Shonn Greene, Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year

by Hawkeye State on Nov 24, 2008 10:39 PM CST in Football Comment 6 comments

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Eight months ago, the Iowa tailback depth chart was the visual manifestation of bleak. Paki O'Meara was starting the spring game, for Christ's sake. The outside world was laughing at our "magic ride into football absurdity."

Shonn Greene was attending community college and delivering furniture.

Eight months, 12 games, 278 attempts, 1729 yards, and 17 touchdowns later, Shonn Greene is your Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year.

Greene is the sixth Iowa standout to be named Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year, joining a group that includes Chuck Long (1985), Nick Bell (1990), Matt Rodgers (1990), Tavian Banks (1997) and Brad Banks (2002). The junior running back led the Big Ten with 1,729 rushing yards this season while scoring 17 touchdowns and averaging 6.2 yards per carry. He currently ranks second in the nation with 144.1 yards per game and is the only player in the country to rush for 100 or more yards in every game. He is the first Big Ten running back to surpass the 100-yard mark in 12 games since Northwestern's Darnell Autry in 1995 and the first to accomplish that feat in all eight conference games since Penn State's Curtis Enis in 1997. Greene's 1,729 rushing yards set a new school record while his 17 touchdowns are tied with Tavian Banks for the single-season best. Greene is a semifinalist for the Maxwell Award, given to the nation's top player, and one of three finalists for the Doak Walker Award, earned by the top running back.

I'm saving all the superlatives for the post-season wrapup, but suffice it to say you've just witnessed the greatest season by an Iowa halfback since Nile Kinnick (and, to be fair, it might be even better than that). Thanks Shonn.

Edit: Hadn't seen the FanPost. T/F/J to The Mexican't.

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Well HELL YES! at least the big ten recognized the greatness! the rest of the blind media can continue to be ignorant of the fact that iowa has a darn good team with some great players who despite not getting any media attention through the year achieved greatness!

I want to scream that pepsi commercial…WAKE UP AMERICA!

Im still disgusted that the media couldnt at least rank them a token 25th for what they did. and shonn greene’s not EVEN getting mentioned by any sports media the last two week. THEY SHOULD BE EMBARRASSED. on tv and off. what a joke

congrats all of the iowa players who got recognized. WE ARE IOWA!

by kinnickcolt on Nov 25, 2008 3:08 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

This should get the Nations attention (Heisman)

The Doak is a gimme as far as I’m concerned.

Anyone got links for Purdue and Minnesota Highlights? All I can get are Big Ten Network highlights and they don’t work well here on Guam (they suck).

Has anyone else noticed that when the Big Ten Network does Iowa games we get no exposure, and no good highlight reels? We were much better off when the local network affiliates showed the games.

Angel Pitching, Angel Defense - get past that.

by vladtheimpaler on Nov 25, 2008 3:31 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

Minnesota highlights here

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7KLMVwMqAhc

Oops Pow Surprise: "I'm stuck writing at the Titty Barn."

by Hawkeye State on Nov 25, 2008 6:18 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Run a search

on youtube. I spent an hour the other night watching Shonn Greene highlight videos on youtube.

by shada's revenge on Nov 25, 2008 7:02 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

congrats to greene

best RB in the big ten, and it’s really not that debateble. wells and ringer did less with more in front of them, and i hope that doesn’t come off as an insult.

http://glassesofjoe.blogspot.com/

by psudrozz on Nov 25, 2008 10:41 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

Time for the University to start marketing this guy

The Iowa Athletic Department hired a company to make a heisman highlight video for Brad Banks in 2002 (if you know the one I’m talking about and have access to YouTube, please post it). Anyway, I think the University acted on it too late for it to be seen by anyone that mattered.

I know Greene won’t get the Heisman, that’s not what I’m asking. But the least the University can do is front some promotional money for the guy and make another highlight video, at the least. It’s probably already too late anyway, but I really think they should have acted on this awhile ago. Ferentz kept downplaying him all season, that’s just his style. But for fuck’s sake, all they have right now is a fucking piss poor webpage some freshman marketing major threw together.

No, wait, wait. I’m jumping the gun here and I’m sure the university was all over it.
Gary Barta: “Wait, I know to do. We’ll just leave it to the Big Ten Network…”
Secretary1: “Good idea Barty!”
Secretary2: “Brilliant!”