Penn State Football: Barkley Named Maxwell Award Semifinalist

Junior running back Saquon Barkley is among the 18 semifinalists for the Maxwell Award for the Collegiate Player of the Year.

Penn State is tied for the national lead among all colleges and universities with seven Maxwell Award winners. The Maxwell Award, named in honor of Robert W. ‘Tiny’ Maxwell, has been given to America’s College Player of the Year since 1937. Maxwell’s contributions to the game of football were extensive, including time as a player, a sportswriter and an official.

Barkley leads the FBS in all-purpose yards per game with a 206.3 average. He has scored at least one touchdown in 15 consecutive games, which is longest active streak in FBS and break’s Curtis Enis’ school record of 14-straight games with a score over the 1996 and 1997 seasons. Barkley is 26^th in FBS in rushing yards per game (100.1) and tied for fifth in scoring (10.5 ppg). He is one of nine players in FBS with two kickoff return touchdowns, which ties the school record held by Chuck Peters (1940), Curt Warner (1980) and Derrick Williams (2008). Barkley’s 34.4 kickoff return average is fourth in FBS. The mark ranks second on the Big Ten’s season record charts and third on Penn State’s list.

Barkley is just the first player in Penn State history and fourth in Big Ten history to total 3,000 rushing yards and 1,000 receiving yards in a career. Barkley has claimed five Big Ten Player of the Week awards (three offense, two special teams) this season. He has nine conference honors (five offensive, two freshman, two special teams) in his career. Barkley’s five career offensive weekly honors are tied for ninth in Big Ten history.