The Big Ten Conference has announced it will be honoring two former greats, one from each school, heading into this Friday's big Iowa-Nebraska game in Lincoln.

The Big Ten will honor the conference's best return man with the Rodgers-Dwight Return Specialist of the Year. Here in the Hawkeye State, Tim Dwight certainly needs no introduction. A City High of Iowa City prep, Dwight returned five punts for touchdowns during his career and also graduated with more punt return yardage than any player in Big Ten history. Neither record still stands, and it's hard to believe that Tim ended his Iowa career nearly 20 years ago... 1997 to be exact. He went on to a 10-year career in the NFL.

Tim Dwight
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The award is also named after Johnny Rodgers, who played at Nebraska from 1970-72. Rodgers won both the Heisman Trophy and Walter Camp Award his final season in Lincoln. He went on to play in the Canadian Football League before playing in the NFL. He played in only 17 National Football League games before his career ended, due to injuries.

The Big Ten Network Kick Off Party
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Admittedly, Iowa's Desmond King is a big longshot to win the award, but a couple touchdown returns against Nebraska sound good to me, how 'bout you? Oh, and a couple interceptions wouldn't hurt either. Let's go Hawks! Iowa fans may not want to beat the Cornhuskers as much as you do, but I bet it's awfully close.

It was also announced this afternoon that Desmond King is one of three players nominated nationally for the Jim Thorpe Award, given to the nation's top defensive back. The other two finalists are Jeremy Cash of Duke and Vernon Hargreaves, III of Florida. The award will be given out during the Home Depot 25th Anniversary College Football Awards Thursday, Dec. 10, from 6-8 p.m., Iowa time. King is currently tied for the national lead in interceptions, with eight.

Desmond King interception versus Indiana
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