Hardy receives weekly award from Big Ten

Penn State senior Daequan Hardy shared the Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week honor after he returned two punts for touchdowns against Massachusetts, it was announced Monday.

Hardy had a 56-yard punt return in the first quarter and a 68-yard return in the third quarter of the Nittany Lions’ 63-0 win over the Minutemen. He had never returned a punt previously in his college career.

He became the first Penn State player with two punt return TDs in a game and tied the season record of two that is held by Jimmy Cefalo (1977), O.J. McDuffie (1991), Bruce Branch (1999) and Larry Johnson Jr. (2001).

Hardy joined Iowa’s Kevonte Martin-Manley (2013 vs. Western Michigan) as the only Big Ten players since 2000 with two punt returns for touchdowns in a game.

He shared the special teams honor with Iowa punter Tory Taylor, who averaged 50.6 yards per kick in the Hawkeyes’ 15-6 win over Wisconsin.

Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy was named the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week, and Illinois linebacker Seth Coleman was selected as the Defensive Player of the Week.

Illinois running back Kaden Feagin was named the Freshman of the Week.

Indiana game set: Penn State’s home game Oct. 28 against Indiana will have a noon kickoff and will be televised by CBS, it was announced Monday.

Philadelphia Phillies play-by-play announcer Tom McCarthy will call the game with Jason McCourty and Tiffany Blackmon.

The only remaining Nittany Lions games yet to have a kickoff time are Nov. 4 at Maryland and Nov. 18 against Rutgers at Beaver Stadium.

Penn State will play at Ohio State at noon Saturday in a game televised by FOX, which also has its home game at noon Nov. 11 against Michigan.

The Lions will finish the regular season against Michigan State at 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 25 at Ford Field in Detroit in a game that will be televised by NBC.