Northwestern University Athletics
Photo by: Ryan Kuttler
Gaziano Leads Six All-Big Ten Selections
12/3/2019 4:54:00 PM | Football
EVANSTON, Ill. — Six Northwestern have been honored as All-Big Ten selections, headlined by first-team defensive end Joe Gaziano.
Gaziano was voted to the first team by the coaches and second team by the media in earning his third-straight All-Big Ten honor. Junior linebacker Paddy Fisher also earned All-Big Ten plaudits for the third-straight year as he was named to the second team by the media and third team by the coaches.
Along with Gaziano and Fisher, junior linebacker Blake Gallagher and junior safety Travis Whillock garnered honorable mention selections on defense. Junior left tackle Rashawn Slater (consensus) and senior center Jared Thomas (coaches) were named honorable mention honorees on offense.
Gaziano matched his career high with nine sacks this season while becoming Northwestern's all-time sacks leader with 30 in his career. He finished the regular season tied for fourth among Big Ten players in sacks and was third in the league with 17 tackles for loss. In addition to matching his career high in sacks, Gaziano set career highs in solo tackles (34), total tackles (49), tackles for loss (17), pass deflections (5) and fumble recoveries (2).
The Scituate, Massachusetts, native finished his career as the program's leader in sacks and forced fumbles (10) and is second in program history with 48.5 career tackles for loss.
Fisher continued his impressive career as the 'Cats' middle linebacker by leading the team with 89 tackles. He added six tackles for loss, one sack, one interception and a pair of forced fumbles in leading a defense that 25th in the country in yards allowed. A two-time team captain, Fisher had at least five tackles in all 12 games and reached double digits with 10 at Nebraska. He will enter his senior campaign just 15 tackles shy of cracking NU's top-10 all-time list.
Gallagher was a consensus honorable mention selection after finishing with 88 tackles and leading the Wildcats with three interceptions in his junior campaign.
Whillock earned honorable mention honors for the first time in his career from the coaches. He finished with a career-high 78 tackles in 11 games, ranking fifth among Big Ten defensive backs with 6.5 tackles per contest.
Slater and Thomas anchored the Wildcats' offensive line in 2019 for first-year offensive line coach Kurt Anderson. The captain Thomas started all 12 games, while Slater started all 11 games he appeared in. The 'Cats' rushing attack surpassed 275 yaards in three games, including a season-high 383 in a win over Illinois, to finish fourth in the Big Ten with 180.1 yards per game.
Gaziano was voted to the first team by the coaches and second team by the media in earning his third-straight All-Big Ten honor. Junior linebacker Paddy Fisher also earned All-Big Ten plaudits for the third-straight year as he was named to the second team by the media and third team by the coaches.
Along with Gaziano and Fisher, junior linebacker Blake Gallagher and junior safety Travis Whillock garnered honorable mention selections on defense. Junior left tackle Rashawn Slater (consensus) and senior center Jared Thomas (coaches) were named honorable mention honorees on offense.
Gaziano matched his career high with nine sacks this season while becoming Northwestern's all-time sacks leader with 30 in his career. He finished the regular season tied for fourth among Big Ten players in sacks and was third in the league with 17 tackles for loss. In addition to matching his career high in sacks, Gaziano set career highs in solo tackles (34), total tackles (49), tackles for loss (17), pass deflections (5) and fumble recoveries (2).
The Scituate, Massachusetts, native finished his career as the program's leader in sacks and forced fumbles (10) and is second in program history with 48.5 career tackles for loss.
Fisher continued his impressive career as the 'Cats' middle linebacker by leading the team with 89 tackles. He added six tackles for loss, one sack, one interception and a pair of forced fumbles in leading a defense that 25th in the country in yards allowed. A two-time team captain, Fisher had at least five tackles in all 12 games and reached double digits with 10 at Nebraska. He will enter his senior campaign just 15 tackles shy of cracking NU's top-10 all-time list.
Gallagher was a consensus honorable mention selection after finishing with 88 tackles and leading the Wildcats with three interceptions in his junior campaign.
Whillock earned honorable mention honors for the first time in his career from the coaches. He finished with a career-high 78 tackles in 11 games, ranking fifth among Big Ten defensive backs with 6.5 tackles per contest.
Slater and Thomas anchored the Wildcats' offensive line in 2019 for first-year offensive line coach Kurt Anderson. The captain Thomas started all 12 games, while Slater started all 11 games he appeared in. The 'Cats' rushing attack surpassed 275 yaards in three games, including a season-high 383 in a win over Illinois, to finish fourth in the Big Ten with 180.1 yards per game.
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