Northwestern University Athletics
Three Wildcats Earn All-Big Ten Honors
11/21/2006 12:00:00 AM | Football
Nov. 21, 2006
2006 All-Big Ten Teams
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EVANSTON, Ill. -- Northwestern placed three players on this year's All-Big Ten Conference teams, with running back Tyrell Sutton (Akron, Ohio/Archbishop Hoban) earning consensus honorable mention honors from both the media and coaches.
Redshirt freshman defensive end Corey Wootton (Rutherford, N.J./Don Bosco Prep) and sophomore safety Brendan Smith (Andover, Mass./New Hampton Prep (N.H.)) both earned an honorable mention nod from one group -- Wootton was honored by the media, while Smith was honored by the coaches.
Sutton, who battled a myriad of injuries throughout the season yet played every game, finished the year strong and notched his second straight 1,000-yard season with 1,000 yards exactly. He averaged 83.3 rushing yards and 105.8 all-purpose yards per game. He ranked sixth in the Big Ten rushing and 10th in all-purpose yardage.
Sutton now ranks seventh on Northwestern's career list after becoming just the fourth player in school history to record a pair of 1,000-yard rushing seasons. He is the first player in school history to accomplish the feat in his first two seasons.
Sutton now has 2,474 career rushing yards and 25 career TD's,which includes four receiving scores. He ranks 12th on NU's career all-purpose yardage list (3,139 yards) and has 84 career receptions for 657 yards. Sutton is averaging 103.1 rushing yards per career game and 130.8 total yards per career game (rushing and receiving).
Wootton led all defensive linemen in tackles and was the team leader in TFLs (9) and sacks (4.5). He also had a pair of interceptions, which ranks as the second-most by a Wildcat player this year. He was the first NU player since Hudhaifa Ismaeli in 1995 to accomplish every defensive statistic at least once this year: tackles (51), TFLs (9), sacks (4.5), interceptions (2), deflections (1), QB hurries (1), fumble recoveries (1), forced fumbles (1) and blocked kicks (1).
Smith led the team in interceptions (three) and was the defensive backfield leader while Bryan Heinz was sidelined the first 10 games with injuries. He ranked second on the squad with 68 tackles and added four pass deflections, two fumble recoveries and a forced fumble. In 21 career games played, Smith has five interceptions and 97 tackles.
Senior place-kicker Joel Howells (Sycamore, Ill./Sycamore), one of 11 Division I-A players named to the AFCA Good Works Team and a Wuerffel Trophy Award finalist, was named Northwestern's Big Ten sportsmanship award recipient.
