Zook, Mendenhall, Benn earn top Big Ten honors

Being an integral part of the nation's fastest-rising college football program has its privileges.

When the Big Ten unveiled its awards Monday night, Illinois swept to three of the four primary honors.

Junior running back Rashard Mendenhall earned the nod from the media and the coaches as the Big Ten's offensive player of the year, the first Illini to win that vote since the league started choosing MVPs on both sides of the ball in 1990.

Freshman receiver Arrelious Benn received Freshman of the Year honors from both entities, the first Illini since Simeon Rice to reap that reward.

Then there was third-year coach Ron Zook, who was crowned by the media as the Dave McClain Coach of the Year.

Considering the Illini jumped from 2 wins to 9 wins in one season's time -- not to mention from No. 100 to No. 17 in the Bowl Championship Standings -- Zook was the easy choice.

"You don't do it without the players. You don't do it without the coaches," Zook said. "As we talk in recruiting, it's a family affair. I'm accepting it for everybody."

"I think it's awesome," said Illinois senior middle linebacker J Leman. "Everybody knew he was the best recruiter out there, but nobody thought he was a great coach, and he just proved everybody wrong."

Leman joined Mendenhall and senior guard Martin O'Donnell as consensus all-Big Ten first-team picks. Cornerback Vontae Davis earned a first-team nod from the coaches and a second-team verdict from the media.

The coaches hadn't tabbed an Illini as an all-Big Ten first-team pick since 2002. That's when senior right tackle Tony Pashos, now a starter for the Jacksonville Jaguars, earned the honor.

Junior center Ryan McDonald was a consensus second-team pick, while junior defensive end Will Davis (media) and junior offensive tackle Xavier Fulton (coaches) also made a second-team list.

Mendenhall, who led the Big Ten with 1,526 rushing yards, won his honor the same day he learned he won't be a finalist for the Doak Walker Award. Instead, Michigan's Mike Hart, a second-team all-Big Ten pick, will battle Arkansas' Darren McFadden and Rutgers' Ray Rice for the honor that goes to the nation's top running back.

Northwestern (6-6, 3-5) didn't place anybody on the first or second teams for the second year in a row.

Senior middle linebacker Adam Kadela, junior defensive tackle John Gill and senior center Trevor Rees were named honorable mention by both the media and coaches, while the media recognized junior quarterback C.J. Bacher and the coaches acknowledged junior running back Tyrell Sutton.