush pressures from the interior with 50. He’s forced two fumbles, recovered two, recorded five sacks and 42 total tackles in his first year as a Duck. 

Boettcher, the 2024 Burlsworth Trophy winner, was a second-team Big Ten selection by both the conference’s media members and coaches as well as the AP selection. The highly-decorated two-sport athlete recorded 87 total tackles with a pair of sacks, a forced fumble and an interception in his final season of college athletics. Boettcher is the highest graded player on Oregon’s defense per PFF with an 88.0, ranking sixth nationally amongst linebackers. 

Boettcher is expected to join the Houston Astros organization as an outfielder after being selected by them in the 13th round of the 2024 MLB Draft. 

Uiagalelei leads not only the Ducks in total sacks with 10.5, but the entire Big Ten. The true sophomore was a first-team selection by the conference’s media and a second-team choice by the coaches. Along with his sack production, the player nicknamed, “Young Concrete” by his family recorded 37 total tackles, a pair of forced fumbles and an interception. 

Johnson will enter the Rose Bowl quarterfinal playoff game needing just 15 catches to break the Oregon all-time receptions record of 178, held by Jeff Maehl. His 78 catches in 2024 puts him in the top 20 nationally despite missing the better part of three games with injury and is eight catches shy of breaking his own single-season receptions record that he set in 2023. Johnson’s 866 receiving yards and 10 touchdown catches leads the No. 1 Oregon squad. 

While much attention for the Oregon offense is given to Gabriel and his receiving corps, James has been quietly one of the better running backs in the conference. He was named a second-team selection across the board, averaging nearly 100 yards a game with 96.4 and has recorded 1,253 total yards and 15 touchdowns.

Complete AP All-Big Ten Awards 

Individual Honors

Offensive Player of the Year, Dillon Gabriel, QB, Oregon 

Defensive Player of the Year, Abdul Carter, EDGE, Penn State 

Coach of the Year, Curt Cignetti, Indiana 

Newcomer of the Year, Jeremiah Smith, WR, Ohio State 

First-Team Offense 

QB: Dillon Gabriel, Oregon 

RB: Kaleb Johnson, Iowa (unanimous); Kyle Monangai, Rutgers 

WR: Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State; Pat Bryant, Illinois; Tai Felton, Maryland

TE: Tyler Warren, Penn State (unanimous) 

OT: Aireontae Ersery, Minnesota; Josh Conerly Jr., Oregon

OG: Connor Colby, Iowa; Donovan Jackson, Ohio State

C: Seth McLaughlin, Ohio State 

K: Dominic Zvada, Michigan 

All-Purpose: Kaden Wtjen, Iowa, WR/return specialist 

First-Team Defense 

EDGE: Abdul Carter, Penn State,; Mikail Kamara, Indiana

IDL: Mason Graham, Michigan; Derrick Harmon, Oregon

ILB: Jay Higgins, Iowa; Aiden Fisher, Indiana; Carson Schwesinger, UCLA

CB: D’Angelo Ponds, Indiana; Xavier Scott, Illinois

S: Caleb Downs, Ohio State; Koi Perich, Minnesota

Nickel: Sebastian Castro, Iowa

Punter: Eddie Czaplicki, Southern California

Second-Team Offense 

QB: Kurtis Rourke, Indiana

RB: Jordan James, Oregon; Woody Marks, Southern California

WR: Tez Johnson, Oregon; Elijah Sarratt, Indiana; Emeka Egbuka, Ohio State

TE: Colston Loveland, Michigan

OT: Gennings Dunker, Iowa; Hollin Pierce, Rutgers

OG: Emmanuel Pregnon, Southern California; Olaivavega Ioane, Penn State

C: Logan Jones, Iowa

Kicker — Jonathan Kim, Michigan State

All-purpose — Woody Marks, Southern California, RB

Second-Team Defense 

EDGE: Matayo Uiagalelei, Oregon; JT Tuimoloau, Ohio State

IDL: Ty Robinson, Nebraska; Kenneth Grant, Michigan

ILB: Cody Lindenberg, Minnesota; Bryce Boettcher, Oregon; Kobe King, Penn State

CB: Jermari Harris, Iowa; Will Johnson, Michigan

S: Jaylen Reed, Penn State; Lathan Ransom, Ohio State

Punter: Rhys Dakin, Iowa