Junior Marcus Jones earned Big Ten Co-Special Teams Player of the Week honors, the conference announed Monday.
Jones, a Wake Forest, N.C., native, returned a punt 65 yards for a touchdown Saturday as the Gophers beat New Mexico State 44-21.
Jones has two special-teams touchdowns already this season. In the Gophers season opener — a 51-23 victory of Nevada-Las Vegas — he returned the opening kick of the second half 98 yards for a touchdown.
Jones sustained two season-ending knee injuries in his first two seasons at Minnesota but has appeared fully healthy so far this season. He shared the honor — the first of his career — with Purdue's Akeem Hunt.
The Gophers (2-0) play Western Illinois at 11 a.m. Saturday at TCF Bank Stadium.