The last time it happened I was in the fourth grade.

That's right, the last time a freshman led the Big Ten in rebounding was when the highly touted Chris Webber accomplished the feat in the 1991-1992 season.

He finished the season averaging a double-double: 15.2 points and 10.0 rebounds per game, and then went on to be named Freshman of the Year.

Aaron Johnson has the chance to duplicate Webber's feat. Well, part of it, anyway. As the last week of the Big Ten has rolled in, Johnson leads the conference in rebounding with 8.5 per game. Johnson is going to have to hold off a late charge from Iowa's Jared Reiner, who is averaging 8.1 rebounds per game.

The second half of Webber's feat definitely won't be accomplished. Johnson was not nominated as a finalist for Freshman of the Year.

And the media is not responsible for this blunder. The Big Ten coaches have the opportunity to nominate their players to receive such prestigious accolades. Penn State men's basketball coach Jerry Dunn decided to nominate only forward DeForrest Riley.

Dunn's decision leaves Johnson standing out in the cold, with no chance of being named to the inaugural All-Freshman Team as well. There are no write-in votes, so the media can't even vote in Johnson.

Dunn didn't want to detract any attention from Riley.

"I wanted to give DeForrest an opportunity to get the recognition and the votes and not have someone wonder," Dunn said.

"I feel he's been the most consistent and productive freshman we have. I wanted to give him the most opportunity I could, not really knowing what takes place when you have two guys on the ballot."

Why would someone wonder? Let's put it this way: someone would not vote for Riley because Johnson is on the ballot.

It's just silly to believe that Riley would be stealing any of Johnson's votes. They don't even play the same position.

Dunn's next point is that Riley has been the team's most productive freshman. What game is he watching? Apparently not the same game that I am watching. Let's take a look at the numbers.

Johnson is averaging 8.5 points to go along with 8.5 rebounds in conference play. Riley is averaging 7.9 points, 1.8 rebounds and 1.43 assists per game. Not to mention that when Johnson enters the game, the Nittany Lions' intensity level rises three notches.

This is not to take anything away from the freshman season that Riley has had because he has been very good before being hampered with tendinitis. Johnson is a walk-on that has taken the entire league by storm.

Nonetheless, Riley is very deserving of the nomination. There is a real easy solution -- nominate them both. Does Dunn ever think before he speaks, or is that not a necessary quality?

Three other coaches did. Illinois men's basketball coach Bill Self listed three of his players. Michigan coach Tommy Amaker nominated four, and the legendary Gene Keady of Purdue put three of his players on the ballot.

It boils down to a real simple concept to me, that Dunn failed to nominate Johnson for the same reason that he has refused to start him.

He didn't recruit Johnson, and is too stubborn to swallow his pride and admit that Johnson is better than most of the players he recruited.

Dunn has said time and again, that it doesn't matter who the starters are but who finishes the games and plays the majority of the minutes.

It matters everywhere else in the country outside of Penn State. It would be like Billy Donovan refusing to start freshman Matt Walsh, who is scoring 13.0 points per game, because he was being too productive.

Johnson didn't play in the first eight games, then exploded when he finally got his chance to show what he can do, forcing Dunn's hand.

When a team has only six wins and only one of them has come against a conference opponent, the coach shouldn't be allowed to worry about his pride.

There is nothing Dunn can do to change the nomination list now. It's too late. But Dunn has one last chance on Saturday to start the sensation.

I guess I can still dream.