Anonymous | Posted: 8 Oct 2001 | Updated: 8 Oct 2001

Staley Named MWC Offensive Player of the Week

COLORADO SPRINGS -- Junior running back Luke Staley was named the Mountain West Conference Offensive Player of the Week after recording his first 200-yard rushing game and his fourth career 100-yard game against Utah State on Friday.

The 6-foot-2, 218-pound running back totaled a career-high 207 yards rushing on 23 carries, averaging 9.0 yards per touch. Staley also picked up 44 yards receiving on four receptions, a team, season-high 49-yard kick return and threw one pass for 11 yards. On the night, Staley totaled an astounding 311 all-purpose yards.

His 200-yard rushing performance marked the first time a BYU back has rushed for more than 200 yards since Ronney Jenkins posted 250 yards against San Jose State in 1998.

He tied the BYU individual single-game record with five touchdowns on the night, including four rushing TDs. Staley also tied the BYU individual single-game record with 30 points. Staley has produced 32 career touchdowns, tieing him with Lakei Heimuli and Waymon Hamilton for second on the all-time BYU touchdown list.

With eight games remaining, Staley has already posted a career-high 12 touchdowns on the season. With his first-quarter touchdown against the Aggies, Staley has produced at least one touchdown in 17 of the 24 games he has played over his career, including multiple-scoring games in nine different outings.

After posting 207 yards against the USU defense, Staley ranks 13th nationally, averaging 119.4 yards per game and averages a hefty 8.9 yards per carry. The Tualatin, Ore., native ranks third nationally with a 14.40 points-per-game average. Staley also ranks ninth in all-purpose yards, averaging 176.20 yards per contest.

With eight regular-season games remaining, Staley is on pace to not only break the BYU career touchdown record, but could also break the single-season record as well. Staley is on pace to finish the season with over 19 touchdowns. For his career Staley is projected to score a record 58 touchdowns (1.3 TDs per game).

Staley is also on pace for his first 1,000-yard season at BYU. Averaging 119.4 yards per game, Staley could eclipse the single-season rushing record with over 1,500 yards on the season. The Cougars have not had a 1,000-yard rusher since 1998. BYU has produced only five running backs (and six seasons) with 1,000-yard seasons since 1952. (Jamal Willis twice eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark.)