Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell Football's Smith Named Bison Athlete of the Week, PL Offensive Player of the Week After Second Straight 200-Yard Performance
11/14/2011 7:00:00 AM | Football
Nov. 14, 2011
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Bucknell junior running back Tyler Smith (Hatfield, Pa./North Penn) posted his second consecutive 200-yard rushing game this past Saturday in a 21-0 win at Fordham, and on Monday was named both the Susquehanna Valley Limousine Bison Athlete of the Week and the Patriot League Football Offensive Player of the Week. It is Smith's second Bison Athlete of the Week honor in three weeks and his first career PL Offensive Player of the Week citation.
Smith, who ran for 204 yards against the Rams after a career-best 212-yard performance opposite Lafayette, now has 416 yards on the ground in his last two contests, setting a program record for most yards in back-to-back games. Smith leads the Patriot League with 786 yards on the ground this year, the most by a Bison running back since 2003.
Just the fourth Bison to posted at least two career 200-yard outings, Smith joined Rich Lemon (3), Jabu Powell (2) and Daris Wilson (2) on that list. Smith now ranks ninth and 15th on the Bison single-game rushing yards ledger.
Smith, who has three 100-yard rushing outings this year, is the 28th player in program history to have rushed for more than 100 yards at least three times.
A versatile player, Smith ranks 11th nationally in all-purpose yards per game (155.0) and his career-best 1,550 all-purpose yards this year rank sixth on the school's single-season list. Smith is seventh in program history in career all-purpose yards (3,340). He has piled up 1,446 career rushing yards, 473 receiving yards and 1,421 kickoff return yards over his 31 career games played.
Smith, who has a career-high eight rushing touchdowns this season, is listed fifth on Bucknell's single-season kickoff return yards list (619), 183 shy of his career high from 2010 that ranks third on the same list.
Smith and the Bison (6-4) will wrap up their 2011 campaign this Saturday, Nov. 19, at Colgate. Bucknel, which has already clinched its first .500 record since 2006, will be aiming for its first seven-win season since 2004.
