In the win over Rutgers, Hamilton made a team-high five grabs for 86 yards, including a 48-yard pass from Hackenberg in the second quarter. Photo by: Michael Corsey @ Michael Corsey Photography

Barkley and Godwin to All-Big Ten team; Hamilton earns honorable mention accolades

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.; Dec. 1, 2015 – Freshman running back Saquon Barkley (Coplay, Pa.) was named to the All-Big Ten second team by the coaches and media Tuesday evening. Sophomore wide receiver Chris Godwin (Middletown, Del.) was selected to the All-Big Ten second team by the media and the third team by the coaches. Additionally, sophomore wide out DaeSean Hamilton (Fredericksburg, Va.) earned an honorable mention bid from the media.

Barkley is the first Penn State running back to earn All-Big Ten first or second team honors since 2011 when Silas Redd was a second team selection. Hamilton claims All-Big Ten accolades for the second time in his career after an appearance on the second team last season.

Barkley broke the Penn State freshman season rushing record with 1,007 yards, surpassing the mark of 1,002 set by D.J. Dozier in 1983. He produced the 23rd 1,000-yard rushing season by a Nittany Lion and is the 14th player to accomplish the feat. Barkley has five 100-yard rushing performances on the season after clicking off 103 yards at Michigan State. Barkley ranks 28th in FBS in rushing yards per carry (6.1) and 31st in rushing yards per game (100.7). He is 18th in the country in rushes of 30 or more yards (6). Barkley leads the Big Ten and is tied for 15th in FBS in 20-plus yard rushing plays (13). His seven rushing touchdowns are tied with Dozier by the most by a Penn State true freshman. He ranks 43rd on Penn State’s career rushing yards list. Barkley tallied 194 rushing yards against the then-No. 1 Ohio State Buckeyes in Columbus, becoming just the second back to rush for more than 175 yards at Ohio State since 2000, joining Indiana’s Tevin Coleman (228; 2014).

Godwin has made a name for himself with catches in traffic and pulling defenders downfield for additional yardage. He ranks 30th in FBS and second in the Big Ten with 968 receiving yards. Godwin is also tied for fifth in the conference in receptions per game (5.3). He is tied for ninth in FBS and leads the Big Ten in receiving plays for 30 or more yards (11). In conference play, Godwin was third in the conference in receiving yards per game with an 83.5 average. With 11 catches against Michigan State, Godwin moved into a tie for fourth on Penn State’s single-season receptions lists with 63. He is tied with O.J. McDuffie (1992) and Bobby Engram (1995). Godwin is just the sixth player in program history to have 60 catches in a season. With 109 receiving yards versus the Spartans, Godwin moved into seventh place on Penn State’s single-season yardage list with 968 yards He has four 100-yard receiving games this season, including four of his last six games. Godwin is 18th on Penn State’s career receiving yardage list (1,289).

Hamilton has 40 catches on the season for 509 yards with five touchdowns. He averages 12.7 yards per catch. Hamilton sits eighth on Penn State’s all-time receptions list with 122 catches and 16th spot on the program’s career receiving yards list (1,408). He is one of just 13 Nittany Lions with 100-plus career receptions, joining current assistant coach Terry Smith (108, 1989-91). Hamilton has 13 career games with five-plus receptions. In the win over Rutgers, Hamilton made a team-high five grabs for 86 yards, including a 48-yard pass from Hackenberg in the second quarter. He had a 39-yard touchdown reception in the second quarter against Indiana. He caught two passes for 13 yards, including an 8-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter, at No. 1 Ohio State. Hamilton caught five passes for 96 yards and one touchdown against Maryland. He had three catches of 20-plus yards, including a 20-yard touchdown grab midway through the third quarter. Hamilton pulled in eight passes for 78 yards at No. 5 Michigan State.

The defensive award winners and All-Big Ten team were announced yesterday with several Nittany Lions earning honors.

Senior defensive end Carl Nassib (West Chester, Pa.) was named the Big Ten’s Nagurski-Woodson Defensive Player of the Year in a vote of the conference’s coaches and earned first team All-Big Ten honors from both the coaches and media. Junior defensive tackle Austin Johnson (Galloway, N.J.) was named to the All-Big Ten second team by the media and third team by the coaches, while senior defensive tackle Anthony Zettel (West Branch, Mich.) claimed a spot on both all-conference third teams.

Additionally, sophomore safety Marcus Allen (Upper Marlboro, Md.), sophomore linebacker Jason Cabinda (Flemington, N.J.), sophomore cornerback Grant Haley (Atlanta, Ga.) and senior cornerback Trevor Williams (Baltimore, Md.) were selected All-Big Ten honorable mention. Ben Kline (Seven Valleys, Pa.) was named Penn State’s Sportsmanship honoree.