WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Days after being named the Thompson-Randle El Big Ten Freshman of the Year, Purdue defensive back Dillon Thieneman was tabbed a finalist for the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award. The Maxwell Football Club announced five finalists for the honor (Dec. 1), including Thieneman, who leads the nation's freshmen in interceptions, tackles, solo tackles and forced fumbles.
The Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award is an honor given each year to the most outstanding freshman player in college football. Named after Shaun Alexander since 2018, this award recognizes the exceptional performance and impact made by these players on their respective teams throughout the season.
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.
A consensus Midseason Freshman All-American, Thieneman's team-high 106 tackles rank fifth in the conference to go along with his Big Ten-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.
Following a historic debut season, Thieneman became the seventh Boilermaker to be named Big Ten 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 the fellow Boilermaker Schweigert (2000), Charles Woodson (Michigan – 1995), Jabrill Peppers (Michigan – 2015) and Brandon Joseph (Northwestern – 2000).
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.
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.
The winner of the sixth annual Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year award will be unveiled December 29. The formal presentations of this awards will be made at the Maxwell Awards Friday March 8, 2024 from the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta.
2023 Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Finalists
Caleb Downs (S), Alabama
Noah Fifita (QB), Arizona
Rueben Bain, (DE), Miami (FL)
Kevin Concepcion (WR), NC State
Dillon Thieneman (DB), Purdue
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
Thompson-Randle El Big Ten Freshman of the Year
Second Team All-Big Ten (Coaches), Third Team All-Big Ten (Media)
Consensus Midseason Freshman All-America
5-time B1G Freshman of the Week (Only B1G defender in league history, Purdue record)
The Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award is an honor given each year to the most outstanding freshman player in college football. Named after Shaun Alexander since 2018, this award recognizes the exceptional performance and impact made by these players on their respective teams throughout the season.
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.
A consensus Midseason Freshman All-American, Thieneman's team-high 106 tackles rank fifth in the conference to go along with his Big Ten-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.
Following a historic debut season, Thieneman became the seventh Boilermaker to be named Big Ten 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 the fellow Boilermaker Schweigert (2000), Charles Woodson (Michigan – 1995), Jabrill Peppers (Michigan – 2015) and Brandon Joseph (Northwestern – 2000).
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.
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.
The winner of the sixth annual Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year award will be unveiled December 29. The formal presentations of this awards will be made at the Maxwell Awards Friday March 8, 2024 from the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta.
2023 Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Finalists
Caleb Downs (S), Alabama
Noah Fifita (QB), Arizona
Rueben Bain, (DE), Miami (FL)
Kevin Concepcion (WR), NC State
Dillon Thieneman (DB), Purdue
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
Thompson-Randle El Big Ten Freshman of the Year
Second Team All-Big Ten (Coaches), Third Team All-Big Ten (Media)
Consensus Midseason Freshman All-America
5-time B1G Freshman of the Week (Only B1G defender in league history, Purdue record)