Likely Garners Pair of Weekly Awards
9/8/2015 12:00:00 AM | Football
COLLEGE PARK, Md. – Maryland football's William Likely garnered a pair of weekly awards after his impressive performance in the Terps 50-21 victory over Richmond on Saturday. Likely was named Big Ten Special Team Player of the Week and to the Paul Hornung Award National Weekly Honor Roll.
Likely returned eight punts for 233 yards (29.1 avg.) against the Spiders, establishing a new Maryland and Big Ten record for single-game punt return yardage. The Big Ten single-game punt return yardage record had stood since 1939 when Iowa's Nile Kinnick posted 201 punt return yards in a game before going on to win the Heisman Trophy that year.
Likely returned a punt 67 yards for a touchdown and returned two kickoffs for 63 yards. He finished the day with 296 all-purpose yards.
On defense, Likely had four tackles, including one tackle for a loss, and made two pass breakups.
The Paul Hornung Award, presented by Texas Roadhouse, is awarded annually to the most versatile player in major college football. Likely was named to the preseason watch list for this award and joins Ohio State's Braxton Miller, UCLA's Myles Jack and Ole Miss' Robert Nkemdiche on the week one honor roll.
The other Big Ten weekly awards went to Miller (offensive) and Northwestern's Anthony Walker (defensive) and Clayton Thorson (freshman).
Likely and the Terps return to action on Saturday when they host Bowling Green at noon. The game can be seen live on the Big Ten Network.
– Maryland –
