Penn State's Barkley wins Paul Hornung Award as most versatile player

Saquon Barkley may not have received an invitation to the Heisman Trophy presentation, but that doesn't mean he won't be taking home any hardware.

The Penn State running back was announced Wednesday as the 2017 recipient of the Paul Hornung Award, given annually to the most versatile player in college football.

“It is an honor to win an award like the Paul Hornung Award for the most versatile player in college football,” Barkley said. “I am so appreciative of Mr. Hornung and the Louisville Sports Commission for selecting me for this very special honor. I have to give a lot of the credit to my teammates and coaches, they are the reason that I am in position to win this award and I could not have done it without them. I also want to thank our amazing fans at Penn State. We Are!”

Barkley is the first Penn State player to win the award since its creation in 2010, and is the second consecutive Big Ten player to win after former Michigan star Jabrill Peppers took home the trophy last season.

“I am thrilled for Saquon to join this elite list of Paul Hornung Award winners,” head coach James Franklin said. “I couldn’t be more proud of Saquon and everything he has accomplished at Penn State. In my 22 years of coaching, I have never coached or seen a player who can affect the game the way Saquon Barkley does. The Hornung Award is not only honoring the most versatile player in college football, but is also recognizing one of the best people in college football.”