Ameer Abdullah To Speak At B1G Media Days, Kenny Bell & Corey Cooper Also Attending

The Big Ten's annual media kickoff will have Ameer as the student speaker at the kickoff luncheon.

By Brian Towle@BrianRTowle Jul 10, 2014, 11:59am CDT

Per a release by the Big Ten Conference this morning, Nebraska Cornhuskers Running Back Ameer Abdullah will be the student speaker during the 43rd Annual Big Ten Media Days & Kickoff Luncheon at the Hilton Chicago. Wide Reciever Kenny Bell and Safety Corey Cooper will accompany both Abdullah and Nebraska Head Coach Bo Pelini to Chicago.

Abdullah, a first-team All-Big Ten performer and Doak Walker Award semifinalist in 2013, rushed for 1,690 yards last season, the most by a Nebraska player since 1997, and this fall he could become the first Husker to record three 1,000-yard rushing seasons. He is also the nation’s active career leader in all-purpose yards and is on track to become Nebraska’s all-time leader in that category.

Bell has been the Huskers’ leading receiver during his Nebraska career and enters the 2014 season with 134 career catches for 1,901 yards and 15 TDs. Bell enters his senior season poised to become the school’s all-time leader in both receptions and receiving yardage. As a junior, Bell had 52 receptions for 577 yard and four scores, while also averaging 26.5 yards on kickoff returns.

Cooper, a Maywood, Ill., native, started all 13 games at safety last season and led the Blackshirts with 91 tackles, including five for losses, to earn honorable-mention All-Big Ten honors in 2013. He had four games with at least double-digit stops, including 10 tackles in the Huskers’ Gator Bowl win over Georgia. A three-year letterwinner, Cooper has played in 38 games during his Husker career, including every game the past two seasons.

The luncheon, which will be held on the second day of the Media Days on Tuesday, July 29th, will also have Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delany and Tournament of Roses President Rich Chinen speaking, as well as all 14 Head Coaches.

There will be a new format for the luncheon and such. From the Big Ten release:

The Big Ten Kickoff Luncheon will be held on Tuesday, July 29, and features a new format for the 2014 event. Beginning at 10 a.m. CT, fans in attendance will take part in an autograph session with the head coaches and one former player from each school, while current players will take part in brief, live interviews highlighted by questions from fans on-site and through social media channels. Coaches and current and former student-athletes will be available for a photo session around 11 a.m. The luncheon begins at 11:30 a.m. and will showcase interviews with all 14 head coaches, and include speeches by Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delany, Tournament of Roses president Rich Chinen and Ameer Abdullah of Nebraska.

If you live in the Chicago are and wish to attend the luncheon, you can purchase tickets still for $110 per seat, or $1100 for a table of 10 people. You can purchase these tickets by contacting Josh Munk at the Big Ten office at 847-696-1010, ext. 105, or jmunk@bigten.org to purchase tickets.

List of Big Ten Head Coaches & Players Attending B1G Media Days in Chicago:

EAST DIVISION

Indiana Hoosiers - Kevin Wilson

David Cooper, Sr., LB
Nate Sudfeld, Jr., QB
Shane Wynn, Sr., WR*

Maryland Terrapins - Randy Edsall

C.J. Brown, Sr., QB
Stefon Diggs, Jr., WR*
Jeremiah Johnson, Sr., DB

Michigan Wolverines - Brady Hoke

Frank Clark, Sr., DE*
Devin Gardner, Sr., QB*
Jake Ryan, Sr., LB*

Michigan State Spartans - Mark Dantonio

Shilique Calhoun, Jr., DE*
Connor Cook, Jr., QB*
Kurtis Drummond, Sr., FS*

Ohio State Buckeyes - Urban Meyer

Michael Bennett, Sr., DL*
Jeff Heuerman, Sr., TE*
Braxton Miller, Sr., QB*