EIU's Shepard Little Garners Honor

PHILADELPHIA – Eastern Illinois sophomore running back Shepard Little was the Sports Network co-National Offensive Player of the Week after helping power the Panthers to the 2013 Ohio Valley Conference Championship.  Little helped EIU set two school records during the 52-14 win over Jacksonville State.

Little ran for 245 yards as part of a school record 413 yard rushing day by the Panther offense.  Little’s 245 personal day ranks as the fifth best single game rushing total in school history as he became the 11th running back in school history with 1,000 yards in a season.  In the Panthers 35 point first quarter, Little was involved in the first four touchdowns as he rushed for two scores, had one touchdown reception and one touchdown pass.  He became the first OVC player since 2011 to have a rushing, passing and receiving touchdown in the same game.  The 35 points in the first quarter set an EIU record for points in a quarter, breaking the previous mark of 30 set in 1982.

EIU improved to 10-1 on the year, 7-0 in the OVC.  The Panthers will play their final regular-season game at UT Martin this Saturday with a 1 p.m. game on ESPN3.

Little now leads the OVC in rushing with 1,186 yards.  He is seventh nationally in all-purpose yards as Little has scored touchdowns in four different ways this year with two punt returns for touchdown earlier in the season.

He becomes the third EIU player to win National Player of the Week honors joining Alex McNulty (Defensive) and Jimmy Garoppolo (Offensive twice).