STATE COLLEGE, Pa. – Penn State running back Saquon Barkley, amid another highlight-filled day, was picking his way through traffic Saturday against Iowa when he spun and found himself backing downfield.
Somehow he sensed that a would-be tackler was flying at the back of his leg. Somehow Barkley leaped over him — picture a Fosbury Flop kind of deal — to finish off a gain of 14.
“That was special,” Nittany Lions coach James Franklin said after his team’s 41-14 victory. “I don’t know if I’ve ever seen that before.”
Barkley didn’t even realize he had done it himself, until he looked up at one of Beaver Stadium’s video screens while standing on the sideline moments later. He turned to backup quarterback Tommy Stevens, and Stevens could only shake his head.
Barkley was pretty much doing the same in the interview room later.
“I mean, it’s cool, I guess you could say,” he said. “I just try to do all I can to break tackles.”
In the process, maybe he has broken into the Heisman Trophy discussion as well.
Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson is the runaway favorite to win the award, and deservedly so. Guy’s either run or passed for a ridiculous 45 touchdowns this year.
But nobody should be surprised if Barkley winds up in the Downtown Athletic Club next month as well.
“As a team we believe that he deserves that,” quarterback Trace McSorley said. “If he ends up being in that talk, that’s awesome, because he’s one of our brothers.”
Barkley, a sophomore, was not about to entertain such talk, saying he doesn’t think about it, it’s out of his control, etc. He nonetheless has the résumé (not to mention the highlight reel) worthy of a candidate.
His 20-carry, 167-yard effort Saturday included a 57-yard touchdown scamper, and he caught a 44-yard TD pass as well.
He has 675 yards over the last four games, including a pair of 200-yarders, as well as 1,055 this season (his second straight over 1,000) and 2,131 in his career, 15th on the school’s all-time list.
Moreover, he is the frontman of a team on a roll. The Lions, 12th in last week’s College Football Playoff rankings, have won five straight to improve to 7-2. And on Saturday, one week after amassing 511 yards in a 62-24 victory over Purdue, they collected 599, their most against a Big Ten opponent since the 1994 juggernaut put up 653 against Michigan State.
“Everybody is singing the same song,” Franklin said, “and everybody’s singing it in the same tune right now.”
It is quite a rhythm, to be sure. McSorley, for his part, threw for 240 yards and two scores. He also ran for a touchdown.
But Barkley was, as always, the focal point.
“We talk about writing our story,” he said. “The pencil’s in our hand.”
His chapter is in big, bold letters. He finished with 211 all-purpose yards Saturday, after generating a career-high 277 against the Boilermakers, making him the first PSU back to eclipse 200 in back-to-back games since Larry Johnson in 2002. His touchdown reception was not only the longest of his career but the longest by a PSU back since Evan Royster had a 49-yarder in 2009.
Barkley and Co. were operating behind a line that took another hit when tackle Brendan Mahon, amid a terrific season, was lost to a foot injury three plays into the game, never to return. Chasz Wright took his place and the Lions didn’t skip a beat. All five of their touchdown drives consumed 3:26 or less. McSorley was masterful. Barkley was Barkley.
“I’ve said it before,” tight end Mike Gesicki said. “We’ve just got to let 2-6 be 2-6.”
Barkley, the No. 26 in question, always appreciates the help.
“Any time I have a big rushing game,” he said, “I’ll feed (the linemen) doughnuts or something like that, just to let them know I’m grateful for them. … I don’t want them to think that I’m doing this on my own, or I’m the man.”
There are 22 or 23 O-linemen on the team, he said, and he picks up two dozen doughnuts for them.
One per customer, then.
And one Heisman per year. Jackson deserves it. But Barkley deserves to be considered.