Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/916653
POSTSEASON PREVIEW >> PENN STATE VS. WASHINGTON Ten Offensive Player of the Year, Running Back of the Year and Return Specialist of the Year. Named the Chicago Tribune Sil- ver Football winner as the best player in the Big Ten, Barkley became only the fifth player since its inception in 1924 to earn the distinction twice. A finalist for the Maxwell, Doak Walker and Walter Camp Player of the Year awards, Barkley was accompanied by head coach James Franklin to the College Foot- ball Hall of Fame for the sport's yearly awards show but walked away empty- handed. He also was absent from the group of three finalists invited to New York for the annual Heisman Trophy presentation, fin- ishing behind Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield, Stanford running back Bryce Love and Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson in the voting. Soon after the news broke that he wouldn't be attending the ceremony, Barkley issued a statement via Instagram to temper the outcry of Penn State fans dismayed by his exclusion. "Thank you to all of my fans and team- mates for the consideration! However, like I stated previously, I do not need a trophy or to be named a finalist to define me as a player," the statement read. "I've earned the respect from my teammates and coaches, therefore, at the end of the day that's the only thing that matters! Con- gratulations to all the deserving Heisman finalists! Once again thank you!" A leader in ESPN's weekly "Heisman Watch" poll by week seven, Barkley began to see his statistics decline in the latter part of the season. The 82 carries he re- ceived in games against Ohio State, Michigan State, Rutgers, Nebraska and Maryland yielded eight rushing touch- downs but only 377 yards. He was facing a succession of defenses that had sold out to stop the run, but he didn't get frus- trated as his numbers dipped. Barkley was more dismayed by the team's fall from national title contention with its losses to the Buckeyes and Spartans. Shut out of the College Football Playoff despite coming close in consecutive years, the Nittany Lions will next face No. 11 Washington in the Fiesta Bowl on Dec. 30 in Glendale, Ariz. At a news confer- ence in December previewing the game, Franklin declined to say outright that he expected to have Barkley available. "It's not my decision," he said. "I don't love the question. I get that you've got to ask it, but it's not my decision." Barkley didn't know the opponent or the location in November when he an- nounced his intention to play in the game, but he said he felt his participation was important – not only to himself but to his teammates, coaches and family. "It's important to me because I love football. God has blessed me with an- other opportunity to play the sport I love," he said. "And to be really honest, my teammates. If my teammates came out and said, 'Don't play. We don't want you to play in the bowl game. You don't need to,' I probably wouldn't. But at the end of the day, I play for my teammates. "I'm not playing for the media and you guys to write about if I'm playing in the bowl game or not. I play for my team- mates, I play for my brothers, and from the off-season on, blood, sweat and tears. I wouldn't be the player I am without those people. And I play for my family too and I know that's something my family would love for me to do. Anyway, I just wanted to clear that up." In a season that has offered Barkley re- peated opportunities to show who he re- ally is and what he is about, it was a further clarification that Penn State fans likely didn't need but no doubt loved to hear nonetheless. ■ SAQUON BARKLEY GAME-BY-GAME RUSHING RECEIVING KICK RETURNS OPP ATT YDS TD LG AVG REC YDS TD LG ATT YDS TD LG Akron 14 172 2 80 12.3 3 54 0 43 1 20 0 20 Pittsburgh 14 88 1 22 6.3 4 45 1 46 2 50 0 32 Georgia State 10 47 0 33 4.7 4 142 1 85 1 37 0 37 Iowa 28 211 1 44 7.5 12 94 0 15 3 53 0 24 Indiana 20 56 0 8 2.8 4 51 0 36 1 98 1 98 Northwestern 16 75 2 53 4.7 2 9 0 8 0 – – – Michigan 15 108 2 69 7.2 3 53 1 42 1 15 0 15 Ohio State 21 44 1 36 2.1 4 23 0 10 2 105 1 97 Michigan State 14 63 0 36 4.5 3 33 0 20 2 15 0 11 Rutgers 14 35 2 11 2.5 1 20 0 20 1 30 0 30 Nebraska 17 158 3 65 9.3 6 66 0 24 0 – – – Maryland 16 77 2 17 4.8 1 4 0 4 1 3 0 3 TOTAL 199 1,134 16 80 5.7 47 594 3 85 15 426 2 98