Temple University Athletics
Shelton Named the Wrangler College Football Player Of The Week By The Sporting News
10.31.06 | Football
Oct. 31, 2006
PHILADELPHIA - Temple redshirt sophomore wide receiver Travis Shelton has been named the Wrangler College Football Player of the Week by The Sporting News for his performance in last Saturday's 28-14 homecoming win over Bowling Green. Shelton opened the Temple scoring with a 43-yard touchdown grab before closing the scoring and sealing the win with a 96-yard kickoff return to pay dirt to help snap the Owls' 20-game skid.
Shelton's honor is one of numerous accolades bestowed upon the Owls after a gutsy performance that was highlighted by a multitude of big plays. The victory earned Temple runner-up for Tostitos Fiesta Bowl National Team of the Week honors, as selected by the Football Writers Association of America, behind Oregon State's defeat of No. 3 USC. Linebacker Walter Mebane was also up for national player of the week honors. The redshirt senior made a game and career-high 15 total tackles and forced a key, goal-line, fumble to become one of five candidates for USA Today National Player of the Week. Although Mebane did not capture the award, he finished second in the fan voting portion of the selection behind Virginia Tech running back Brandon Ore, who garnered the honor. In addition, freshman linebacker Junior Galette's acrobatic punt block that led to the Owls' first score was ranked No. 2 on ESPN's college football plays of the week.
Shelton has been a human highlight reel in the three games he has played this season. The Fort Lauderdale, Fla. native posted a school-record 205 return yards on five kickoffs versus Clemson on Thursday, Oct. 12, in his first action since the 2004 campaign. He broke the record held by Lew Lawhorn, who had 178 return yards in a 35-0 win over Boston College in 1992. At Northern Illinois on Oct. 21, Shelton caught seven passes for 204 yards while generating 311 all-purpose yards. It marked the second most receiving yards in a game in school history after Van Johnson's 214 yards at Pittsburgh in 1996 and just the second 200-plus yard performance for an Owl receiver. Shelton grabbed two scoring aerials, was on the receiving end of a successful two-point conversion and had 113 yards on four kickoff returns. He became the first Temple player to catch two TDs in a game since Phil Goodman versus Boston College in 2003.
His 96-yard kickoff return versus the Falcons last Saturday tied for the longest in the modern era of Owl football (since 1971) with Paul Loughran's return against Boston University in 1971 and was Temple's first kick returned to pay dirt since Makonnen's Fenton's 94-yarder against UConn in 2002.
Despite playing in just 33.3 percent of Temple's games, Shelton leads the team in scoring (26 points) and all-purpose yards (780), while averaging 260.30 all-purpose yards per contest. He is also averaging a staggering 39.60 yards on 12 kickoff returns. In order to be included in the NCAA rankings, a player must compete in 75 percent of his team's games. If Shelton were eligible, he would lead the nation in both all-purpose running, ahead of Oklahoma's Adrian Peterson (204.00) and kickoff returns, ahead of SMU's Jessie Henderson (36.90). Clocked at 4.27 at a Nike combine, most people are surprised that Shelton is able to have such elite speed despite having asthma. Speed also runs in Shelton's family, as his first cousin is Chicago Bears CB and former Miami Hurricane Devin Hester.
In the six games Temple played without Shelton in the lineup, the team averaged 6.83 points-per-game. In the last three contests, the Owls are averaging 19.33 points.
As a result of the award, Shelton will appear on the "Tim Brando Show" on Sporting News Radio. The national show airs weekdays from 3-6 p.m. (ET) and can be heard online at http://radio.sportingnews.com. The date and time of Shelton's interview is yet to be determined.
