Nov. 15, 2017
NEW HAVEN, Conn. -
San Diego State senior Rashaad Penny (Norwalk, Calif.) has been named a semifinalist for the 2017 Walter Camp Player-of-the-Year award, the Walter Camp Foundation announced Wednesday. Penny is one of 15 on the list for the fourth-oldest college football award in the nation.
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Penny, who also is a Maxwell Award semifinalist (top college player), currently leads the country (FBS) in all-purpose yards (2,033) and all-purpose yards per game (203.30), and is second in rushing yards (1,602), tied for second in total touchdowns (18), third in rushing yards per game (160.2) and total points (108). Penny has rushed 229 times for 1,602 yards (7.0 avg.) on the season with 15 rushing touchdowns and a long run of 95 yards. He also has 17 catches for 137 yards (8.0 avg.) and two touchdowns, while returning 12 kicks for 295 yards (24.6 avg.), including a 99-yard touchdown.
Penny, who has totaled 487 rushing yards and five touchdowns over the last two games on 50 carries (9.7 avg.), also is tied for fourth in the nation rushing touchdowns (15), fifth in points per game (10.8), eighth in rushing yards per carry (7.03) and tied for 12th in kick return touchdowns (1). Penny is already ranked fourth in SDSU single-season history in all-purpose yards (2,033), tied for sixth in 100-yard rushing games (8), seventh in rushing yards (1,602), tied for eighth in total touchdowns (18) and tied for ninth in points (108).
Earlier this year, Penny became the second Aztec in school history and first since Marshall Faulk in 1992 to start a season with six straight 100-yard rushing games. He has been named the Mountain West Offensive Player of the Week five times this season in SDSU's 10 weeks of playing, and also has been named the MW Special Teams Player of the Week once.
A list of five finalists will be announced on Wednesday, Nov. 29 and the winner will be announced on Thursday, Dec. 7. The Walter Camp Player of the Year is voted on by the 130 FBS head coaches and sports information directors.
Penny is one of five running backs on the list and one of only two players from a Group of 5 school. Last year, Donnel Pumphrey was named a semifinalist for the award. San Diego State is one of five schools with at least one Walter Camp semifinalist each of the last two seasons (also Alabama, Louisville, Oklahoma and Washington State).
Walter Camp, "The Father of American football," first selected an All-America team in 1889. Camp, a former Yale athlete and football coach, is also credited with developing play from scrimmage, set plays, the numerical assessment of goals and tries and the restriction of play to 11 men per side.
The Aztecs (8-2, 4-2 MW) play host to Nevada (2-8, 2-4 MW) at 7:30 p.m. PT Saturday at SDCCU Stadium.
Tickets are still available for the game against the Wolf Pack, but fans are encouraged to purchase tickets early for better seat location. Individual tickets may be purchased online at GoAztecs.com or over the phone at (619) 283-7378. The Aztec Ticket Office, located at SDCCU Stadium Window E, is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. PT until 5 p.m. PT. On Saturday, the ticket office will open at 2:30 p.m. PT.
Current San Diego State students can obtain one free ticket with a valid SDSU RedID (card must be swipe valid). Tickets can be retrieved at the Viejas Arena Box Office Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Friday from 10 a.m. PT to 4:30 p.m. PT, or at the Conrad Prebys Student Union Information Booth. Students can also pick up their ticket on game day at SDCCU Stadium Windows B, F and H.
2017 Walter Camp Player of the Year Semifinalists
Rashaad Penny, RB, San Diego State
Josh Adams, RB, Notre Dame
Saquon Barkley, RB, Penn State
Bradley Chubb, DE, North Carolina State
Sam Darnold, QB, USC
Minkah Fitzpatrick, DB, Alabama
Lamar Jackson, QB, Louisville
Jaquan Johnson, DB, Miami
Bryce Love, RB, Stanford
Hercules Mala'afa, DE, Washington State
Baker Mayfield, QB, Oklahoma
McKenzie Milton, QB, UCF
Mason Rudolph, QB, Oklahoma State
Khalil Tate, QB, Arizona
Jonathan Taylor, RB, Wisconsin