Connor McGovern nabbed his first conference honors Monday, as the right guard was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week.

The #B1G freshman of the week is a Nittany Lion Offensive lineman! Congratulations, @Condor_McGovern! #WeAre pic.twitter.com/ZBEkyG0gcX

— Penn State Football (@PennStateFball) November 7, 2016

McGovern is the first Nittany Lion since Saquon Barkley (195 yards and two touchdowns against Rutgers) to bring home freshman accolades. The true freshman out of Larksville, Pa., was instrumental in the Nittany Lions’ tremendous offensive-line play Saturday. Penn State’s front five paved the way for 599 total yards (359 rushing) and three ground scores in a 41-14 win over Iowa.

McGovern is already in rare company. Not since Stefen Wisniewski in 2007 has a Penn State offensive lineman seen the field as a true freshman, and McGovern even wrestled a starting job away from veteran Derek Dowrey ahead of Minnesota. Fellow Big Ten honorees include a handful of familiar names. The Co-Offensive Players of the Week are Michigan quarterback Wilton Speight and Ohio State running back Curtis Samuel. Defensive and Special Teams standouts Tre Watson (Illinois) and Emmit Carpenter (Minnesota) were also recognized.

About the Author

Ethan Kasales

Ethan’s a senior journalism major who grew up in Lemont, a few minutes from campus. When he’s not covering Penn State sports, you can usually find him golfing or teaching snowboarding at Tussey Mountain. Feel free to email him at [email protected].

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