The Big Ten named freshman wide receiver Charles Rogers and senior punter Craig Jarrett Big Ten Players of the Week on Monday for their efforts in MSU’s 17-10 win over Notre Dame.
Rogers was named co-offensive player of the week along with Northwestern’s Damien Anderson and Jarrett was named the special teams player of the week.
Rogers’ 116-yard performance Saturday was the first 100-yard plus execution by an MSU receiver since former Spartan Plaxico Burress in the 2000 Citrus Bowl.
Rogers caught four passes including a 47-yard game-winning hit from senior quarterback Ryan Van Dyke with 7:51 left in the fourth quarter.
“It hasn’t really hit me yet,” Rogers said. “I’m just going to sleep on it and smile.”
After having four of his punts blocked in MSU’s opener against Central Michigan on Sept. 8, Jarrett averaged 49.8-yards a punt against the Fighting Irish.
That average included two 71- yarders. And the best news - none of his punts were blocked.
It just took MSU a game to work out the kinks in its punt protection, Jarrett said.
“If you recall, last year Marshall blocked our first two punts of the year and then we played Missouri the following week and had no problems at all,” he said.
But Central Michigan’s James King didn’t just block punts, he tied the team and individual NCAA Division I-A record for most blocked punts in a game.
“I was trying to go for the record,” Jarrett said.
“But we didn’t punt anymore, so I was like damn. I wanted to be that Jeopardy question - ‘So-and-so from Central Michigan set the record, who was the punter?’”
