Northwestern Football: Jeremy Larkin proving he’s among Big Ten’s best
Another big week from junior Northwestern football running back Jeremy Larkin puts him among the best offensive players to watch in the Big Ten early.
It was a very tough week for Northwestern football in what was another tough matchup for the second straight week. To start the 2018 campaign, the Wildcats traveled to face head coach Jeff Brohm’s Purdue Boilermakers in what amounted to a weeknight victory. Things looked promising for Northwestern in a key Week 2 matchup against another Power Five opponent in the Duke Blue Devils out of the ACC.
Under head coach Pat Fitzgerald, Northwestern was once again hoping to be one of the most underrated teams in the Big Ten and reach double-digit wins when it’s all said and done. Talented quarterback and NFL prospect Clayton Thorson and starting running back Jeremy Larkin led the Northwestern offense into the home opener against a tough David Cutcliffe coached Duke squad.
The junior Larkin might be the most talented and versatile player that Northwestern has on offense. While Thorson had a rough game in the 21-7 loss to the Blue Devils in completing 22 of his 38 passing attempts for less than 200 yards and no touchdowns, Larkin was a different story.
For the second straight week, Larkin racked up more than 100 rushing yards and made a big impact in the receiving game. He rushed for 121 yards on 24 carries for one touchdown. Larkin also added another 55 receiving yards on seven catches. He had the only touchdown for Northwestern on the day.
In a game where Duke starting quarterback Daniel Jones took over with three passing touchdowns and no interceptions, you can’t forget about Larkin. Whatever offensive success Northwestern is ultimately able to find this fall could be chalked up to him.
A Big Ten that is filled with running back talent needs to include a new name among its ranks. The likes of Wisconsin Badgers running back Jonathan Taylor, Ohio State Buckeyes’ J.K. Dobbins, and Miles Sanders of the Penn State Nittany Lions needs to have Larkin included.
Clayton Thorson shaky in loss to Duke. dark. Next
He’s proved thus far that he can not only create his own offense but lead the way for a solid program that will now be looking to bounce back from a tough Week 2 loss against an emerging Duke team. Larkin should continue to gain national recognition as the season moves along.