Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Abdulqaadir Named 'Offensive Back of the Year' by Football Gazette
01/29/2003 | 12:00:00 | Football
Jan. 29, 2003
Southern Illinois running back Mo Abdulqaadir was named the "Offensive Back of the Year" by Don Hansen's Football Gazette on Tuesday. He shared the award with Grambling quarterback Bruce Eugene, who averaged 386 yards per game of offense.
Abdulqaadir, a junior from St. Louis, Mo., was also named a First Team All-American by the Football Gazette.
In December, Abdulqaadir racked up numerous awards, including First Team All-American by The Sports Network and Gateway Conference "Newcomer of the Year."
He played in just eight games and missed the last three with a broken hand, yet he carried for 1,331 yards and a 6.8 average.
Abdulqaadir won four-straight ?Player of the Week? awards from the Gateway Conference and four-straight national awards for ?Player of the Week? from the Football Gazette. He set the school's single-season record for points scored (128), rushing touchdowns (20) and total touchdowns (21). He carried for more than 200 yards in four games, another school record, and had 312 rushing yards against Division I-A Eastern Michigan.
