Daequan Hardy Named Big Ten Co-Special Teams Player Of The Week
Penn State football cornerback and punt returner Daequan Hardy was named this week’s Big Ten Special Teams Co-Player of the Week, the conference announced Monday. Hardy shares the honor with Iowa punter Tory Taylor, who punted 10 times for a career-high 506 yards.
Hardy wins the award for the first time during his career at Penn State after a stellar special teams performance in the Nittany Lions blowout 63-0 shutout win over UMass.
Turns out 2⃣ punt return TDs in a game will get you some attention
— Penn State Football (@PennStateFball) October 16, 2023#WeAre | @DaequanHardy pic.twitter.com/s9lYDU2Pmm
In the win, Hardy scored two punt return touchdowns to help the Nittany Lions become bowl-eligible and move to 6-0 on the season. Hardy’s recognition was also the first Special Teams Player of the Week for Penn State since Jake Pinegar won it last season.
The redshirt senior was named the starting punt returner before Saturday’s game and fit right into the role. He is now the first Nittany Lion to return two punt return touchdowns in the same game and has matched the single-season record at Penn State for most punt return touchdowns.
The first touchdown was a 56-yard return which came in the late part of the first quarter opening up the scoring for Penn State, while the second, 68-yard return for a touchdown came in the third quarter.
Hardy is now the 25th FBS player to return two punt returns for touchdowns in a game since 2000 and is only the second Big Ten player since then to accomplish the feat.
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