Big Ten Media Days: Which players deserve more respect?
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CHICAGO – Headliners in the Big Ten Conference include Penn State quarterback Trace McSorley, Wisconsin running back Jonathan Taylor and Ohio State defensive end Nick Bosa. At Big Ten Media Days, we asked conference players and coaches about others within the conference who deserve to be getting more respect heading into the 2018 season.
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“In terms of guys I think are going to be really good, you have a guy like safety D’Cota Dixon from Wisconsin, who is a great player. He is fast, which I underestimated last year and took a safety.” - Northwestern QB Clayton Thorson
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“The quarterback from Northwestern (Thorson), he always gives us problems. He does a good job moving us around. He’s an accurate quarterback, but he’s also good with his legs. He evaded me one time on a blitz. I should have had him, but I missed.” - Wisconsin LB D’Cota Dixon
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“I think (Nebraska safety) Lamar (Jackson) is going to have a nice, breakout season.” - Nebraska WR Stanley Morgan Jr.
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“I played in the Northwest Suburban conference with (Iowa’s) Amani Hooker, and he’s a very good safety. I grew up with him in high school, playing against him. It’s nice seeing him out there.” - Minnesota LB Thomas Barber
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“I’ve always thought (Illinois wide receiver) Mikey Dudek is a very underrated player. He is a very scrappy player.” - Iowa DT Matt Nelson
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“T.J. Hockenson, a tight end for us, is an extremely talented pass catcher and blocker, and I think he’s going to be a huge difference-maker for us this year.” - Iowa DE Parker Hesse
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“I said before the receiver from Nebraska (Stanley Morgan Jr.) is pretty good. I thought he did his thing and it was good competing against him.” - Penn State CB Amani Oruwariye
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“The three guys I brought here today – Derwin (Gray), Taivon (Jacobs) and Darnell (Savage) – I think are as good at their respective positions as anyone in the conference. These guys are all NFL players and all-Big Ten type players. What we have to do as a team is have success on the field to the level where they get the proper recognition. We’re not focused on individual notoriety, but that does come when a team does better.” - Maryland head coach D.J. Durkin
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“I thought the Michigan freshman receiver (Donovan Peoples-Jones), he will be a real good player for them in the years to come.” - Wisconsin LB D’Cota Dixon
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“I definitely think we have some guys on our team ready to take that next step and seize their opportunity. I’d say Miles Sanders specifically. He played behind Saquon (Barkley), learned a lot from him and made a lot of plays himself. I think he’s ready to get out of that shadow and take the next step.” - Penn State CB Amani Oruwariye
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“I have respect for the running backs from Maryland (Ty Johnson, Lorenzo Harrison) – both of those guys are good.” -Wisconsin LB D’Cota Dixon
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“(Wisconsin fullback) Alec Ingold is a guy who’s been there for a long time and doesn’t get a lot of credit that he deserves.” - Wisconsin LB T.J. Edwards