Gophers running back Shannon Brooks earned Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors Monday, marking the third time this season he's won the award.
Brooks rushed for 174 yards and three touchdowns, including the 75-yard game winner in Saturday's 32-23 victory over Illinois.
Brooks is the first Gopher to win the same weekly Big Ten award three times in the same season. He also won Oct. 12 for his performance at Purdue (176 rushing yards, one touchdown), and last week for his game against Iowa (86 rushing yards, one touchdown and one touchdown pass).
Last year, Brooks was a senior at Pickens High School in Georgia. Now, he leads the Gophers in rushing, despite battling some midseason injuries. He has 99 carries for 636 yards (6.4 yards per carry) and seven touchdowns.
