Buckeye Earns Big Ten Offensive Player of The Week Honors – Ohio State Buckeyes
8/26/2002 12:00:00 AM | Football
Aug. 26, 2002
Ohio State tailback Maurice Clarett has been selected as this week’s Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week. Clarett rushed for 175 yards and three touchdowns on 21 carries this past Saturday, helping the Buckeyes to a 45-21 win over visiting Texas Tech in the Pigskin Classic. He also had four receptions for 30 yards. The Buckeyes totaled 477 yards in total offense against the Red Raiders, including 317 rushing.
OFFENSE
MAURICE CLARETT, Ohio State FR TB Warren, OH/Harding
Clarett becomes the first freshman since 1990 and just the second freshman in League history to be named Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week after the first weekend of play. Clarett, the USA Today Offensive Player of the year as a senior in high school, racked up 205 all-purpose yards in his first collegiate game to lead the Buckeyes over Texas Tech in the Pigskin Classic. Clarett, the first true freshman in Ohio State history to start at tailback in a season opener, ran for three touchdowns and 175 yards on only 21 carries, averaging 8.3 yards per attempt. His 175 stripes were the most rushing yards ever for an OSU freshman debut as he became just the fourth first-year Buckeye to crack the century mark. The 6-0 tailback posted touchdown runs of 59 and 45 yards and also caught four passes for 30 yards. The last Big Ten freshman to win Offensive Player of the Week honors was Penn State’s Zack Mills on October 29, 2001, while the only other frosh to be honored after the first weekend of play was another Buckeye tailback — Robert Smith on September 10, 1990.
DEFENSE
JIM LEONHARD, Wisconsin SO DB Tony, WI/Flambeau
In his first game as a starter at strong safety, Leonhard picked off a pair of passes and recorded five pass breakups, the second-highest total in UW history, to lead the Badgers past Fresno State on Friday night. The 5-8 sophomore also accounted for six tackles, including four solos, and returned his two interceptions for a total of 24 yards. He is the first Wisconsin sophomore to register two picks in a game since Jamar Fletcher at Purdue on November 6, 1999. Leonhard capped his performance by breaking up Fresno State’s last pass attempt of the game, which would have given the visitors a first down in field goal range with just over a minute left to play in a two-point UW victory.
SPECIAL TEAMS
1 MIKE ALLEN, Wisconsin SO K Prescott, WI/Prescott
Allen converted three field goals in the 23-21 triumph over Fresno State, including the game-winner from 34 yards out with 2:05 left in the game. The sophomore kicker was also successful on field goals of 27 and 35 yards while hitting both of his extra point attempts. Allen is the first Badger kicker to boot three field goals in regulation since Vitaly Pisetsky posted four field goals on October 23, 1999 against Michigan State.
