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Minnesota Football: Mitch Leidner Earns Big Ten Freshman of the Week Honors

Mitch had a big game and the Big Ten was among many who took notice.

By GoAUpher
Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

Hats off to Mitch Leidner for earning Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors for his fantastic performance on Saturday! Need a refresher on just how good it was?

Leidner, who made his first career start against the Spartans, rushed 24 times for 151 yards and scored four touchdowns, as the Gophers won 43-24. His 151 yards were the seventh-most all-time for a Minnesota quarterback and his four scores tied a Gopher quarterback record (Curtis Wilson also ran for four touchdowns against Indiana on Nov. 18, 1967).

Leidner also became the first Gopher to rush for four touchdowns in one game since Marion Barber III did so against Ohio on Sept. 13, 2003. Leidner is the eighth player in Minnesota history to score four or more touchdowns in one game.

The last Gopher to win FOTW honors? Philip Nelson following the Purdue game last fall.

While the official accolade is the most important, the guys over at the WWL blog love them some Phil as well, giving him a helmet sticker, calling him this week's Big Man on Campus, and naming him their Player of the Week for the B1G.

Congrats Mitch! I hope you enjoyed Saturday as much as all of us who watched you did.

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