For Immediate Release September 17, 2007 --------------------
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - After rushing for a career-high 199 yards against Akron \0xAD the third-highest total ever for an IU quarterback Kellen Lewis was named Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week, the conference office announced Monday morning. It is the third time the sophomore has earned the honor with all three coming over the last nine weeks of football.
The Jacksonville, Fla., native is the first Hoosier since Antwaan Randle El (six honors from 1998-2001) to collect a trio of conference POW honors, and that is who Lewis was chasing on Saturday in the team\0xB9s 41-24 victory. Randle El holds the top-two rushing slots for a quarterback. He posted 210 yards vs. Minnesota on Oct. 21, 2000 and added a 209-yard effort at Illinois on Nov. 4 that same season.
Lewis rushed for a pair of scores and added three TD strikes through the air. He finished with a 19-of-24 effort (79.2 percent) against the Zips, which is the second-highest single-game passing completion percentage in school history.
Through the first three weeks of the campaign, Lewis is the top rushing quarterback in the nation and sits 31st nationally, averaging 105.67 rushing yards per game. He ranks 24th nationally in passing efficiency this season and has one 300-yard, five 250-yard and nine 200-yard passing efforts in his career. Lewis also ranks 15th in the nation with 320 yards of total offense per game. He is responsible for 24 points each time out, which is tied for fifth nationally.
