Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell's C.J. Hopson Named Patriot League Football Rookie of the Week
11/17/2008 7:00:00 AM | Football
Nov. 17, 2008
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Freshman quarterback C.J. Hopson (Lusby, Md./Patuxent) became the fifth different Bucknell football player to earn a weekly award from the Patriot League this season when he was named the league's Rookie of the Week on Monday. In his first career start last Saturday at Lehigh, Hopson completed 17 of 32 passes for 151 yards and one touchdown. He also rushed 21 times for 76 yards and a score.
Hopson, who made his first career appearance late in the Nov. 8 loss to Lafayette, started against the Mountain Hawks and was impressive. His 32 pass attempts were the most by a Bison quarterback since Cole Ciesnolevicz attempted 36 passes in a tight 32-31 loss to Georgetown in 2002.
Hopson played a part in both of Bucknell's offensive scores in the 31-15 loss to the Mountain Hawks. Hopson found Shaun Pasternak for a seven-yard touchdown strike in the third quarter. It was the first touchdown pass of Hopson's career and it was Pasternak's Bucknell-record 11th touchdown catch of the season. With 15 seconds remaining in the game, Hopson scrambled and dove into the corner of the end zone to cap his impressive rushing performance with an 11-yard touchdown. Hopson's 76 rushing yards were more than twice as many as any other player in the game.
The first Bison freshman to start at quarterback since Marcello Trigg in 2006, Hopson has completed 20 of 37 passes for 161 yards this year. He is the second Bison to be named Patriot League Rookie of the Week, following Robert De La Rosa, who earned the honor early last month.
Bucknell (4-6, 1-4 PL) will wrap up its 2008 campaign this Saturday, Nov. 22, when it hosts Fordham at 1 p.m.
