Penn State’s Clark named Big Ten offensive player of week

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — One of the primary catalysts in Penn State’s 31-7 victory over Akron in Saturday’s season opener has been honored by the Big Ten Conference.

Senior quarterback Daryll Clark (Ursuline High) set career highs with a record-breaking 29-of-40 performance for a career-best 353 yards to earn Big Ten co-offensive player of the week.

Clark tossed three first half touchdown passes, the second-highest total of his career.

The conference honor is the third for Clark in 13 regular season starts. He shares this week’s honor with Purdue running back Ralph Bolden.

The team co-captain guided the Penn State offense to five first half scoring drives. His 29 completions were tied for No. 2 in program history (Zack Mills vs. Purdue, 2004) and his passing yardage was fifth-highest in Penn State annals.

In leading the Nittany Lions to a 31-0 halftime lead, Clark was 17-of-25 for 254 yards, breaking the school record for first half passing. The previous mark was 231 yards by Anthony Morelli vs. Florida International in 2007.

Clark’s 358 yards of total offense also were a career high and were the most by a Nittany Lion since Michael Robinson posted 363 yards (258 pass, 125 rush) against Wisconsin in 2005.

Clark owns the fifth- (353) and seventh- (341 yards vs. Michigan State, 2008) highest single game passing days in Penn State history and is the only quarterback with two marks in the top seven.

He joins Kerry Collins (three) as the only quarterbacks with more than one mark in the top 10 all-time passing yardage games at Penn State.