Vandenberg earns Big Ten player of the week (updated with national stuff)

Iowa quarterback James Vandenberg was selected as the Big Ten's offensive player of the week Monday morning.

Jr., QB, Keokuk, Iowa/Keokuk

• Led Iowa on three touchdown drives in the final 10 minutes to rally for a 31-27 win over Pittsburgh

• Threw for 399 yards and three touchdowns, with each score coming in the fourth quarter, including the game-winning strike with 2:51 to play

• Scored Iowa's fist touchdown late in the third quarter on a one-yard run, cutting the score to 24-10

• Earns his first Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week honor

• Last Iowa Offensive Player of the Week: Ricky Stanzi (Oct. 18, 2010)

"This is an awesome feeling," he said Saturday. "I obviously would've liked to have played four quarters like this, kind of get that flow from the beginning, but what matters is we pulled this out as a team.

"The defense played well all day and the special teams picked it up there in the second half. This was a complete, entire team win today."

More Vandenberg:

"I think it all comes down to protection," he said. "They did a really good job with protection down the stretch for me. Those guys made plays everywhere, from Keenan to Marv to Kevonte in the fourth quarter. Derby and Herman, just all day. We were spreading the ball to everybody, they weren't really keying on anybody. We just kept grinding it out and finally we were able to get into a rhythm."

Were you nervous down 24-3?

"I think I would've been until I met Rick Stanzi," Vandenberg said.

Vandenberg finished the game with a pair of TD passes to redshirt freshman wide receiver Kevonte Martin-Manley.

"It was something we saw when we went into two-minute mode," Vandenberg said. "They were going to come down and take away our tight end, because we were doing a really good job getting our tight ends up the seams. That was going to leave Kevonte in the slot, one-on-one with a linebacker.

"I told him, and this was before either of them happened, it was all going to be about his release on how he was going to be able to get off the guy. I believe it was No. 8 out there, a big, athletic, lanky guy who can provide a lot of problems. But he [KMM] was able to get through pretty clean and then it's just a seam throw. He did a great job of going up and making the plays."

Here's the release from Iowa sports info:

VANDENBERG GAINS BIG TEN WEEKLY HONOR

IOWA CITY, Iowa -- University of Iowa junior quarterback James Vandenberg has been named the Big Ten's Offensive Player of the Week for his play in Iowa's 31-27 win over Pittsburgh last Saturday. The honor from the league is Vandenberg's first and also Iowa's first Player of the week honor this season.

Vandenberg, a 6-3, 212-pounder from Keokuk, Iowa, is first native Iowan to start at quarterback for the Hawkeyes since 2001. He led Iowa's second half rally against Pittsburgh, rushing for one touchdown and throwing three scoring passes in the final 17 minutes. His final pass was a 22-yard scoring strike to wide receiver Kevonte Martin-Manley with 2:51 remaining, giving Iowa its final 31-27 advantage. He had touchdown passes of 14 and 25 yards earlier in the fourth period. At one point in the rally, Vandenberg completed 10 straight passes.

His totals against Pitt included 31-48 passing for 399 yards and three touchdowns, with one interception. He completed 17 of his last 20 attempts while posting career bests in completions, attempts, passing yards and touchdowns.

Vandenberg's 399 passing yards ties as the seventh best single-game total in school history, while the 31 completions rank fourth best and the 48 attempts tie as the school's seventh highest total.

Vandenberg is the first Iowa player to win the offensive award since Ricky Stanzi won it for his performance against Michigan (Oct. 16th) last year. Iowa had six Big Ten Player of the Week honors last year.

And more from UI sports info:

VANDENBERG RECEIVES NATIONAL ATTENTION

IOWA CITY, Iowa – University of Iowa quarterback James Vandenberg has been named one of eight Manning Award “Stars of the Week” and has also been nominated for Intersport's Quarterback Performance of the Year award. Both recognitions were announced after Vandenberg's career day in Iowa's thrilling comeback win over Pittsburgh.

The Manning Award, sponsored by the Allstate Sugar Bowl, named eight different quarterbacks as its “Stars of the Week.” Fans can now go to the Allstate Sugar Bowl Facebook page to vote for this week's winner. Voting closes Thursday at 9 a.m. (CT), and the winner will be announced as the Manning Award Player of the Week.

Intersport's Quarterback Performance of the Year award is part of a four-month competition that allows fans to determine which individual performances stand out during the 2011 college football season. The winners will be revealed during the All-Star Football Challenge special, which airs at 6 p.m. (CT) Feb. 3 on ESPN2. Fans can vote on the All-Star Football Challenge Facebook page, and the top weekly vote-getter will proceed to the finals, which runs Jan. 19-25.

Vandenberg led the Hawkeyes in a 31-27 win over Pittsburgh, rushing for one touchdown and throwing three touchdown passes in the final 17 minutes. His totals against the Panthers included 31-48 passes for 399 yards and three touchdowns. He completed 10 consecutive passes during one stretch of the second half and completed 17 of his last 20 passes in reaching career-bests in completions, attempts, passing yards and touchdowns.

Vandenberg's 399 passing yards ties as the seventh best single-game total in school history, while the 31 completions rank fourth best and the 48 attempts tie as the seventh highest total.

Earlier today, Vandenberg was named Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week for the first time in his career.