After breaking the Big Ten's single-season records for passing yards and passing touchdowns and winning a record-breaking six Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week awards, Ohio State quarterback Dwayne Haskins was named Wednesday as the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year and the Big Ten Quarterback of the Year.
Haskins is the first Ohio State player since former Buckeye running back Ezekiel Elliott to win the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year award. He's the sixth Ohio State quarterback in seven years to win the Big Ten Quarterback of the Year award, following J.T. Barrett (2014, 2016, 2017) and Braxton Miller (2012, 2013).
Wednesday's awards come after a record-breaking regular season in which he completed 314 of 455 passing attempts for a 69 percent completion rate, 4,081 passing yards and 42 passing touchdowns – all Ohio State records – with only seven interceptions. He surpassed the previous Big Ten records of 3,985 passing yards set by Purdue's Curtis Painter in 2006 and 39 passing touchdowns set by Purdue's Drew Brees in 1998.
Haskins also emerged as a running threat late in the regular season, finishing the regular season with 127 rushing yards and four touchdowns.
Asked Tuesday about the awards he has had the opportunity to win this season, Haskins expressed appreciation but said his primary focus is on trying to help his team win games.
“Winning awards is awesome, but to be able to go out here and play in my first year the way that I’ve played, I’m just really blessed and thankful for my teammates and my coaches for putting me in the opportunity to go out there and ball the way that I did,” Haskins said. “And just thankful for my family, my friends, my support system for getting me to where I’m at. And even though I won these awards and getting a lot of accolades every week, the biggest thing is about winning the game on Saturday, and I’ll feel more accomplished by beating Northwestern than I would about winning anything else.”
