Jason Avant, WR, Philadelphia Eagles (Michigan) - Hauled in seven catches for 133 yards in the Eagles' 23-21 win over the Bucs.

NaVorro Bowman, LB, San Francisco 49ers (Penn State) - Tallied a team-high eight tackles, including six solo, in the 49ers' 27-13 win over the Dolphins.

Tom Brady, QB, New England Patriots (Michigan) - Threw for 296 yards and four touchdowns on 21-of-35 passing in New England's 42-14 win over Houston.

Kirk Cousins, QB, Washington Redskins (Michigan State) - Threw the game-tying touchdown and scored on a two-point conversion run with 29 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, helping Washington to a 31-28 overtime victory over Baltimore.

Lavonte David, LB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Nebraska) - Tied for a team-high with nine tackles and recorded a sack in the Bucs' 23-21 loss to the Eagles.

Vontae Davis, CB, Indianapolis Colts (Illinois) - Recorded eight tackles, including three for loss, one sack and a pass deflection in the Colts' 27-23 win over the Titans.

Eric Decker, WR, Denver Broncos (Minnesota) - Reeled in eight receptions for 88 yards in the Broncos' 26-13 victory over the Raiders.

Larry Foote, LB, Pittsburgh Steelers (Michigan) - Totaled seven tackles in the Steelers' 34-24 loss to the Chargers.

Shonn Greene, RB, New York Jets (Iowa) - Ran for 77 yards and a touchdown in the Jets' 17-10 win over the Jaguars.

A.J. Hawk, LB, Green Bay Packers (Ohio State) Recorded eight tackles in the Packers' 27-20 win over the Lions.

Brandon Lloyd, WR, New England Patriots (Illinois) - Pulled in seven catches for 89 yards and a touchdown in the Patriots' 42-14 win over the Texans.

Bernard Pollard, S, Baltimore Ravens (Purdue) - Notched eight tackles in the Ravens' 31-28 overtime loss to the Redskins.

Paul Posluszny, LB, Jacksonville Jaguars (Penn State) - Registered a team-high 11 tackles, including 10 solo, in the Jaguars' 17-10 loss to the Jets.

Anthony Spencer, LB, Dallas Cowboys (Purdue) - Recorded a team-high 11 tackles and two sacks in the Cowboy's 20-19 victory over the Bengals.

Cameron Wake, LB, Miami Dolphins (Penn State) - Racked up six tackles, three sacks and a forced fumble in Miami's 27-13 loss to San Francisco.

Russell Wilson, QB, Seattle Seahawks (Wisconsin) - Threw for 148 yards and a touchdown on 7-of-13 passing in the Seahawks' 58-0 victory over the Cardinals.

Ohio State senior defensive tackle John Simon was named one of three finalists for the Fellowship of Christian Athlete's (FCA) Bobby Bowden Award, an honor that goes to the college football player who best epitomizes being a student-athlete. In order to be nominated for the Bowden Award, a player must conduct himself as a faith role model in the classroom, on the field, on the campus and in the community. The award is named for former Florida State University football coach Bobby Bowden. The 2012 Bowden Award winner will be announced on January 4, 2013. Northwestern's Jason Wright was the inaugural winner of the Bowden Award in 2003.

Simon has already been honored as the Big Ten's Nagurski-Woodson Defensive Player of the Year and Smith-Brown Defensive Lineman of the Year. He was also a semifinalist for the Lott IMPACT Trophy, which honors the defensive player of the year with equal weight given to athletic performance and personal character.

Ohio State quarterback Braxton Miller was named the winner of the Chicago Tribune Silver Football, granted to the Big Ten's most valuable player and voted on by the conference coaches. The Chicago Tribune Silver Football has been awarded since 1924, when Illinois' Red Grange was the first honoree. The sophomore signal caller is the first Buckeye to be honored since quarterback Troy Smith in 2006 and the 16th OSU standout to earn the laurels. Miller has already been honored as the Big Ten's Graham-George Offensive Player of the Year and Griese-Brees Quarterback of the Year and was a first-team All-Big Ten selection by the media. He ranked third in the Big Ten in total offense and seventh in rushing yards. Miller's 1,271 rushing yards set an Ohio State single-season record for ground yardage by a quarterback and ranked second in Big Ten history.

Wisconsin's Montee Ball, the NCAA all-time leader in touchdowns, was named the winner of the Doak Walker Award, given to the nation's top running back. Ball led the conference in rushing yards for the second straight season with an average of 146.0 yards per contest in Big Ten games only. The senior standout also tied for the conference lead in scoring, marking the third straight year Ball has led the Big Ten in points, the first time a player has accomplished that feat since at least 1939. Ball becomes the sixth Big Ten running back and the second Badger standout to win the Doak Walker Award. Previous Big Ten Doak Walker Award winners are Ohio State's Eddie George (1995), Wisconsin's Ron Dayne (1999), Penn State's Larry Johnson (2002), Michigan's Chris Perry (2003) and Iowa's Shonn Greene (2008).

Former Minnesota student-athlete and Super Bowl winner Tony Dungy will be honored with the NCAA's Theodore Roosevelt Award at the 2013 NCAA Convention in Grapevine, Texas. Named after President Theodore Roosevelt, whose concern for the conduct of intercollegiate athletics led to the formation of the NCAA in 1906, the award is the NCAA's highest honor and is given annually to an individual "for whom competitive athletics in college and attention to physical well-being thereafter have been important factors in a distinguished career of national significance and achievement." Dwight Eisenhower was the first recipient of the "Teddy" in 1967. Dungy's name will be added to the distinguished list of recipients at the Honors Celebration on Jan. 18.

Dungy's name appears on the Big Ten's Dungy-Thompson Humanitarian Award, which recognizes Big Ten football players that have achieved success in the area of humanitarianism after their college careers have ended. Indiana's George Taliaferro was honored with the inaugural Dungy-Thompson Humanitarian Award in 2011, while Ohio State's Chris Spielman earned the award in 2012.

Dungy excelled in football during his college days at Minnesota, won a Super Bowl ring as a defensive back with the Pittsburgh Steelers and later become a Super Bowl-winning head coach. For more information on his latest honor, click on this link.

Penn State coach Bill O'Brien has earned his third recognition in as many days as a finalist for a national coaching honor with his selection as one of three candidates for the 2012 Maxwell Football Club's Collegiate Coach of the Year. Earlier this week, O'Brien and Ohio State's Urban Meyer were named finalists for the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year by the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) and the Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year. Michigan's Brady Hoke was named the Maxwell Football Club's Collegiate Coach of the Year last season, the seventh such honor for a coach from a current Big Ten school.
 
O'Brien was named the Big Ten's Dave McClain Coach of the Year (media) and Hayes-Schembechler Coach of the Year (coaches). He was just the seventh first-year head coach to earn the Dave McClain Coach of the Year in the 41 years it has been awarded. Named Penn State's 15th head football coach on January 6, 2012, he led the Nittany Lions to victories in eight of their final 10 games, earning an 8-4 overall record and a 6-2 mark in the Big Ten, with the only losses coming to division winners Ohio State and Nebraska. O'Brien's eight wins are the most by a first-year Penn State coach in the 126 years of the program.

Voting is underway for the finalist selection for the MFC Collegiate Coach of the Year. Eligible voters include NCAA Bowl Subdivision Head Coaches and Football Sports Information Directors, Maxwell Football Club members and selected national media. The announcement of the winner will be made on December 19 and the award will be formally presented at the 76th Maxwell Awards Gala on March 1, 2012 at the Harrah's Entertainment Resort in Atlantic City. At the March 1 Awards Gala, the Maxwell Football Club also will present its Thomas Brookshier Spirit Award to the 2012 Penn State football seniors in recognition of their commitment, leadership and outstanding effort during this season.
             
The Maxwell Football Club was founded in 1935 and is the oldest football club of its kind in America. The organization is devoted to recognizing excellence at all levels of football from high school through the NFL ranks. Under the stewardship of MFC President Ron Jaworski the Club has grown rapidly and has members in 40 states. The MFC provides educational and training programs for players and coaches, and also provides scholarships to outstanding student-athletes who demonstrate excellence on the field, in the classroom and in the community.

NaVorro Bowman, LB, San Francisco 49ers (Penn State) - Tied for a team-high with eight tackles, including three for loss, and a sack in the 49ers' 16-13 loss to the Rams.

Dallas Clark, TE, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Iowa) - Caught three passes for 21 yards and a touchdown in the Bucs' 31-23 loss to the Broncos.

Lavonte David, LB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Nebraska) - Recorded 10 tackles, including three for loss, an interception and two pass deflections in the Bucs' 31-23 loss to the Broncos.

Brandon Fields, P, Miami Dolphins (Michigan State) - Averaged 51.8 yards on five punts and a long of 60 yards in the Dolphins' 23-16 loss to the Patriots.

Larry Foote, LB, Pittsburgh Steelers (Michigan) - Totaled six tackles and a sack in the Steelers' 23-20 defeat of the Ravens.

Shonn Greene, RB, New York Jets (Iowa) - Ran for 104 yards on 24 attempts in the Jets' 7-6 win over the Cardinals.

Chad Greenway, LB, Minnesota Vikings (Iowa) - Tallied a team-high 16 tackles, including 13 solo, in the Vikings' 23-14 loss to the Packers.

Brian Hartline, WR, Miami Dolphins (Ohio State) - Pulled in five catches for 84 yards in Miami's 23-16 loss to New England.

A.J. Hawk, LB, Green Bay Packers (Ohio State) - Racked up a team-high 10 tackles, including eight solo, in the Packers' 23-14 win over the Vikings.

Alex Henery, K, Philadephia Eagles (Nebraska) - Nailed both of his field goals and all three extra point attempts in the Eagles' 38-33 loss to the Cowboys.

James Laurinaitis, LB, St. Louis Rams (Ohio State) - Racked up 10 solo tackles in the Rams' 16-13 defeat of the 49ers.

Sean Lee, LB, Dallas Cowboys (Penn State) - Recorded six tackles, including one for loss, and a pass deflection in the Cowboys' 38-33 victory over the Eagles.

Brandon Myers, TE, Oakland Raiders (Iowa) - Hauled in 14 catches for 130 yards and a touchdown in the Raiders' 20-17 loss to the Browns.

Bernard Pollard, S, Baltimore Ravens (Purdue) - Recorded eight solo tackles, including one for loss, and a pass deflection in the Ravens' 23-20 loss to the Steelers.

Paul Posluszny, LB, Jacksonville Jaguars (Penn State) - Tied a team-high with nine tackles, including one for loss, an interception and a pass deflection in the Jaguars' 34-18 loss to the Bills.

Anthony Spencer, LB, Dallas Cowboys (Purdue) - Recorded eight tackles, including one for loss, and a pass deflection in the Cowboy's 38-33 victory over the Eagles.

J.J. Watt, DE, Houston Texans (Wisconsin) - Tallied five tackles, one sack, a forced fumble and two pass deflections in Houston's 24-10 win over Tennessee.

Donte Whitner, S, San Francisco 49ers (Ohio State)- Racked up seven tackles, including six solo, in San Francisco's 16-13 overtime loss to St. Louis.

Russell Wilson, QB, Seattle Seahawks (Wisconsin) - Threw for 293 yards and two touchdowns on 23-of-37 passing and rushed for 71 yards on nine attempts in the Seahawks' 23-17 overtime victory over the Bears.

Antoine Winfield, Minnesota Vikings (Ohio State) - Registered nine tackles, including five solo, in the Vikings' 23-14 loss to the Packers.

Purdue athletics director Morgan J. Burke announced the hiring of Darrell Hazell as head football coach. The 48-year-old Hazell becomes the 35th football coach in school history. Terms of the agreement were not announced.

"Darrell is a great fit to build on our existing foundation," Burke said. "His leadership at Kent State, combined with his prior experience at Ohio State and other stops along the way, has prepared him to help us continue to move toward developing a championship-caliber program. He understands our '25/85' vision as well as our desire to recruit both locally and nationally. Furthermore, it is clear that he appreciates the Cradle of Quarterbacks tradition, and it will remain a focal point of our program."

"I'm extremely excited to work with the players at Purdue, and I look forward to experiencing a lot of success in the future," Hazell said. "It's a wonderful opportunity. Purdue University has a great football tradition, and I can't wait to get started."

Hazell (HAY-zull) comes to the Boilermakers from Kent State, where he served as head coach for the last two seasons, compiling a 16-9 record. The Golden Flashes have enjoyed arguably their most-successful season ever in 2012. They are 11-2 after winning their first-ever Mid-American Conference East Division Championship and will play in their first bowl game in 40 years. Hazell was named the 2012 MAC Coach of the Year, the third Kent State to be so honored, following Don James (1972) and Glen Mason (1986).

Kent State's 11 wins are a school record. The Flashes won six games on the road, including a 35-23 victory at No. 15 Rutgers, their first-ever against a ranked opponent. They became the first MAC East team to finish 8-0 in the conference since 2003 and climbed to as high as No. 17 in the Bowl Championship Series standings. Kent State currently is ranked No. 25 heading into the GoDaddy.com Bowl against Arkansas State on Jan. 6, 2013.

In his first year at the helm, Hazell led Kent State to wins in four of its final five games and had the Flashes playing for bowl eligibility in their last contest. Five opponents went on to win bowl games, including national champion Alabama.

Off the field, Kent State football players became more visible in the community under Hazell, while the team grade-point average improved. During the 2012 spring semester, a program-record 50 players had GPA's above 3.0.

Prior to his stint at Kent State, Hazell spent seven seasons at Ohio State, where he served as assistant head coach and wide receivers coach under Jim Tressel. From 2005 to 2010, the Buckeyes won six consecutive Big Ten Conference championships and played in six straight BCS bowls, including appearances in the 2007 and 2008 national championship games. Ohio State featured dual-threat quarterbacks Troy Smith and Terrelle Pryor, and among its receivers were Ted Ginn Jr., Anthony Gonzalez, Santonio Holmes and DeVier Posey. A 27-year veteran of the college coaching ranks, Hazell previously coached at Rutgers (2001-03), West Virginia (1999-2000), the U.S. Military Academy (1997-98), Western Michigan (1995-96), Pennsylvania (1992-94), Eastern Illinois (1988) and Oberlin (1986-87, 1989-91).

Hazell is a 1986 graduate of Muskingum College with a B.A. in speech communications and business. He was a three-time all-conference selection as a wide receiver. As a senior, he earned All-America honors and was voted a team captain. A native of Cinnaminson, N.J., Hazell (born April 14, 1964) and his wife, Annmarie, have a son, Kyle.

Maxwell Football Club President Ron Jaworski has announced that the 2012 senior members of the Penn State football team will be honored as winners of the Club's Thomas Brookshier Spirit Award in recognition of their commitment, leadership and outstanding effort during this season.
 
Penn State completed the 2012 season, its first under Coach Bill O'Brien, with an 8-4 record, winning eight of its final 10 games. The Nittany Lions were 6-2 in Big Ten Conference play, with the only setbacks coming to division winners Ohio State and Nebraska. Under O'Brien, the Big Ten-Dave McClain Coach of the Year, Penn State finished the season by defeating eventual Big Ten champion Wisconsin, 24-21 in overtime, on Senior Day.
 
"The senior leaders at Penn State demonstrated incredible commitment, character and effort during the past year, and what they accomplished on the field this fall is just astonishing", said Jaworski. "With the difficult circumstances surrounding the program it would have been easy for many of these players to look for a different situation to finish their college careers. But they chose to stay and support their teammates, coaches and university. The spirit and courage demonstrated in their actions is worthy of recognition with the Thomas Brookshier Spirit Award. They are a very special group of young men."

Before the University of Wisconsin football team defeated Nebraska to win the 2012 Big Ten Championship, it was a former Badger who took center stage for a special community initiative at the Indiana Convention Center on Friday, Nov. 30.

Cecil Martin, a four-year starter at fullback for Wisconsin in the late 1990's, served as honorary youth football coach during the inaugural "Allstate Big Ten Good Works Day," a skills clinic for schoolchildren from Indianapolis' Garden City Elementary School.

The two-hour event was hosted by Big Ten Conference sponsor Allstate Insurance Company in conjunction with the Big Ten, Indiana Sports Corporation and USA Football.

At the convention center's Dr. Pepper Field, more than 150 kids took part in various passing, catching and tackling drills, all part of USA Football's FUNdamentals program designed to teach children the basics of the sport in a fun and safe environment.

Tom Clarkson, field senior vice president for Allstate's North Central Region, and Martin addressed the kids before the start of the clinic, with Martin highlighting the importance of hard work, focus and perseverance in the pursuit of one's dreams.  The former Philadelphia Eagle, Oakland Raider and Tampa Bay Buccaneer was twice named to the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team for outstanding achievements in community service during his playing days at Wisconsin.