by Bill Albright
Junior had an 81-yard punt return for a touchdown in the Michigan State win
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Penn state junior wide receiver and return specialist Jahan Dotson has been named Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week, the conference office announced on Monday.
The Nazareth, Pa. native had an 81-yard punt return for a touchdown in the fourth quarter of Penn State’s 39-24 win over Michigan State on Saturday. Dotson added eight catches for 108 yards, becoming the third Big Ten student-athlete since 2000 with 100 receiving yards and a punt return for a touchdown in the same game (Wisconsin’s Brandon Williams vs. Indiana – Oct. 1, 2005; Michigan’s Steve Breaston at Indiana – Nov. 11, 2006).
Dotson’s punt return for a score was the first PSU punt return for a touchdown since Sept. 8, 2018 (DeAndre Thompkins – 39 yards at Pittsburgh). Dotson earns his first career Special Teams Player of the Week honor and Penn State’s first since Blake Gillikin (Oct. 28, 2019).
Penn State hosts Illinois this Saturday in Beaver Stadium at 5:30 p.m. ET on FS1.
DOTSON’S IMPRESSIVE PRODUCTION
- WR Jahan Dotson’s 695 yards rank 27th nationally and his six touchdowns rank tied for 25th among teams who have played at least eight games. His 46 receptions rank 38th.
- Dotson is averaging 15.4 yards per reception (minimum 45 catches) through his first eight games of 2020, which ranks ninth nationally and fourth in the Power Five for a player’s first eight games of the 2020 season.Dotson is one of five
- Power Five receivers to total at least 46 receptions, 695 yards receiving and six receiving touchdowns in their first eight games this season, joining Ole Miss’ Elijah Moore (86 rec, 1,193 yards, 8 TD), Alabama’s Devonta Smith (72 rec, 1074 yards, 12 TD), LSU’s Terrace Marshall Jr. (48 rec, 731 yards, 10 TD) and Clemson’s Amari Rodgers (48 rec, 720 yards, 6 TD) and one of 10 in FBS.
- Since 2000, Dotson is the only Penn State receiver to total at least 46 receptions, 695 yards receiving and six receiving touchdowns in the first eight games of a season.
- Dotson’s 695 receiving yards in the first eight games of the season are the third-most by a Nittany Lion since 2000, trailing Allen Robinson (1,043 yards, 2013) and DaeSean Hamilton (728 yards, 2014).
- Dotson (46 receptions) and Parker Washington (35 receptions) are the first Penn State duo with 30 or more catches in a season since 2017.
- He is one of four Big Ten receivers with at least four 100-yard receiving games this season.
- Dotson is one of seven Penn State receivers with at least four 100-yard receiving games in a single season since 2000.
