Gophers linebacker named Big Ten defensive player of week

Junior Mariano Sori-Marin made a career-high 18 tackles and forced a fumble in the 24-17 victory at Nebraska on Saturday.

December 15, 2020 at 1:24AM

Linebacker Mariano Sori-Marin had his most productive game as a Gopher against Nebraska, and the Big Ten noticed.

The conference named Sori-Marin its defensive player of the week after the junior from Mokena, Ill., made a career-high 18 tackles and forced a fumble in the 24-17 victory at Nebraska on Saturday. His tackle total is the most for a Gophers since Blake Cashman made 20 against Northwestern in 2018.

Sori-Marin leads the Gophers with 47 tackles and is the first University of Minnesota defensive player to receive a Big Ten weekly honor since Antoine Winfield Jr. on Nov. 11, 2019. Running back Mohamed Ibrahim was named offensive player of the week on Nov. 9.

The Big Ten's other weekly honors went to Iowa receiver Ihmir Smith-Marsette on offense, Penn State's kick returner Jahan Dotson on special teams and Northwestern

Etc.

• The Big Ten will announce its all-conference teams and individual awards on the Big Ten Network Twitter account from 11 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. the next three days. The schedule is offense on Tuesday, defense on Wednesday and special teams and coach of the year on Thursday.

about the writer

about the writer

Randy Johnson

College football reporter

Randy Johnson covers University of Minnesota football and college football for the Star Tribune, along with Gophers hockey and the Wild.

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