July 30, 2004
This year's Kickoff Luncheon could feature as many as 14 returning All-Big Ten Conference honorees, including a possibility of six First Team selections - Iowa defensive end Matt Roth, Michigan's trio of offensive lineman David Baas, wide receiver Braylon Edwards and cornerback Marlin Jackson and the Wisconsin duo of running back Anthony Davis and defensive back Jim Leonhard.
Here is a closer look at the student-athletes that will be attending this year's Kickoff Luncheon:
This year's Kickoff Luncheon could feature as many as 14 returning All-Big Ten Conference honorees, including a possibility of six First Team selections - Iowa defensive end Matt Roth, Michigan's trio of offensive lineman David Baas, wide receiver Braylon Edwards and cornerback Marlin Jackson and the Wisconsin duo of running back Anthony Davis and defensive back Jim Leonhard.
Here is a closer look at the student-athletes that will be attending this year's Kickoff Luncheon:
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ILLINOIS
Duke Preston -- C -- 6-5 -- 305 -- Senior -- San Diego, CA
Started every game at center over the last two seasons... Allowed only one sack as a junior while registering 71 knockdowns... Helped school set total offense record as a sophomore as team topped 5,000 yards for just the second time in school history... Graduated in May of 2004 with an undergraduate degree in speech communication.
E.B. Halsey -- RB -- 5-10 -- 200 -- Sophomore -- Elizabeth, N.J.
Street & Smith's Preseason Honorable Mention All-American... Selected as Illinois' Rookie of the Year in 2003, as well as being the Male Newcomer of the Year for all sports at Illinois' annual Scholar-Athlete Banquet... Let team in rushing yardage, kickoff returns, and all-purpose-yards... Averaged 142.8 yards per game in all-purpose yardage to rank 19th nationally.
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INDIANA
Travis Haney -- WR -- 6-5 -- 215 -- Senior -- OrangePark, FL
Senior wide receiver with big play potential... Named co-Most Outstanding Senior of spring practice... Averaged a team-best 22.0 yards per reception as a junior with eight catches for 176 yards... Recorded career-best performance against Connecticutwith three catches for 99 yards... Career numbers include 19 receptions for 350 yards with a long catch of 47 yards.
Martin Lapostolle -- DT -- 6-2 -- 280 -- Senior -- Montreal, Quebec
Started 11 of the 12 games he played last season... Opened two games as a linebacker in his sophomore year before moving to the defensive line due to injuries and a lack of depth... Played in 10 games overall in 2002 and posted a career-best 14 tackles and 2.5 tackles for loss... One of four true freshman to play in 2001, earning time on the field in all 11 outings.
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IOWA
Jonathan Babineaux -- DT -- 6-2 -- 280 -- Senior -- Port Arthur, TX
One of five seniors selected to team Leadership Council this season, a role he also filled as a junior... Started at defensive tackle in first seven games last year before suffering season-ending injury at OhioState. . . Earned Coaches Appreciation Award as a sophomore... key member of defense that ranked fifth nationally against the run and led team to a share of the 2002 Big Ten title.
Matt Roth -- DE -- 6-4 -- 270 -- Senior -- Villa Park, IL
Candidate for Lombardi and Hendricks Awards... Named to several preseason All-America teams... Begins senior campaign with 22 career sacks, the third-highest total in program history... First Team All-Big Ten choice last season... Established school record with 12 sacks which ranked second in the Big Ten and among the top 15 in the country... Led team with 10 quarterback drops as a sophomore.
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MICHIGAN
Braylon Edwards -- WR -- 6-3 -- 206 -- Senior -- Detroit, MI
Biletnikoff Award candidate for second straight season... Aiming to become first receiver in school history to post three-straight 1,000-yard seasons... Ranked among top six in school history in career receptions, yards and touchdowns... All-Big Ten First Team selection as a junior when he led team with 85 catches for 1,138 yards and 14 touchdowns.
Marlin Jackson -- CB -- 6-1 -- 199 -- Senior -- Sharon, PA
Thorpe Award candidate for third straight year... Has played in 33 career games with 27 starts... Ranked fifth on team with 50 tackles as a junior despite missing four-plus games... 2003 Big Ten Preseason Defensive Player of the Year... Earned All-America honors from numerous publications after sophomore campaign and was named First Team All-Conference.
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MICHIGAN STATE
Kyle Brown -- WR -- 6-1 -- 210 -- Junior -- West Bloomfield, MI
Returning starter listed first team on 2004 depth chart... One of seven Spartans to haul in 20 or more passes in John L. Smith's spread offense last season... Set career-highs with 29 receptions, 481 receiving yards and three touchdowns . . Ranked second on the squad at 16.6 yards per catch... 2003 Academic All-Big Ten honoree.
Jason Harmon -- FS -- 5-11 -- 203 -- Senior -- Ironton, OH
Honorable Mention All-Big Ten selection last season... Led team with a career-best 95 tackles as a junior... Also topped team with three interceptions, eight pass break-ups, four fumbles forced and three fumble recoveries... As a sophomore, shared MSU's Outstanding Underclass Back Award with Biletnikoff Award winner and NFL first-round pick Charles Rogers.
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MINNESOTA
Rian Melander -- T -- 6-7 -- 295 -- Senior -- Shoreview, MN
Second Team All-Big Ten selection as a junior... Started all 12 games he played at left tackle... anchored an offense that led the Big Ten and finished among the top 10 nationally in rushing offense, total offense and scoring offense... Team set Big Ten record for total offense and ranks among the top six in rushing yards and points.
Darrell Reid -- DE -- 6-2 -- 280 -- Senior -- Freehold, NJ
Moved from defensive tackle to end following the 2003 campaign... Honorable Mention All-Big Ten pick last season... Has started 35 of 37 career games at Minnesotaas a defensive tackle... Led squad with 12 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks as a junior and recorded a TFL in 10 of 13 outings... Topped team with 7.5 TFLs as a sophomore after starting all 11 games as a freshman.
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NORTHWESTERN
Luis Castillo -- DT -- 6-3 -- 305 -- Senior -- Garfield, NJ
Two-time Academic All-Big Ten and All-District honoree... Has started 22 career games at defensive tackle, including a current string of 20 straight... Recipient of the 2003 Motor City Bowl's Lineman of the Game Award... Also earned NU's Carnig Minasian Citizenship Award last season... Led all Wildcat defensive linemen with 70 tackles and ranked second with seven tackles for loss.
Noah Herron -- RB -- 5-11 -- 230 -- Senior -- Mattawan, MI
Heir apparent to departed All-Big Ten rusher Jason Wright... Boasts 1,143 career rushing yards... Ranked second in Conference games only with an average of 5.7 yards per carry... Averaged 69.5 yards in Big Ten play to rank among the League's top 10 despite playing as a backup... Racked up four 100-yard outings, including a career-best 180-yard effort against Penn State.
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OHIO STATE
Dustin Fox -- CB -- 6-0 -- 190 -- Senior -- Canton, OH
Thorpe Award candidate... Entering third year as a starting cornerback with 28 consecutive starts and 39 games total... Collected 77 tackles as a junior, including a team-high 55 solo stops... Also topped the squad with three interceptions and ranked second with nine pass breakups... Came to OSU as a safety but was forced into the lineup as a freshman at cornerback and has been a fixture ever since.
Lydell Ross -- TB -- 6-0 -- 225 -- Senior -- Tampa, FL
Led Ohio State with 826 rushing yards as a junior despite being hampered in the first half of the season by injuries... Ranked second on the squad with 10 touchdowns and 920 all-purpose yards... Rushed for 585 yards and five scores in final six games, including three 100-yard outings... Posted a career-high 167 yards at Indianaand led all rushers in the Fiesta Bowl with 82 stripes.
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PENN STATE
Zack Mills -- QB -- 6-3 -- 214 -- Senior -- Ijamsville, MD
O'Brien Award candidate for third straight season... Already owns 12 PennStategame, season and career passing and total offense records, including career pass completions and total offense... Also on pace to establish school career records in passing yards, attempts and touchdowns... 2002 Honorable Mention All-Big Ten selection and a 2001 Academic All-Big Ten honoree.
Jason Robinson -- DL -- 6-3 -- 281 -- Senior -- Woodbury, NJ
Battling for spot in defensive line rotation for upcoming season... Saw action in eight of 12 games as a junior with first career start at Nebraska... Recorded nine tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss on the year... Registered first TFL of career against Boston College... Added a career-high three defensive stops versus Kent State.
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PURDUE
Kyle Orton -- QB -- 6-4 -- 226 -- Senior -- Altoona, IA
O'Brien Award candidate for second straight year... Enters his senior season ranked among the top five in school history in passing attempts, completions, yards, total offense and completion percentage for his career... Third quarterback in school annals to start three bowl games... Honorable Mention All-Big Ten choice as a junior... Ranked third in the Conference with 221.9 passing yards per game.
Taylor Stubblefield -- WR -- 6-1 -- 182 -- Senior -- Yakima, WA
Set to shatter Big Ten career receptions record... Ranks third in League annals with 236 catches, just behind current leader and former teammate John Standeford, who established the record of 266 receptions last season. . . Second Team All-Big Ten pick as a junior after leading the Conference with 6.6 catches per game... First player since OSU's David Boston in 1997-98 to lead League in receptions in consecutive years.
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WISCONSIN
Anthony Davis -- RB -- 5-8 -- 194 -- Senior -- Plainfield, NJ
His 3,703 yards over the last three seasons rates third among all players nationally... Ranks third on the school's all-time rushing list... Team's second-leading rusher as a junior despite missing all or part of nine games due to injury... All-Big Ten pick in each of his first two seasons... Joined Heisman Trophy winner Ron Dayne as only the second Badger to break the 1,000-yard barrier in each of his first two years.
Jim Leonhard -- DB -- 5-8 -- 183 -- Senior -- Tony, WI
Team captain for second straight season... Former walk-on named to several preseason All-America teams... Ranks second in school annals with 18 career interceptions, including a Big Ten record 11 picks as a sophomore... Also rated second in UW history in punt return yardage... Two-time First Team All-Conference honoree... Academic All-American as a junior.
