Hawk-Item – – Moved from defensive back to wide receiver prior to 2011 season.
2012 Honors – – Academic All-Big Ten for second straight year . . . 2012 – – Saw action on specual teams in all 12 games, recording three solo tackles and two assists . . . saw action on special teams in 18-17 win over Northern Illinois, recording one assisted tackle . . . saw action on special teams in 9-6 loss to Iowa State, but had no statistics . . . saw action on special teams in 27-16 win over Northern Iowa, recording one solo tackle . . . saw action in 32-31 loss to Central Michigan, but had no statistics . . . saw action in 31-13 win over Minnesota, but had no statistics . . . saw action on special teams in 19-16 win at Michigan State, recording two solo tackles and one assist . . . saw action on special teams in 38-14 loss to Penn State, but had no statistics . . . did not see action in 28-17 loss at Northwestern . . . saw action on special teams in 24-21 loss at Indiana, but had no statistics . . . saw action on special teams in 27-24 loss to Purdue, but had no statistics . . . saw action in 42-17 loss at Michigan, but had no statistics . . . saw action in 13-7 loss to Nebraska, but had no statistics.
2011 Honors – – Academic all-Big Ten . . . 2011 – – saw action in 12 games, recording one solo tackle and two assists . . . saw action in 34-7 opening win over Tennessee Tech, recording one assisted tackle on special teams . . . saw action on special teams in triple-overtime loss at Iowa State, but had no statistics . . . saw action on special teams in 31-27 win over Pittsburgh, but had no statistics . . . saw action in 45-17 win over Louisiana-Monroe, but had no statistics . . . saw action on special teams in 13-3 loss at Penn State, recording one solo tackle . . . saw action in 41-31 win over Northwestern, recording one assisted tackle . . . saw action in 45-24 win over Indiana, but had no statistics . . . saw action in 22-21 loss at Minnesota, but had no statistics . . . saw action in 24-16 win over 13th-ranked Michigan, but had no statistics . . . saw action in 37-21 loss to Michigan State, but had no statistics . . . saw action in 31-21 win at Purdue, but had no statistics . . . did not see action in 20-7 loss at Nebraska . . . saw action in Insight Bowl loss to Oklahoma, but had no statistics.
2010 – – Saw action in five games, recording one solo tackle and two assists . . . saw action in 37-7 opening win over Eastern Illinois, recording one solo tackle and one assist as defense allowed just 157 yards total offense . . . saw action in 35-7 win over Iowa State, recording one assisted tackle . . . saw action in 34-27 loss at Arizona, but had no statistics . . . saw action in 45-0 win over Ball State as defense allowed just 112 yards total offense, but had no statistics . . . saw action in 24-3 win over Penn State, but had no statistics as defense allowed just 54 net rushing yards and 301 yards total offense . . . did not see action in 38-28 win at Michigan . . . did not see action in 31-30 loss to Wisconsin . . . did not see action in 37-6 win over fifth-ranked Michigan State . . . did not see action in 18-13 win at Indiana . . . did not see action in 21-17 loss at Northwestern . . . did not see action in 20-17 loss to Ohio State . . . did not see action in 27-24 loss at Minnesota . . . did not see action in 27-24 Insight Bowl victory over 12th-ranked Missouri.
2009 – – Saw action in win over Northern Iowa, but had no statistics . . . saw action on special teams in win over Minnesota, but had no statistics.
2008 – – Redshirted after joining the team as a walk-on.
High school honors – – Earned first team all-state honors as an outside linebacker as a senior . . . was first team all-conference quarterback as a senior after earning first team honors as a defensive back during junior season . . . Career – – earned two letters playing quarterback, defensive back and outside linebacker, helping team win state championship as a junior . . . recorded 50 tackles and two interceptions as a senior . . . scored nine touchdowns as a senior . . . had five interceptions and 40 tackles as a junior . . . set school record for passing yards in a season (1,400), total offensive in a season (1,700) and longest touchdown pass (96 yards) . . . team captain in football . . . also lettered in basketball and track and field.
Personal – – Born 12/08/89 . . . management major . . . member of high school National Honor Society and Student Senate . . . 3.86 GPA as a prep . . . parents are Julie and Tony Nielsen . . . high school coach was Greg Thomas.