DP Sports Player of the Week: Karekin Brooks

It's becoming a weekly routine for Karekin Brooks. 

As Penn football worked its way back to .500 with a 38-24 win over Sacred Heart after a crushing conference-opening loss to Dartmouth, the senior running back stuffed the stat sheet on the ground and through the air. He totaled 202 yards from scrimmage and a career-high four touchdowns against the Pioneers in front of 6,033 Franklin Field fans. 

This marks the third time this season that the Georgia native has totaled more than 150 yards rushing, and it was his third straight contest with multiple touchdowns. Brooks has the most multiple-touchdown games of any running back in Penn history. 

The tailback has been a sturdy presence in the Quakers' backfield throughout his career, and Saturday afternoon was no exception. The Red and Blue leaned on Brooks early on against Sacred Heart, and they were rewarded with a strong performance by their offensive team captain. No. 30 was able to impact the game in multiple ways from the get-go. 

He scored two short rushing touchdowns in the first quarter to give Penn a 14-0 lead, and he took a screen pass 17 yards and over three defenders for a score. Brooks iced the game with a two-yard plunge in the fourth quarter, which marked his fourth touchdown of the game. 

The senior running back now has seven touchdowns and 629 yards rushing through four games — 234 yards more than Harvard's Devin Darrington, who has the League's second-highest rushing yardage total. He is on pace to rush for 1,570 yards, which would break Jim Finn's record for the most rushing yards in a season in Penn history. Brooks' 25 rushing touchdowns and 2,473 rushing yards are the sixth highest totals in Penn football's 143-year history. 

Next week, Brooks will likely find ample running room when the Quakers face Columbia, who allowed 212 yards rushing to Central Connecticut State this past weekend. It will be no surprise if Brooks wins his third DP Player of the Week award next week.