McFadden Named Walter Camp National Offensive Player of the Week

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Arkansas tailback Darren McFadden was named the national offensive player of the week by the Walter Camp Football Foundation for his record-setting performance in the Razorbacks’ 50-48 triple-overtime upset of No. 1 LSU on Friday.

Each week during the regular season, the Walter Camp Football Foundation recognizes the top offensive and defensive players in the nation. USC defensive end Lawrence Jackson was named the national defensive player of the week.

McFadden led Arkansas to its first upset of a No. 1 team since the Razorbacks topped No. 1 Texas 42-11 in 1981. The junior from Little Rock, rushed for 206 yards and three touchdowns and was masterful at the helm of the WildHog offense completing three of six passes for 34 yards and a touchdown. With his 255 all-purpose yards against the Tigers, McFadden set a new Southeastern Conference record for all-purpose yards in a season. His 206 rushing yards also set a new UA single season rushing record and moved him past Auburn’s Bo Jackson into third place on the SEC career rushing list.

“Great players rise to the occasion in big games and Darren was simply incredible in leading us to an upset of the No. 1 team in the nation,” Arkansas head coach Houston Nutt said. “In my opinion, there isn’t another player in college football that does as many things for his team as Darren does for us. He is the most versatile player in college football. It was a classic matchup of the nation’s best player and the nation’s top team. Darren McFadden was outstanding.”

McFadden played more than 30 snaps at quarterback in the WildHog formation and was effective running, passing and handing the ball off to his teammates. He became the first player in the past two seasons to rush for more than 100 yards against the LSU defense. McFadden scored on runs of nine, 16 and 73 yards against the Tigers. He also connected with teammate Peyton Hillis for a 24-yard touchdown pass late in the fourth quarter.

Walter Camp, “The Father of American football,” first selected an All-America team in 1889. Camp – a former Yale University athlete and football coach – is also credited with developing play from scrimmage, set plays, the numerical assessment of goals and tries and the restriction of play to eleven men per side. The Walter Camp Football Foundation – a New Haven-based all-volunteer group – was founded in 1967 to perpetuate the ideals of Camp and to continue the tradition of selecting annually an All-America team.