Hawk-Item – – Tied for seventh in the Big Ten with two recovered fumbles in 2011 . . . one of four seniors named to 2011 Leadership Group . . . one of four juniors named to 2010 Leadership Group . . . one of four sophomores named to 2009 Leadership Group . . . one of two redshirt freshmen named to 2008 Leadership Group.
2011 Honors – – Honorable mention all-Big Ten by league media . . . named to Capital One/CoSIDA District Six Academic All-America team for second straight year . . . academic all-Big Ten for fourth straight season . . . candidate for National Football Foundation Scholar-Athlete Award . . . semifinal candidate for NFF William V. Campbell Trophy . . . Permanent Team Captain, Defense . . . Forest Evashevski Scholastic Achievement Award . . . Hayden Fry ‘Extra Heartbeat’ Award, Defense . . . Players Choice Award, Defense . . . named national Linebacker of the Week by College Sports Madness and was honorable mention Linebacker of the Week by College Football Performacne Awards for his play in 24-16 win over 13th-ranked Michigan.
2011 Preseason Honors – –Named to Lott IMPACT Trophy and Butkus Award preseason Watch Lists . . . fourth team preseason All-Big Ten by Phil Steele[apos]s College Football . . .
2011 – – started all 12 games in which he played . . . recorded 34 solo tackles and 39 assists, including four tackles for loss and one QB sack . . . also had two recovered fumbles, one one forced fumble, one pass break-up and one QB pressure . . . started at outside linebacker in 34-7 opening win over Tennessee Tech . . . recorded two solo tackles and one assist in opening win, including one tackle for loss . . . started at outside linebacker in triple-overtime loss at Iowa State, recording four solo tackles, one assist and a recovered fumble . . . started at outside linebacker in 31-27 win over Pittsburgh, but saw limited action recording one solo tackle . . . started at outside linebacker in 45-17 win over Louisiana-Monroe, recording two solo tackles, one assist and a pass break-up as defense allowed just 59 net rushing yards . . . started at outside linebacker in 13-3 loss at Penn State, recording two solo tackles and one assist . . . started at middle linebacker in 41-31 win over Northwestern, moving inside from normal OLB position . . . recorded career-high 12 tackles vs. Northwestern, including five solo stops and seven assists . . . did not see action in 45-24 win over Indiana due to injury . . . started at middle linebacker in 22-21 loss at Minnesota, recording two solo tackles and four assists . . . started at middle linebacker in 24-16 win over 13th-ranked Michigan as defense allowed just 323 yards total offense . . . recorded career-high 13 tackles vs. Wolverines, including seven solo stops . . . also had two tackles for loss and a QB sack, causing and recovering a Wolverine fumble that led to an Iowa field goal . . . started at middle linebacker in 37-21 loss to Michigan State . . . recorded five tackles vs. MSU, including one tackle for loss . . . started at middle linebacker in 31-21 win at Purdue, recording three solo tackles as defense allowed just 282 yards total offense . . . started at middle linebacker in 20-7 loss at Nebraska, recording one solo tackle and career-best 10 assists . . . started at middle linebacker in Insight Bowl loss to Oklahoma, recording four solo tackles and four assists as defense allowed just 275 yards total offense.
2010 Honors – – Academic all-Big Ten . . . named to ESPN/CoSIDA District Seven Academic All-America team . . . 2010 – – started all eight games in which he played before injury, recording 22 solo tackles and 20 assists, along with 4.5 tackles for loss, four pass break-ups and one interception . . . started at outside linebacker in 37-7 opening win over Eastern Illinois as defense allowed just 157 yards total offense . . . recorded one solo tackle and five assists, including 1.5 tackles for loss . . . started at outside linebacker in 35-7 win over Iowa State . . . recorded three tackles against ISU and had first career interception to stop a scoring threat in the third period . . . started at outside linebacker in 34-27 loss at Arizona . . . recorded career-high seven tackles at Arizona, including four solo tackles and three assists, including one tackle for loss . . . started at outside linebacker in 45-0 win over Ball State, recording three solo tackles as defense allowed just 112 yards total offense . . . started at outside linebacker in 24-3 win over Penn State as defense allowed just 54 net rushing yards and 301 yards total offense . . . recorded four solo tackles and one assist vs. Penn State, in addition to career-best four pass break-ups . . . started at outside linebacker in 38-28 win at Michigan . . . recorded six tackles at Michigan, including career-best five solo stops and two tackles for loss . . . started at outside linebacker in 31-30 loss to Wisconsin . . . collected career-high 10 tackles vs. Badgers, including three solo stops and seven assists . . . started at outside linebacker in 37-6 win over fifth-ranked Michigan State as defense allowed just 31 net rushing yards and 258 yards total offense . . . recorded two tackles vs. MSU before missing majority of game due to injury . . . missed remainder of the season after being injured in win over Michigan State.
2009 Honors – – Academic all-Big Ten for second year . . . Coaches Appreciation Award, Special Teams.
2009 – – Saw action in all 13 games, recording four solo tackles and three assists . . . saw action in 17-16 win over Northern Iowa, but had no statistics . . . saw action in 35-3 win at Iowa State as defense recorded six turnovers, recording one solo tackle . . . saw action in 27-17 win over Arizona, recording two assisted tackles as defensie allowed just 105 passing yards and 253 yards total offense . . . saw action in 21-10 win at Penn State, but had no statistics . . . saw action in 24-21 win over Arkansas State, but had no statistics . . . saw action in 30-28 win over Michigan, recording one assisted tackle . . . saw action in 20-10 win at Wisconsin, but had no statistics . . . saw action in 15-13 win at Michigan State, but had no statistics . . . saw action in 42-24 win over Indiana, recording one solo tackle as defense allowed just 79 net rushing yards . . . saw action in 17-10 loss to Northwestern, but had no statistics . . . saw action in 27-24 overtime loss at Ohio State, recording two solo tackles . . . saw action in 12-0 win over Minnesota, but had no statistics . . . saw action in 24-14 Orange Bowl win over Georgia Tech, but had no statistics.
2008 Honors – – Academic all-Big Ten . . . 2008 – – Listed as second team outside linebacker following spring practice . . . saw limited action in 46-3 opening win over Maine, recording one solo tackle and one assist as defense allowed 83 passing yards and 220 yards total offense . . . saw action in 42-0 win over Florida International, recording two solo tackles and two assists as defense allowed just 56 rushing yards and 218 yards total offense . . . saw action in 17-5 win over Iowa State, but had no statistics . . . saw action in 21-20 loss at Pittsburgh,. but had no statistics . . . saw action in 22-17 loss to Northwestern, but had no statistics . . . saw action on special teams in 16-13 loss at Michigan State, but had no statistics . . . saw action in 45-9 win at Indiana, recording one assisted tackle as defense allowed just 95 rushing yards and 286 yards total offense . . . saw action in 38-16 win over Wisconsin, recording one solo tackle . . . saw action on special teams in 27-24 loss at Illinois but had no statiscs . . . saw action on special teams in 24-23 win over third-ranked Penn State, recording one assisted tackle . . . saw action on special teams in 22-17 win over Purdue, recording one assisted tackle . . . saw action in 55-0 win at Minnesota, recording two solo tackles as defense allowed just seven rushing yards and 134 yards total offense . . . saw action in 31-10 Outback Bowl win over South Carolina, but had no statistics.
2007 – – Redshirted.
High school honors – – 2006 Gatorade Iowa Football Player of the Year . . . US Army all-American . . . Des Moines Register first team and Elite all-state as a senior . . . captain of the Class 3A all-state team . . . three-time first team all-conference selection . . . first team Des Moines Register and second team Iowa Newspaper Association all-state as a junior . . . team captain . . . Career – – Led prep team to the 2006 Class 3A state championship . . . amassed 258 career tackles . . . recorded 99 solo tackles, 35 assisted tackles, six tackles for loss, three fumble recoveries (two for TD) and an interception as a senior . . . also rushed for 151 yards and two touchdowns on 11 carries . . . had 11 receptions for 216 yards and two touchdowns as a senior . . . recorded 47 solo tackles, with 23 assists and three tackles for loss, as a junior . . . had 37 solo tackles and 17 assists as a sophomore . . . member of prep track and field team . . . won Class 3-A state tile in the 400-meters as a senior with a time of 49.94.
Personal – – Born 6/1/88 . . . marketing major . . . four-year member of the ‘A’ Honor Roll . . . member of prep National Honor Society . . . parents are Julie and Tony Nielsen . . . high school teammate of DL Cody Hundertmark and OL Ben Thilges . . . high school coach was Greg Thomas.
Career Bests
Tackles: 13 vs. Michigan, 11/05/11
Solos: 7 vs. Michigan, 11/05/11
Assists: 10 at Nebraska, 11/25/11
TFL: 2, twice, last vs. Michigan, 11/05/11
QB Sacks: 1 vs. Michigan, 11/05/11
Interceptions: 1 vs. Iowa State, 9/11/10
Fumble Recoveries: 1, twice, last vs. Michigan, 11/05/11
Forced Fumble: 1 vs. Michigan, 11/05/11
Pass Break-Up: 4 vs. Penn State, 10/02/10