Breaston Shares Big Ten Special Teams Weekly Honor

PARK RIDGE, Ill. -- The Big Ten Conference announced Monday (Nov. 15) that junior wide receiver/returner Steve Breaston (North Braddock, Pa./Woodland Hills HS) of the University of Michigan football team has been named co-special teams Player of the Week for his play against Northwestern on Nov. 13. This marks Breaston's first career Big Ten Player of the Week honor.

Breaston

Breaston racked up 272 all-purpose yards on 14 touches against the Wildcats in the Wolverines' 42-20 victory. He carried the ball twice for 32 yards and caught five passes for a season-high 49 yards and one touchdown. Breaston returned four punts for 112 yards, the fourth-highest single game yardage mark in U-M history, including his first punt return for a touchdown on the year. He also added three kickoff returns for 79 yards vs. Northwestern.

Breaston's two scores came 35 seconds apart as he caught a 10-yard touchdown pass from freshman quarterback Chad Henne (Wyomissing, Pa./Wilson HS) and proceeded to return the ensuing punt 67 yards for a touchdown.

With the performance against the Wildcats, Breaston tied Anthony Carter (1979-82) for Michigan's career punt return yardage record with 904 yards. Breaston has 67 punt returns for 904 yards (13.5 avg.) and three touchdowns in 22 career games. He scored two touchdowns on punt returns in 2003 and has 13 career 20-yard-plus returns.

Breaston is 23rd nationally and third in the Big Ten in punt returns this season, returning 22 punts for 285 yards (13.0 avg.) and one TD. He has also returned a career-best 18 kickoffs for 399 yards (22.2 avg.) this season.

Breaston is third on the team in receptions (27) and receiving yards (197) this season, while contributing touchdown receptions against Notre Dame and Northwestern. He has 65 career receptions for 641 yards and five TDs.

Breaston leads No. 7 Michigan (9-1, 7-0 Big Ten) into Columbus, Ohio, to face Ohio State (6-4, 3-4 Big Ten) on Saturday (Nov. 20). The 101st meeting between the Wolverines and Buckeyes will be broadcast by ABC Sports starting at 1 p.m. EST.

Media Contacts: David Ablauf, Jim Schneider (734) 763-4423

University of Michigan Athletics

Players Mentioned

Steve Breaston

Chad Henne

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