Urban Meyer always preaches getting the very best from his players when he absolutely needs them the most. Look no further than middle linebacker Raekwon McMillan in Ohio State's most recent game.
The junior captain tallied 16 total tackles—seven solo—in his team's 30-27 double overtime victory against Michigan at Ohio Stadium on Saturday. The performance earned him Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week honors, the conference announced on Tuesday morning.
Congrats to @Kwon_daTRUTH for winning @bigten Defensive Player of the Week after a career-high 16 tackles!
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) November 29, 2016
| https://t.co/RnvnKzNiEP pic.twitter.com/qEM6TkJvUc
McMillan also tallied one-half tackle for loss and a quarterback hurry of Wilton Speight in the victory. Whenever the Wolverines tried to run up the middle, more often than not McMillan was there to stop it. Michigan finished Saturday's game with only 91 rushing yards on 43 attempts. The 16 total tackles for McMillan tied a career-high.
This is McMillan's first career Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week honor. The last Buckeye to earn the recognition was another linebacker, Jerome Baker, who received it Sept. 19 after Ohio State whipped Oklahoma 45-24 in Norman.
The full award list:
| AWARD | PLAYER | SCHOOL | POSITION | PERFORMANCE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OFFENSIVE | TRACE MCSORLEY | PENN STATE | QB | 389 yards of total offense, 4 TDs vs. Michigan State |
| DEFENSIVE | RAEKWON MCMILLAN | OHIO STATE | LB | Recorded 16 total tackles, 1 QB hurry vs. Michigan |
| SPECIAL TEAMS | TELDRICK MORGAN | MARYLAND | PR | 83-yard punt return for TD vs. Rutgers, 113 total return yards |
| FRESHMAN | JOHN MOTEN IV | NORTHWESTERN | RB | Career-high 128 rushing yards, two TDs vs. Illinois |
