Sharps Named Big East Offensive Player Of The Week

Providence, R.I. (September 5) - Running back TANARDO SHARPS of Temple has

been named

BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Week, the league announced. Safety

SHAWN

HACKETT of West Virginia earned defensive honors, with Pittsburgh

placekicker NICK LOTZ capturing Special Teams Player of the Week.

Sharps (Glen Burnie, Md.) wins the honor after leading Temple to

its first

non-conference road win since 1996 in a 17-6 victory at Navy. The

sophomore running back amassed 180 yards rushing, the most by an Owl

running back since 1990 (Scott McNair, 192 yards vs. Rutgers). He

scored

on a 64-yard touchdown run in the third quarter, tying for the

ninth-longest touchdown run in Temple history. Sharps accounted for

77.9

percent of the Owls ground game as TU outgained Navy, 231-73.

Hackett (Trenton, N.J.) captures the defensive award after his

play in

West Virginia's 34-14 victory over Boston College. The junior safety,

making his first career start, had a 41-yard interception return for a

touchdown in the fourth quarter. It was the first pickoff of his career

and first interception return for a touchdown for a Mountaineer since

Jerry

Porter had a 68-yard score against Miami (Ohio) in 1998. Hackett also

finished with eight tackles (three unassisted) and two pass break-ups.

Lotz (Findlay, Ohio) accounted for 12 of the Panthers' points in

Pittsburgh's 30-7 win over Akron. The junior placekicker was perfect on

three field goal attempts, hitting from 30, 23 and 22 yards. He also

connected on all three of his PATs attempts. Lotz's 30-yard kick gave

the

Panthers the lead for good, 10-7, in the second quarter.

Temple University Athletics