Hart Shares Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week Award
10/25/2004 12:00:00 AM | Football
PARK RIDGE, Ill. -- The Big Ten Conference announced today (Monday, Oct. 25) that freshman tailback Michael Hart (Syracuse, N.Y., Onondaga Central HS) of the University of Michigan football team has been named the co-Offensive Player of the Week for his performance in the Wolverines' 16-14 win last weekend at Purdue (Oct. 23). This is the first career Big Ten weekly award for Hart and the second conference player of the week honor earned by a Wolverine this season. He shares the award with Minnesota tailback Marion Barber III.
| | Hart |
During the win at Purdue, Hart set Michigan's all-time rushing record for a freshman, breaking the mark of 746 yards set by Ricky Powers in 1990. Hart leads the Wolverines with 936 rushing yards on 187 carries and has scored four rushing touchdowns. He needs just 64 yards to reach 1,000 for the season.
Hart's overall average of 117.0 rushing yards per game ranks 13th in the nation and second in the Big Ten. In conference only games, Hart leads the Big Ten in rushing (155.6 avg.) and all-purpose yardage (185.2 avg.).
Hart has caught 18 passes for 155 yards out of the backfield, listing fourth on the team in receptions and third in receiving yardage. He has scored touchdowns in five consecutive games (four rushing, one receiving).
Hart has rushed for more than 100 yards in three consecutive games and four times for the season. He had eight carries for 37 yards in his first two games and has 179 carries (29.8 per game) for 899 yards (149.8 avg. per game) in the last six games. He has rushed for 600 yards in the last three games.
Hart, who had a season-best 33-yard run to help set up a third-quarter field goal at Purdue, has six rushes of 25 yards or better in the past two games.
The Wolverines (7-1, 5-0 Big Ten) are ranked 12th by the Associated Press and 11th in the ESPN/USA Today poll and host Michigan State (4-3, 3-1 Big Ten) this Saturday (Oct. 30) in a regionally televised game starting at 3:30 p.m. EDT on ABC Sports.
Media Contacts: David Ablauf, Jim Schneider (734) 763-4423
