Auburn senior running back [autotag]Jarquez Hunter[/autotag] has been tabbed as the “SEC Offensive Player of the Week” following his career-best performance in the Tigers’ 24-10 victory over Kentucky.
Hunter has been a key cog of the Auburn offense since he stepped foot on the Plains as a freshman, but his output Saturday was far and away his greatest feat as a Tiger. The senior ran for a career-high 278 yards in the victory. That total was not only the highest of his career, but the fourth highest among any Auburn rusher in the Tigers’ long and storied history.
Hunter’s 278 rushing yards were also the most among any FBS rusher this season, which is especially impressive considering Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty is in the middle of possibly the best collegiate running back season of all time.
Ten of the senior’s 23 carries went for over 10 yards, elevating his already outstanding yards per carry metric to an unworldly 7.2 yards per carry through eight contests this season. He added 19 receiving yards as well, finishing just three yards short of a 300 all-purpose yard performance.
Hunter is the first Tiger to take home the accolade since 2021 when Bo Nix earned Offensive Player of the Week honors after a win over LSU. The honor is Hunter’s fourth of the week. Auburn’s best offensive player also earned the East-West Shrine Bowl Offensive Breakout Player of the Week, Senior Bowl Offensive Player of the Week, and the “National Running Back of the Week” accolade, given by the Doak Walker Award committee.
Hunter now leads the conference in rushing yards and yards per carry following week 8. He’ll have the chance to improve further on his outstanding numbers at home against a Vanderbilt run defense that ranks middle-of-the-pack in week nine.
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