Eleven Wildcats Earn All-Big Ten Selections

ROSEMONT, Ill. – The Northwestern football team saw 11 student-athletes earn All-Big Ten recognition from the conference office today, as announced on Big Ten Network. OL Caleb Tiernan, OL Josh Thompson, DB Theran Johnson, DB Damon Walters, DL Aidan Hubbard, DL Anto Saka, LB Xander Mueller, LB Mac Uihlein, KR Joe Himon and PR A.J. Henning took home all-conference recognition.

Additionally, RB Jake Arthurs was named Northwestern's sportsmanship honoree, which is a awarded to a student-athlete that set themselves apart through hard work, sportsmanship and honorable behavior.

Caleb Tiernan | OL | 6'7' | 329 lbs | R-Jr.
All-Big Ten HM (Coaches/Media)

According to PFF, ranked as the highest graded tackle in the Big Ten and the fifth-highest in the country with an 89.4 pass blocking grade.
Started all 12 games, playing 764 of the team's 772 snaps this season, all at left tackle.
Allowed just one sack over the season's final six games
Earned a season-high 93.0 pass blocking grade from PFF in the season finale against Illinois.

Josh Thompson | OL | 6'5" | 301 lbs | R-Jr.
All-Big Ten HM (Coaches/Media)

According to PFF, rated as the highest graded right guard in the Big Ten with an 82.0 pass blocking grade.
Did not allow a sack this season
Started in 10 games (missed two due to injury), seeing action exclusively at right guard.
Earned a season-high 84.9 offensive game grade from PFF against Eastern Illinois.

Theran Johnson | DB | 5'11" | 182 lbs | R-Jr.
All-Big Ten Second Team (Coaches), All-Big Ten HM (Media)

Totaled 53 total tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, two interceptions, and 11 passes defended.
Tied for second in the Big Ten with 11 passes broken up.
Only player in the Big Ten with at least 10 passes broken up and 3.0 tackles for loss.
Posted two interceptions including an 85-yard interception return for a touchdown, the third longest interception return in school history and the longest since 1948.

Xander Mueller | LB | 6'3" | 232 lbs | Gr.
All-Big Ten HM (Coaches/Media)

Recorded 57 total tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, 1.0 sack, one interception, four passes defended, one quarterback hurry, one fumble recovery and one forced fumble, while playing in just nine games due to injury.
Posted a season-high 11 tackles against Duke.
Posted eight tackles, 2.0 tackles for loss, 1.0 sack and a fumble recovery at Washington.
Finished his career with six interceptions, the most by a Northwestern linebacker since Chi Chi Ariguzo (6) from 2011-14.

Aidan Hubbard | DL | 6'4" | 252 lbs | R-Jr.
All-Big Ten HM (Coaches/Media)

Posted 33 total tackles, 7.0 tackles for loss, 6.0 sacks, one pass broken up, seven quarterback hurries and one fumble recovery for a touchdown.
Ranked eighth in the Big Ten in sacks and became the first Wildcat to post back-to-back seasons of 6.0 or more sacks since Joe Gaziano in 2018 and 2019.
Ranks tied for second for sacks by a Big Ten defensive lineman over the last two seasons combined.
Recorded his first career touchdown on a 2-yard fumble recovery at Maryland.

Anto Saka | DL | 6'4" | 247 lbs | R-So.
All-Big Ten HM (Coaches)

Posted 15 total tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks and four quarterback hurries.
Recorded at least a half sack in each of the season's first three games.
Graded out ranked 13th in the Big Ten in pass rush win percentage according to PFF.
Posted a season-high three tackles at Washington.

Damon Walters | DB | 6'1" | 185 lbs | R-Fy.
All-Big Ten HM (Coaches)

Logged 42 total tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, one interception, two passes defended and one fumble recovery in 10 games.
Against Maryland, became the first Northwestern first-year since 2014 to tally an interception and a fumble recovery in the same game.
Ranked tied for second in the Big Ten in tackles by a first-year and was the only first-year in the conference to post 40+ tackles and 3.5+ tackles for loss this season.
Became the first Northwestern first-year to log 40+ tackles and 3.0+ tackles for loss in a season since Paddy Fisher in 2017.

Mac Uihlein | LB | 6'1" | 230 lbs | R-Jr.
All-Big Ten HM (Media)

Recorded 85 total tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks, one pass defended and one fumble recovery
Ranked ninth in the Big Ten in total tackles.
Opened the season with a career-high 2.0 sacks in the first game of the year against Miami (Ohio).
Posted a career-high 13 tackles with a pass defended and forced fumble at Maryland.

Devin Turner | DB | 6'1" | 212 lbs | Jr.
All-Big Ten HM (Media)

Logged 51 total tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, three interceptions and three passes defended.
Ranked sixth in the Big Ten in interceptions.
Had two interceptions, including a pick-six, in the season finale against Illinois.
Posted a season-high 11 tackles against Duke.

Joseph Himon II | KR | 5'9" | 186 lbs | R-So.
All-Big Ten HM (Coaches)

Returned 20 kickoffs for 479 yards (23.6 ypr) and a long of 96 yards.
Ranked second in the Big Ten in combined kick return yards and third in kick return yards.
Totaled 150 kickoff return yards at Washington, the sixth-most in a single-game in school history, and the most since 2010.
Logged a long return of 96 yards against Washington, tied for the eighth-longest kickoff return in school history.

A.J. Henning | PR | 5'10" | 192 lbs | Gr.
All-Big Ten HM (Media)

Returned 12 punts for 136 yards for an average of 11.3 yards per return.
Placed fifth in the Big Ten in punt return average.
His 11.3 yards per return were the most by a Wildcat since Venric Mark averaged 18.7 yards per return in 2012.
Part of a Northwestern punt return group that led the Big Ten and ranked 13th nationally averaging 15.2 yards per return.

Northwestern University Athletics

Northwestern University Athletics

Eleven Wildcats Earn All-Big Ten Selections

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Players Mentioned

Jake Arthurs

A.J. Henning

Joseph Himon II

Aidan Hubbard

Theran Johnson

Xander Mueller

Anto Saka

Josh Thompson

Caleb Tiernan

Devin Turner

Mac Uihlein

Damon Walters

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