Courtesy of Penn State Athletics
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.; October 31, 2016 – Sophomore running back Saquon Barkley (Coplay, Pa.) claimed his second Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week award after tallying 277 all-purpose yards in the 62-24 win over Purdue Saturday. In addition to his Big Ten weekly award, Barkley was also named CBS Sports National Player of the Week.
He is the first Nittany Lion since Daryll Clark in 2009 to win multiple Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week honors in the same season. Clark was a three-time honoree against Akron, Michigan and Michigan State. This is the first time since 2009 that Penn State has had multiple Big Ten Offensive Players of the Week in the same year. The Nittany Lions have had at least one Big Ten weekly honoree each of their last four games, marking the second time in program history (2002) that Penn State has accomplished the feat.
Barkley rushed for more than 200 yards for the second time in the last three games with a career-high 207 rushing yards in the win over Purdue. He also caught three balls for 70 receiving yards en route to personal-best 277 all-purpose yards, which is a Penn State sophomore record and rank 14th in program history. Barkley’s performance are the most rushing yards and all-purpose yards since Larry Johnson had 279 rushing and 289 all-purpose yards versus Michigan State in 2002. Highlighting Barkley’s 207-yard rushing effort was an 81-yard touchdown run, which was the longest by a Nittany Lion since Bill Belton ran for a 92-yard score against Illinois in 2002, and the 10th-longest in program history.
The Coplay, Pennsylvania native also rushed for two touchdowns to bring his season total to 10 rushing scores and 11 overall. He becomes the first Nittany Lion to score 10 touchdowns in a season since Zach Zwinak scored 12 in 2013. Barkley registered his 17th career rushing touchdown, which ranks 21st in program history for career rushing scores. Barkley’s 10 rushing scores this season are tied for 15th on the program’s single-season chart with Charlie Pittman (1969), D.J. Dozier (1986), Richie Anderson (1991) and Rodney Kinlaw (2007).
Barkley’s 207 rushing yards give him 1,964 of his career, which is 17th on Penn State’s career list. The sophomore posted his eighth career 100-yard rushing game and third of the season. His eight 100-yard rushing games rank tied for 14th in program history with Johnson (2002) and Matt Suhey (1976-79). Barkley became the first Nittany Lion to rush for 200 yards in a game twice in the same season since 2002 when Johnson had four 200-yard rushing yard games.
Penn State is 6-2 overall and 4-1 in Big Ten play after the victory over the Boilermakers. The Nittany Lions are back in action at Beaver Stadium Saturday at 7:30 p.m. on Big Ten Network. The game will also air on the Penn State Sports Network and GoPSUsports.com (6 p.m. airtime).
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