WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The nation's top freshman in multiple categories, as well as one of the overall leaders in solo tackles and interceptions, it came as no surprise that Purdue defensive back Dillon Thieneman was named the Big Ten Conference's 2023 Thompson-Randle El Freshman of the Year.
Following a historic debut season, Thieneman became the seventh Boilermaker to be named B1G Freshman of the Year (Brian Fox – 1988, Eric Hunter – 1989, Corey Rogers – 1991, Stuart Schweigert – 2000, Rondale Moore – 2018, David Bell – 2019), including the third Purdue player in the last six seasons. The Purdue freshman was the conference's 11th defensive player to win the award as well as the fifth defensive back alongside fellow Boilermaker Schweigert (2000), Charles Woodson (Michigan – 1995), Jabrill Peppers (Michigan – 2015) and Brandon Joseph (Northwestern – 2000).
Right from the start of the 2023 campaign, Thieneman led the Purdue defense all season long and emerged as one of the best defensive players in the country. The Westfield, Indiana, native ranks second nationally in interceptions (6) and third in solo tackles (74), both new Purdue freshman records and more than any other freshman in the country. Thieneman also paces the nation's freshmen in total tackles (106) and forced fumbles (2). His six interceptions are double the nearest competition, as four freshmen around the country have three INTs apiece.
Ending his first season as a Boilermaker, Thieneman went out with a bang by breaking a pair of school records. The defensive back made a pair of interceptions in the first half against Indiana, bringing his season total to six to surpass Schweigert's freshman record of five for a single season. Thieneman became just the eighth Boilermaker to record six interceptions in a season, the first since Ricardo Allen in 2013.
Along with his pair of picks, Thieneman recorded a team-high eight tackles to lead the Purdue defense in stopping the Hoosiers. All of his tackles were solo, as he broke College Football Hall of Famer Rod Woodson's Purdue freshman record of solo tackles in a single season. Woodson ended his 1983 freshman campaign with 67 solo tackles, while Thieneman registered 74 this season.
Thieneman was the only Big Ten freshman defender to make one of the three all-league teams, earning Second Team All-B1G honors from the coaches and third team accolades from the media. He was a five-time Big Ten Freshman of the Week honoree throughout the 2023 season, becoming the first defender in conference history to win any weekly award five times in a single season. The Purdue defensive back joined a list of only seven other Big Ten players (six quarterbacks, one running back) to win at least five weekly accolades in a single season and the first Boilermaker to win a weekly conference award five times. Drew Brees (Offense – 2000), Travis Dorsch (Special Teams – 2001), Kyle Orton (Offense – 2004), Rondale Moore (Freshman – 2018) and David Bell (Freshman – 2019) collected Big Ten weekly honors four times in a season, tying for Purdue's previous best.
A consensus Midseason Freshman All-American and a semifinalist for the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award, Thieneman led the Boilermakers with 106 tackles to rank fifth in the country to go along with a league-best 74 solo tackles. He was Purdue's leading tackler in eight different games, cracking double figures four times. Thieneman became the first Purdue freshman to record multiple double-digit tackle games since Ja'Whaun Bentley (New England Patriots) in 2014.
On the other side of the ball, six Boilermakers earned all-league recognition. Deion Burks was named Second Team All-B1G by the conference's coaches, while Hudson Card, Gus Hartwig, Marcus Mbow, Devin Mockobee and Tyrone Tracy Jr. received honorable mention.
Burks led Purdue in receptions (47), receiving yards (629) and touchdowns (7). His seven receiving touchdowns ranked fourth in the conference.
In his first season as Purdue's starting quarterback, Card led the Purdue offense by throwing for 2,387 yards and 15 touchdowns to go along with 203 yards and five touchdowns on the ground. The Texas transfer ranked third in the Big Ten in passing yards per game and completions per game. Against Syracuse, Card went 32-for-46 for 323 yards and a touchdown to set personal bests in completions, attempts and yards. Perhaps his best game was the season finale, leading the Boilermakers to a win over Indiana. In the Old Oaken Bucket Game, Card recorded 360 yards of offense (275 passing, 85 rushing) and four touchdowns (three passing, one rushing) to become the first quarterback since Drew Brees (2000) to pass for at least 275 yards and rush for at least 85 yards in the same game.
Hartwig and Mbow earned honorable mention recognition for anchoring an offensive line that paved the way for the Big Ten's best rushing offense in conference games (184.6 ypg). A team captain and starting center for the past three seasons, Hartwig returned from a 2022 season-ending injury to start the final nine games of the 2023 campaign. Mbow started the first six games of 2023 before an injury at Iowa (Oct. 7) ended his season early.
Despite sharing the workload in the backfield, Mockobee and Tracy were two of the best running backs in the Big Ten this season. The pair of Boilermakers were the only teammates in the Big Ten to rush for at least 500 yards in conference play. Mockobee racked up 625 yards in B1G games, while Tracy was close behind with 624 to rank fourth and sixth respectively.
For the overall season, Mockobee rushed for a team-high 811 yards to go along with sixth touchdowns. Tracy added 716 yards on the ground, while leading the team in touchdowns (eight rushing, one kickoff return) and pacing the Big Ten in all-purpose yards in conference games (127.4 ypg). Tracy averaged 6.3 yards per carry on 113 attempts, the second-best single-season rushing average in school history. With Mockobee and Tracy over 500 yards on the season, it marked the first time since 2018 that Purdue has had a pair of running backs crack that total in the same year.
In his final season as a Boilermaker, offensive lineman Daniel Johnson earned a Big Ten Sportsmanship Award for his demeanor on the field. Johnson was another important piece to the Purdue offensive line, appearing in five games despite battling injuries throughout the year.
With Wednesday's announcement, the Big Ten Conference completed its release of season accolades. Defense and special team All-B1G honorees were announced on Tuesday (Nov. 28).
Thompson-Randle El Freshman of the Year
Dillon Thieneman
Thieneman by the Numbers
6 Interceptions (National Rank: 2nd, Freshman Rank: 1st, Purdue Freshman Record)
74 Solo Tackles (National Rank: 3rd, Freshman Rank: 1st, Purdue Freshman Record)
106 Tackles (National Rank: 29th, Freshman Rank: 1st)
Forced Fumbles (Freshman Rank: 1st)
Thieneman Accolades
Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Semifinalist
Consensus Midseason Freshman All-America
5-time B1G Freshman of the Week (Only B1G defender in league history, Purdue record)
Big Ten Freshman of the Year (Boilermakers All-Time)
1988 – Brian Fox (QB)
1989 – Eric Hunter (QB)
1991 – Corey Rogers (TB)
2000 – Stuart Schweigert (DB)
2018 – Rondale Moore (WR)
2019 – David Bell (WR)
2023 – Dillon Thieneman (DB)
All-Big Ten Boilermakers (Offense)
Deion Burks – Second Team (Coaches), Honorable Mention (Media)
Hudson Card – Honorable Mention (Media)
Gus Hartwig – Honorable Mention (Coaches, Media)
Marcus Mbow – Honorable Mention (Media)
Devin Mockobee – Honorable Mention (Coaches, Media)
Tyrone Tracy Jr. – Honorable Mention (Coaches, Media)
Big Ten Sportsmanship Award
Daniel Johnson
Following a historic debut season, Thieneman became the seventh Boilermaker to be named B1G Freshman of the Year (Brian Fox – 1988, Eric Hunter – 1989, Corey Rogers – 1991, Stuart Schweigert – 2000, Rondale Moore – 2018, David Bell – 2019), including the third Purdue player in the last six seasons. The Purdue freshman was the conference's 11th defensive player to win the award as well as the fifth defensive back alongside fellow Boilermaker Schweigert (2000), Charles Woodson (Michigan – 1995), Jabrill Peppers (Michigan – 2015) and Brandon Joseph (Northwestern – 2000).
Right from the start of the 2023 campaign, Thieneman led the Purdue defense all season long and emerged as one of the best defensive players in the country. The Westfield, Indiana, native ranks second nationally in interceptions (6) and third in solo tackles (74), both new Purdue freshman records and more than any other freshman in the country. Thieneman also paces the nation's freshmen in total tackles (106) and forced fumbles (2). His six interceptions are double the nearest competition, as four freshmen around the country have three INTs apiece.
Ending his first season as a Boilermaker, Thieneman went out with a bang by breaking a pair of school records. The defensive back made a pair of interceptions in the first half against Indiana, bringing his season total to six to surpass Schweigert's freshman record of five for a single season. Thieneman became just the eighth Boilermaker to record six interceptions in a season, the first since Ricardo Allen in 2013.
Along with his pair of picks, Thieneman recorded a team-high eight tackles to lead the Purdue defense in stopping the Hoosiers. All of his tackles were solo, as he broke College Football Hall of Famer Rod Woodson's Purdue freshman record of solo tackles in a single season. Woodson ended his 1983 freshman campaign with 67 solo tackles, while Thieneman registered 74 this season.
Thieneman was the only Big Ten freshman defender to make one of the three all-league teams, earning Second Team All-B1G honors from the coaches and third team accolades from the media. He was a five-time Big Ten Freshman of the Week honoree throughout the 2023 season, becoming the first defender in conference history to win any weekly award five times in a single season. The Purdue defensive back joined a list of only seven other Big Ten players (six quarterbacks, one running back) to win at least five weekly accolades in a single season and the first Boilermaker to win a weekly conference award five times. Drew Brees (Offense – 2000), Travis Dorsch (Special Teams – 2001), Kyle Orton (Offense – 2004), Rondale Moore (Freshman – 2018) and David Bell (Freshman – 2019) collected Big Ten weekly honors four times in a season, tying for Purdue's previous best.
A consensus Midseason Freshman All-American and a semifinalist for the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award, Thieneman led the Boilermakers with 106 tackles to rank fifth in the country to go along with a league-best 74 solo tackles. He was Purdue's leading tackler in eight different games, cracking double figures four times. Thieneman became the first Purdue freshman to record multiple double-digit tackle games since Ja'Whaun Bentley (New England Patriots) in 2014.
On the other side of the ball, six Boilermakers earned all-league recognition. Deion Burks was named Second Team All-B1G by the conference's coaches, while Hudson Card, Gus Hartwig, Marcus Mbow, Devin Mockobee and Tyrone Tracy Jr. received honorable mention.
Burks led Purdue in receptions (47), receiving yards (629) and touchdowns (7). His seven receiving touchdowns ranked fourth in the conference.
In his first season as Purdue's starting quarterback, Card led the Purdue offense by throwing for 2,387 yards and 15 touchdowns to go along with 203 yards and five touchdowns on the ground. The Texas transfer ranked third in the Big Ten in passing yards per game and completions per game. Against Syracuse, Card went 32-for-46 for 323 yards and a touchdown to set personal bests in completions, attempts and yards. Perhaps his best game was the season finale, leading the Boilermakers to a win over Indiana. In the Old Oaken Bucket Game, Card recorded 360 yards of offense (275 passing, 85 rushing) and four touchdowns (three passing, one rushing) to become the first quarterback since Drew Brees (2000) to pass for at least 275 yards and rush for at least 85 yards in the same game.
Hartwig and Mbow earned honorable mention recognition for anchoring an offensive line that paved the way for the Big Ten's best rushing offense in conference games (184.6 ypg). A team captain and starting center for the past three seasons, Hartwig returned from a 2022 season-ending injury to start the final nine games of the 2023 campaign. Mbow started the first six games of 2023 before an injury at Iowa (Oct. 7) ended his season early.
Despite sharing the workload in the backfield, Mockobee and Tracy were two of the best running backs in the Big Ten this season. The pair of Boilermakers were the only teammates in the Big Ten to rush for at least 500 yards in conference play. Mockobee racked up 625 yards in B1G games, while Tracy was close behind with 624 to rank fourth and sixth respectively.
For the overall season, Mockobee rushed for a team-high 811 yards to go along with sixth touchdowns. Tracy added 716 yards on the ground, while leading the team in touchdowns (eight rushing, one kickoff return) and pacing the Big Ten in all-purpose yards in conference games (127.4 ypg). Tracy averaged 6.3 yards per carry on 113 attempts, the second-best single-season rushing average in school history. With Mockobee and Tracy over 500 yards on the season, it marked the first time since 2018 that Purdue has had a pair of running backs crack that total in the same year.
In his final season as a Boilermaker, offensive lineman Daniel Johnson earned a Big Ten Sportsmanship Award for his demeanor on the field. Johnson was another important piece to the Purdue offensive line, appearing in five games despite battling injuries throughout the year.
With Wednesday's announcement, the Big Ten Conference completed its release of season accolades. Defense and special team All-B1G honorees were announced on Tuesday (Nov. 28).
Thompson-Randle El Freshman of the Year
Dillon Thieneman
Thieneman by the Numbers
6 Interceptions (National Rank: 2nd, Freshman Rank: 1st, Purdue Freshman Record)
74 Solo Tackles (National Rank: 3rd, Freshman Rank: 1st, Purdue Freshman Record)
106 Tackles (National Rank: 29th, Freshman Rank: 1st)
Forced Fumbles (Freshman Rank: 1st)
Thieneman Accolades
Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Semifinalist
Consensus Midseason Freshman All-America
5-time B1G Freshman of the Week (Only B1G defender in league history, Purdue record)
Big Ten Freshman of the Year (Boilermakers All-Time)
1988 – Brian Fox (QB)
1989 – Eric Hunter (QB)
1991 – Corey Rogers (TB)
2000 – Stuart Schweigert (DB)
2018 – Rondale Moore (WR)
2019 – David Bell (WR)
2023 – Dillon Thieneman (DB)
All-Big Ten Boilermakers (Offense)
Deion Burks – Second Team (Coaches), Honorable Mention (Media)
Hudson Card – Honorable Mention (Media)
Gus Hartwig – Honorable Mention (Coaches, Media)
Marcus Mbow – Honorable Mention (Media)
Devin Mockobee – Honorable Mention (Coaches, Media)
Tyrone Tracy Jr. – Honorable Mention (Coaches, Media)
Big Ten Sportsmanship Award
Daniel Johnson