Klug earns Big Ten weekly honors

IOWA CITY - - Iowa defensive tackle Karl Klug has been named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week for his efforts in Iowa's 42-0 win over Florida International last Saturday. The announcement came today from Big Ten officials.

Klug, a 6-4, 235-pound sophomore from Caledonia, MN., posted career highs against FIU with nine tackles and two sacks while also forcing a fumble to help the Hawkeye defense post a shutout. The sophomore tackle's second sack forced a fumble that was recovered by Iowa on FIU's final drive. The Hawkeyes limited the Golden Panthers to 56 rushing yards and four-of-15 on third downs.

Klug is a backup to all-Big Ten candidate Matt Kroul. The Minnesota native missed most of last season due to a foot injury and played in only one game (Minnesota).

Against FIU, Iowa posted the fifth shutout in Kirk Ferentz' nine-plus seasons as head coach and its second straight dominant defensive outing. The Hawkeyes held Maine to a field goal two weeks ago.

The last Iowa player honored by the Big Ten came when Mike Humpal won defensive honors following Iowa's win over Illinois last year (Oct. 13th).

From the Big Ten Conference:

Following an undefeated weekend for conference teams, the Big Ten honored more than two Players of the Week in a single category for the first time since the 1997 season. During the 1997 season, the conference honored tri-players of the week for special teams on Oct. 20 (Iowa's Tim Dwight, Minnesota's Adam Bailey and Northwestern's Anwawn Jones), and quad-players of the week on offense on Sept. 15 (Indiana's Jay Rodgers, Iowa's Tavian Banks, Michigan's Brian Griese and Purdue's Billy Dicken).

OFFENSE:

Javon Ringer, Michigan State

SR, RB, Dayton, Ohio/Chaminade-Julienne

Ringer racked up a career-high five rushing touchdowns despite sitting out most of the fourth quarter in a victory over Eastern Michigan. The senior running back rushed 34 times for 135 yards and totaled 205 all-purpose yards in the game. His five rushing scores mark the second-best single-game total in Spartans history, just one short of the school record set by Blake Ezor in 1989, and the third-highest total in Big Ten annals behind only Ezor, Illinois' Howard Griffith (8 in 1990) and Indiana's Levron Williams (6 in 2001). Ringer collects his second weekly laurel after being honored on Oct. 15, 2007.

LAST MSU OFFENSIVE POW: RB Javon Ringer on Oct. 15, 2007

Adam Weber, Minnesota

SO, QB, Shoreview, Minn./Mounds View

Weber led the Gophers to a 2-0 start by completing 21-of-25 passes (84 pct.) for 233 yards and three touchdowns while adding a rushing score as Minnesota pulled away late for a road victory over Bowling Green. The sophomore quarterback compiled an impressive pass efficiency rating of 201.9 in the game and completed 12 consecutive passes at one point. After the Falcons cut the deficit to 21-17 in the third quarter, Weber responded with a pair of fourth-quarter scoring drives to put the game away, hitting Eric Decker on a 28-yard touchdown and adding a three-yard scoring run. Weber picks up his second weekly accolade after being honored on Sept. 10 last season.

LAST MINN OFFENSIVE POW: QB Adam Weber on Sept. 10, 2007

Evan Royster, Penn State

SO, RB, Fairfax, Va./Westfield

Despite playing less than three quarters, Royster set a career high with 141 rushing yards on 17 carries and tallied three touchdowns in a rout of Oregon State. The sophomore running back averaged 8.3 yards per carry and scored three touchdowns for the second straight game, becoming the first Nittany Lion to register six touchdowns in the first two games of a season since Lydell Mitchell in 1971. Royster broke loose on scoring sprints of 15, 28 and four yards in the first half to help the Nittany Lions produce a 35-7 halftime lead . This marks the first weekly laurel for Royster.

LAST PSU OFFENSIVE POW: RB Tony Hunt on Nov. 13, 2006

DEFENSE:

Karl Klug, Iowa

SO, DE, Caledonia, Minn./Caledonia

After missing most of last season due to injury, Klug posted career highs with nine tackles and two sacks while also forcing a fumble to help the Iowa defense post a shutout against Florida International. The sophomore defensive end's second sack forced a fumble that was recovered by Iowa on FIU's final drive. The Hawkeyes limited the Golden Panthers to 56 rushing yards and four-of-15 on third downs. Iowa posted its fifth shutout in Kirk Ferentz' nine-plus seasons as head coach and its second straight dominant defensive outing, after holding Maine to a field goal on Aug. 30. Klug earns his first weekly honor.

LAST IOWA DEFENSIVE POW: LB Mike Humpal on Oct. 15, 2007

SPECIAL TEAMS:

Frank Halliburton, Purdue

SR, FB, Indianapolis, Ind./Bishop Chatard

Halliburton made history in Purdue's win over Northern Colorado, becoming the first Boilermaker in 121 years to block two punts in a game. The senior fullback's first deflection came in the second quarter and resulted in a nine-yard punt. In the third quarter, Halliburton recorded his second block, which was picked up by teammate Mike Conway and returned 11 yards for a touchdown. In one day, Halliburton equaled the Purdue single-season record for punt blocks set by Todd Stelma in 1998 and Bernard Pollard in 2004. Only two other Big Ten players have ever blocked two punts in a game -- Wisconsin's Richard Johnson against Missouri in 1984 and Iowa's Sean Considine versus Iowa State in 2003. This is the first weekly accolade for Halliburton.

LAST PUR SPECIAL TEAMS POW: KR Dorien Bryant on Sept. 3, 2007