Rashaad Penny: A Collegiate Career of Excellence

Rashaad Armein Penny, born on February 2, 1996, is an American former professional football running back who played college football for the San Diego State Aztecs. Penny's college stats showcase a remarkable career marked by exceptional performance in both rushing and kick returning. His achievements at San Diego State University (SDSU) cemented his place as one of the most dynamic players in NCAA FBS history.

High School Foundation

Penny attended Norwalk High School, where he demonstrated his athletic prowess. During his senior season, he rushed for an impressive 2,504 yards and scored 41 rushing touchdowns on 216 carries. Additionally, he caught 21 passes for 665 receiving yards and 10 receiving touchdowns, foreshadowing his future success at the collegiate level.

Arrival at San Diego State

Penny did not miss a game at San Diego State, playing in all 54 games. He quickly emerged as a key player for the Aztecs, showcasing his versatility as a running back and kick returner.

A Multi-Talented Player

Penny distinguished himself as a speedy back who turned into one of the top kick returners in the country. He finished his career tied for the most career kick return touchdowns (7) and return (KR/PR) touchdowns (8) in NCAA FBS history, sharing this record with Tyron Carrier, Savon Scarver, Tony Pollard, and C.J. Spiller. Four of his seven kick return touchdowns went for 100 yards, a feat achieved by only three other players in school history. This was also just one shy of tying an NCAA FBS record.

Record-Breaking Career at SDSU

Penny concluded his Aztec career holding numerous records:

First all-time at SDSU in kick return yards (2,449)
First all-time at SDSU in rushing yards per carry (7.49, min. 1,100 yards)
Tied for first in 200-yard rushing games (7)
Second in all-purpose yards (6,654)
Second in kick returns (81)
Third in rushing yards (3,656)
Third in rushing touchdowns (38)
Third in overall touchdowns (52)
Third in 100-yard rushing games (16)
Fourth in points scored (312)

His remarkable 7.49 yards per carry average ranks as the third-best in NCAA FBS play since 1996 (min. 400 att.), trailing only Melvin Gordon (7.79) and Bryce Love (7.76).

Impact on Team Success

SDSU's success was often linked to Penny's performance. The team held a 25-5 record over his career when he scored at least one touchdown and a 13-1 record when he scored multiple touchdowns. When he rushed for at least one score, the Aztecs were 19-3, and when he rushed for multiple touchdowns, they were 10-1. The Aztecs were also 15-1 when he rushed for at least 100 yards, 9-1 when he broke 150 yards, and 6-1 when he reached 200 yards.

Penny finished his career with five straight games with at least 200 yards rushing, tying an NCAA FBS record with USC's Marcus Allen (1981), Oklahoma State's Barry Sanders (1988), and North Texas' Jamario Thomas (2014). He scored multiple rushing touchdowns in 11 games over his career, including eight times in 2017.

Touchdown Machine

Penny recorded 52 overall touchdowns, comprising 38 rushing, seven kick return, six receiving, and one punt return. Over his final 31 games, he accounted for 48 touchdowns (37 rushing, five receiving, five kick return, and one punt return).

Mountain West Accolades

Penny garnered nine Mountain West (MW) player-of-the-week awards throughout his career, including seven in 2017 (five-time offensive player of the week, two-time special teams player of the week). He was also a MW Special Teams Player-of-the-Week winner once in 2015 and once in 2016. Penny's nine MW weekly accolades were the most in SDSU's league history.

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Senior Season (2017)

In his senior season, Penny racked up numerous postseason accolades, highlighted by a fifth-place finish in Heisman Trophy voting. This was the best finish by an Aztec since Marshall Faulk in 1993 and the best by a Group of 5 running back since TCU's LaDainian Tomlinson in 2000. It was also the best by a Mountain West team since Utah's Alex Smith in 2004.

He was a Walter Camp Player-of-the-Year finalist, Maxwell Award semifinalist, and Doak Walker Award semifinalist. Penny was named a first-team All-American by multiple organizations, including the Associated Press, FWAA, The Sporting News, Sports Illustrated, ESPN, USA Today, CBS Sports, and Bleacher Report. He was also a consensus first-team All-American, SDSU's third consensus All-American in program history, joining Marshall Faulk and Kyle Turley. Additionally, he earned second-team All-American honors from Walter Camp, CBS Sports (all-purpose), and SB Nation.

Penny was named the Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year and the MW Special Teams Player of the Year, the first in league history to win both awards. He became the first returner in league history to earn the MW Special Teams Player-of-the-Year award in three consecutive seasons (2015-2017) and the second player overall. He was also an all-Mountain West first-team pick at running back and punt returner.

He was awarded the team's John Simcox Memorial Trophy (MVP), the Byron H. Chase Memorial Trophy (offensive player-of-the-year), and the Dr. R. Hardy/C.E. Peterson Memorial Trophy (captain's award). Penny was a team captain, as voted by his teammates.

His midseason awards included being named a second-team All-America selection by the Associated Press and Sports Illustrated, inclusion on the CFPA Player of the Year Midseason Watch List, and recognition as Sports Illustrated's Best Group of Five Heisman Candidate.

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Penny received significant preseason national recognition, including being named to watch lists for the Maxwell Award, Walter Camp Player of the Year, Hornung Award, and CFPA National Performer of the Year. He was also named a second-team All-American as a kick returner by Phil Steele Magazine and CBS Sports, and a third-team selection by Athlon Sports. He was named the Mountain West Special Teams Player of the Year by the league's media, as well as a preseason first-team all-MW selection at both running back and kick returner.

Penny also dominated the preseason magazine awards, earning first-team honors at running back by Athlon Sports, Lindy's Sports, Phil Steele Magazine, and Street & Smith's, and at kick returner by Athlon Sports, Phil Steele Magazine, and Lindy's Sports. Lindy's had him as the "Fourth-Rated All-Purpose Player in FBS" and the "Sixth-Rated Talent in the MW". Phil Steele Magazine labeled him as the "Ninth-Rated Return Specialist in the 2018 NFL Draft," while CBS Sports had him as the "16th-Rated Running Back in the 2018 NFL Draft". Street & Smith's deemed him the "MW's Heisman Hopeful" and "MW's Top NFL Prospect".

Statistical Dominance in 2017

In 2017, Penny rushed 289 times for 2,248 yards (7.8 avg.) with 23 rushing touchdowns and a long run of 95 yards. He also had 19 catches for 135 yards (7.1 avg) and two touchdowns with a long reception of 33 yards. Additionally, he returned 17 kicks for 521 yards (30.6 avg.), including two touchdowns (100 yards and 99 yards), and two punt returns for 70 yards (35.0 avg.) with a 70-yard touchdown.

Penny led the FBS in rushing yards (2,248), rushing yards per game (172.9), all-purpose yards (2,974), and all-purpose yards per game (228.8). He was second in rushing touchdowns (23), total touchdowns (28), points (168), points per game (12.9), and rushing yards per carry (7.78, min. 175 att.). He was also tied for fifth in kickoff return touchdowns (2), fifth in kickoff return average (30.6), and tied for 10th in punt return touchdowns (1).

His 2,248 rushing yards were more than 78 other FBS teams. He finished with school records in rushing yards (2,248), rushing yards per game (172.9), all-purpose yards (2,974), all-purpose yards per game (228.8), 200-yard rushing games (6), and overall touchdowns (28), and tied for first in 100-yard rushing games (11) and rushing touchdowns (23).

Penny became the second Aztec in school history and first since Marshall Faulk in 1992 to start a season with six straight 100-yard rushing games. He became the sixth Aztec with multiple 1,000-yard rushing seasons in program history. Penny reached 1,000 rushing yards in the team's seventh game of the season, tied for the third-fewest games in program history.

Penny's rush averages by quarter in 2017 were: 1st - 7.8, 2nd - 6.3, 3rd - 7.9, 4th - 9.1, and by half: 1st - 7.2, 2nd - 8.4. His rush averages by down were: 1st - 7.0, 2nd - 7.3, 3rd - 11.8, 4th - 8.7.

Weekly and National Recognition

Penny earned numerous weekly accolades, including being named the MW Offensive Player of the Week five times, the MW Special Teams Player of the Week twice, the Pro Football Focus National Team of the Week once, and the MW Pro Football Focus Team of the Week six times.

He was named the MW Offensive Player of the Week on Sept. 4 for his performance against UC Davis, where he ran for 197 yards and two touchdowns on a then career-high 21 carries in just three quarters. The 197 yards were the third most in a SDSU season opener in its Division I history. He also added an 18-yard kick return to finish with 215 all-purpose yards.

Penny had a standout game against Arizona State, rushing 18 times for a career-high 216 yards (12.0 avg.) and a touchdown, while adding four catches for 38 yards and a touchdown, and a 99-yard kick return for a score. He earned several awards for his efforts, including the Walter Camp FBS Offensive Player of the Week, the MW Offensive Player of the Week, the MW Special Teams Player of the Week, the Paul Hornung Award Honor Roll, the CFPA Honorable Mention National Performer of the Week, and the MW Pro Football Focus Team of the Week.

In the game against Arizona State, Penny became the first player in FBS that season with at least one rushing touchdown, one receiving touchdown, and one kick return score in the same game. Penny's 353 all-purpose yards were the fourth most in a FBS game that season and fourth most in SDSU single-game history. Penny's first score was a 95-yard rushing touchdown, tied for the third-longest rushing play in FBS that season. He later added a 99-yard kick return touchdown, tied for the 15th-longest kick return in FBS that season. He finished his scoring with a 33-yard touchdown catch.

He had another solid outing against Stanford, rushing a career-high 32 times for 175 yards and adding a career-high five receptions for 31 yards, earning him his third consecutive MW Offensive Player of the Week award. He recorded his third consecutive 100-yard game and third straight 150-yard rushing game, breaking 200 all-purpose yards for the third straight game.

Penny rushed 20 times for 128 yards with three touchdowns at Air Force, while catching three passes for 18 yards, earning his fourth straight MW Offensive Player of the Week award. He also was named to the MW Pro Football Focus Team of the Week. He recorded his fourth consecutive 100-yard game and became the 14th player to eclipse 2,000 rushing yards for his career.

He rushed 25 times for 107 yards, had two receptions for 32 yards and a touchdown, and returned three kickoffs for 86 yards vs. Northern Illinois, recording his fifth consecutive 100-yard game and his second receiving touchdown of the season.

Penny rushed 27 times for 170 yards and two touchdowns at UNLV, while adding two catches for eight yards, recording his sixth consecutive 100-yard game and 11th of his career. He joined Marshall Faulk as the only players in school history with six consecutive 100-yard rushing games to open a season.

He rushed for 53 yards on 21 carries and returned one kick for 17 yards against Boise State, eclipsing 1,000 rushing yards for the second consecutive season. He became the sixth Aztec with multiple 1,000-yard rushing seasons in program history and broke 1,000 rushing yards in just the seventh game of the season.

Penny rushed 15 times for 69 yards against Fresno State, also catching a 9-yard pass and returning four kicks for 57 yards.

He rushed 30 times for a career-high 253 yards and two touchdowns at Hawai'i, earning a spot on the MW Pro Football Focus Team of the Week. He also added a 16-yard kick return, giving him 269 all-purpose yards, the second most of his career.

Penny rushed 20 times for 234 yards with three touchdowns at San Jose State, earning his fifth MW Offensive Player of the Week award of the season. He also was named to the MW Pro Football Focus Team of the Week for the fifth time on the year.

Legacy

Rashaad Penny's college career at San Diego State was nothing short of spectacular. His explosive running style, versatility as a kick returner, and knack for scoring touchdowns made him a dominant force in college football. His numerous records, awards, and accolades are a testament to his hard work, dedication, and exceptional talent.

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