Junior running back Karekin Brooks powered Penn football over Brown this Saturday, putting up more yards than the entire Brown offense.
Credit: Eric ZengIt wasn’t a pretty game to watch, but junior running back Karekin Brooks did his job to make sure Penn football emerged victorious.
Brooks came to play on Saturday, carrying the ball a career-high 34 times for a season-best 246 yards to fuel Penn’s 13-7 victory at Brown. He alone was more productive than the Bears’ offensive total of 195 yards, and his rushing efforts stand as sixth-best in a single game in program history.
The Marietta, Ga. native didn’t get off to the best start, however, fumbling the ball on Penn’s first offensive play of the game. But after that, he broke the game open.
A blazing 63-yard run on Penn’s next drive led to the Quakers taking a 3-0 lead off a Jack Soslow field goal. Another massive run of 47 yards in the second quarter got the Red and Blue inside the Brown five-yard line, but a fumble left Brooks’ work for nothing.
Penn took a 13-0 lead into the half, but Brooks continued to pound the Bears after the break, opening the second half with a 36-yard rush to advance into Brown territory. The Quakers couldn’t add anything to their lead, but tough defense ensured they left with the win.
This game marked the third time Brooks has rushed for more than 150 yards this year, after his successful outings against Lehigh and Sacred Heart. Brooks’ average of 136.6 all-purpose yards per game is best in the Ivy League, and he is only 50 yards shy of last season's rushing total of 840 yards with two games remaining.
Penn fans still have time to catch this week’s DP Sports Player of the Week in action this record-breaking season.
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