#89 Matt VandeBerg Season 2016-17

Hawk Item – – Earned undergraduate degree during spring semester of 2017 . . . played in 54 career games, most in school history . . . had at least one reception in final 32 consecutive games played in his career, a mark that ranked as 13th longest nationally at the end of 2017 season . . . granted additional season as medical redshirt in 2017 . . . suffered foot injury in practice (Sept. 26) following win at Rutgers and did not return to action . . . recorded 19 receptions for 284 yards and three touchdowns in four games . . . ranks third in single-season receptions (65) and 29th in yards in a season (703) in 2015 . . . ranks 10th in career receptions (134) and 15th in receiving yards (1,686) . . . one of four true freshmen to see action in 2013 . . . one of five seniors named to 2017 Leadership Group . . . one of nine seniors named to 2016 Leadership Group.

2017 Honors – – Academic All-Big Ten for third year . . . Comeback Player of the Year, offense . . . preseason fourth team All-Big Ten by Athlon Sports . . . 2017 – – Recorded 28 receptions for 384 yards and two touchdowns . . . averaged 5.4 yards on 14 punt returns . . . started at wide receiver in 24-3 win over Wyoming . . . two receptions for 19 yards vs. Wyoming to extend consecutive game streak to 20 games . . . also had three punt returns for career-best 37 yards, with a long of 23 yards . . . saw action in 44-41 OT win at iowa State as offense gained 497 yards total offense . . . three receptions for 42 yards and one touchdown at Iowa State, with the scoring reception covering 17 yards . . . started at wide receiver in 31-14 win over North Texas as offense gained 435 yards total offense . . . three receptions for 19 yards vs. North Texas . . . started at wide receiver in 21-19 loss to #4 Penn State . . . two receptions for 27 yards vs. Penn State . . . started at wide receiver in 17-10 loss at Michigan State . . . recorded three receptions for 31 yards at MSU, with a long of 16 yards . . . started at wide receiver in 45-16 win over Illinois . . . two receptions for 48 yards vs. Illinois, including a 39-yard touchdown reception . . . started at wide receiver in 17-10 OT loss at Northwestern . . . three receptions for 90 yards at Northwestern, including a career-long of 61 yards that led to Iowa touchdown . . . saw action in 17-10 win over Minnesota, recording one reception for 11 yards . . . also had four punt returns for nine yards . . . started at wide receiver in 55-24 win over #3 Ohio State . . . two receptions for 25 yards vs. Ohio State, with a long of 18 yards . . . started at wide receiver in 38-14 loss at #6 Wisconsin, recording two receptions for 14 yards . . . started at wide receiver in 24-15 loss to Purdue . . . two receptions for 24 yards vs. Purdue, including 18-yard fourth down reception that led to Iowa touchdown . . . started at wide receiver in 56-14 win at Nebraska as offense rushed for 313 yards and gained 505 yards total offense . . . two receptions for 25 yards at Nebraska, to go with 31 yards on two punt returns . . . started at wide receiver in 27-20 Pinstripe Bowl win over Boston College . . . recorded one reception for nine yards and two punt returns for one yard vs. Boston College.

2016 Honors – – Named preseason third team All-Big Ten by Athlon Sports . . . 2016 – – Listed as first team wide receiver following spring practice . . . started at wide receiver in 45-21 win over Miami . . . led team with four receptions for 99 yards vs. Miami, with a long of 36 yards . . . started at wide receiver in 42-3 win over Iowa State as offense gained 435 yards total offense . . . career-high 129 receiving yards on seven receptions vs. ISU, with a 12-yard scoring reception and one rushing attempt for 25 yards . . . saw action in 23-21 loss to North Dakota State . . . four receptions for 39 yards vs. NDSU, including scoring grabs of 14 and nine yards . . . saw action in 14-7 win at Rutgers . . . four receptions for 17 yards at Rutgers . . . injured in practice following win at Rutgers and missed remainder of the season.

2015 Honors – – Team Hustle Award, offense . . . Academic All-Big Ten . . . Honorable mention All-Big Ten by league coaches and media . . . 2015 – – Played in all 14 games, with 11 starts . . . recorded 65 receptions for 703 yards and four touchdowns . . . started at wide receiver in 31-14 win over Illinois State as offense gained 431 yards total offense . . . recorded career-best six receptions vs. Illinois State for 59 yards, including a 9-yard scoring reception . . . started at wide receiver in 31-17 win at Iowa State as offense gained 260 net rushing yards and 475 yards total offense . . . career-high nine receptions for 114 yards and one touchdown at ISU . . . recovered an Iowa fumble for a three-yard touchdown in the third quarter and had 48-yard reception in the fourth quarter to keep a drive alive . . . started at wide receiver in 27-24 win over Pitt as offense gained 363 yards total offense . . . recorded seven receptions for 45 yards vs. Pitt . . . saw action in 62-16 win over North Texas as offense gained 488 yards total offense . . . three receptions for 24 yards vs. North Texas, with a long of 15 yards . . . started at wide receiver in 10-6 win at Wisconsin . . . six receptions for 61 yards at Wisconsin, with a long of 21 yards . . . started at wide receiver in 29-20 win over Illinois, recording two receptions for 10 yards as offense gained 278 rushing yards and 478 yards total offense . . . started at wide receiver in 40-10 win at Northwestern as offense rushed for 294 yards and gained 492 yards total offense . . . eight receptions for 78 yards at Northwestern, with a long of 18 yards . . . started at wide receiver in 31-15 win over Maryland . . . three receptions for 54 yards vs. Maryland, with a long of 23 yards . . . started at wide receiver in 35-27 win at Indiana as offense rushed for 234 yards and gained 467 yards total offense . . . five receptions for 68 yards at Indiana, with a long of 30 yards . . . started at wide receiver in 40-35 win over Minnesota as offense rushed for 272 yards and gained 506 yards total offense . . . six receptions for 74 yards vs. Minnesota, with a long of 21 yards . . . started at wide receiver in 40-20 win over Purdue . . . one reception for a seven-yard touchdown vs. Purdue, along with one rushing attempt for 15 yards . . . started at wide receiver in 28-20 win at Nebraska . . . recorded three receptions for 31 yards at Nebraska, along with one rushing attempt for nine yards . . . started at wide receiver in 16-13 loss to Michigan State, recording two receptions for 14 yards . . . started at wide receiver in 45-16 Rose Bowl loss to Stanford . . . led team with four receptions for 64 yards vs. Stanford, including 36-yard scoring reception.

2014 Honors – – Academic All-Big Ten . . . 2014 – – Saw action in 12 games, with one start . . . recorded 14 receptions for 256 yards and one touchdown, along with averaging 6.8 yards on 12 punt returns and 18 yards on two KO returns . . . saw action in 31-23 win over Northern Iowa as offense gained 401 yards total offense . . . had three punt returns for 21 yards and 32 yards on two KO returns vs. UNI . . . saw action in 17-13 win over Ball State as offense gained 455 yards total offense . . . two receptions for 18 yards vs. BSU, along with one punt return for 12 yards . . . saw action in 20-17 loss to Iowa State, but had no receptions . . . started at wide receiver in 24-20 win at Pittsburgh . . . one reception for 44 yards came on first scoring drive in the first quarter . . . did not see action in 24-10 win at Purdue due to injury . . . saw action in 45-29 win over Indiana, recording one reception for three yards as offense gained 426 yarsds total offense . . . returned to action in 45-29 win over Indiana as offense gained 426 yards total offense . . . one reception for three yards vs. Indiana . . . saw action in 38-31 loss at Maryland, but had no statistics as offense gained 433 yards total offense . . . saw action in 48-7 win over Northwestern as offense gained 483 yards total offense . . . collected career-bests with five receptions for 90 yards vs. Northwestern . . . saw action in 51-14 loss at Minnesota, but had no statistics . . . saw action in 30-14 win at Illinois as offense rushed for 304 yards and gained 587 yards total offense . . . three punt returns for 11 yards at Illinois . . . saw action in 26-24 loss to No. 14 Wisconsin as offense gained 412 yards total offense against top-ranked defense in the nation . . . three receptions for 67 yards vs. Wisconsin . . . saw action in 37-34 overtime loss to Nebraska, recording three punt returns for 32 yards . . . saw action in 45-28 TaxSlayer Bowl loss to Tennessee . . . two receptions for 34 yards vs. Tennessee, including 18-yard scoring reception for first career touchdown . . . also gained five yards on one punt return.

2013 – – Saw action in 11 games, with two starts . . . eight receptions for 59 yards in first season . . . saw first action of career in 28-14 win over Missouri State as offense gained 491 yards total offense . . . two receptions for 17 yards in first career game, with a long of nine yards vs. Missouri State . . . did not see action in 27-21 win at Iowa State . . . saw action in 59-3 win over Western Michigan, but had no statistics as offense gained 446 yards total offense and rushed for over 200 yards in fourth straight game . . . saw action in 23-7 win at Minnesota, but had no statistics as offense gained 464 yards total offense and rushed for over 200 yards in fifth straight outing . . . saw action in 26-14 loss to Michigan State, recording career-bests with four receptions for 36 yards . . . saw action in 34-24 loss at Ohio State, but had no statistics . . . saw action in 17-10 OT win over Northwestern, but had no statistics . . . saw action in 28-9 loss to Wisconsin, recording one reception for six yards . . . saw action in 38-14 win at Purdue, but had no statistics as offense rushed for 318 yards and gained 509 yards total offense . . . started at wide receiver in 24-21 win over Michigan for first career start, recording one reception for no yards as offense gained 407 yards total offense . . .  started at wide receiver in 38-17 win at Nebraska, but had no statistics . . . saw action in 21-14 Outback Bowl loss to LSU, but had no statistics.

High school honors – – Earned elite all-state honors as a junior and senior . . . also first team all-conference as a junior and senior . . . Career – – Helped prep team finish as state runner-up as a senior with an 11-1 record . . . holds record for longest interception return (105 yards) and interceptions in a season (nine) . . . also holds school records for career receptions (136) and season (18) and career (35) receiving touchdowns . . . team captain as a senior . . . recorded 65 receptions for 1,080 yards and 18 touchdowns as a senior, along with seven interceptions on defense . . . returned three interceptions for touchdowns, including two returns of over 100 yards . . . 67 receptions for 1,081 yards as a junior, along with nine interceptions . . . recorded 47 tackles and five interceptions as a sophomore, with six pass receptions for 200 yards . . . three-year football letterman as wide receiver and defensive back, while also returning punts and KO . . . also competed in track (sprints, long jump, triple jump).

Personal – – Born 8/01/94 in Tucson, Arizona . . . sports management major . . . mother is Mindy Pownell . . . member of National Honor Society . . . high school coach was Chad Garrow.