STATE COLLEGE, P.A.— Penn State great Evan Royster is the team’s honorary captain for today’s Senior Day matchup against Michigan State at Beaver Stadium.
Evan Royster in the house.
Penn State’s all-time leading rusher is today’s honorary captain.
— Joe Smeltzer (@joesmeltzer775) November 26, 2022
Royster is Penn State’s all-time leading rusher, breaking Curt Warner’s record in a 2010 win over Michigan at Beaver Stadium. He played at Penn State from 2007 to 2010 and eclipsed 1,000 yards in three seasons.
His best season came in 2008. That year, Royster rushed for 1,236 yards, 12 touchdowns and averaged 6.5 yards per carry, all career-bests. Royster was a big reason Penn State finished the regular season 11-1, won the Big Ten and played in the Rose Bowl. The game that clinched that Rose Bowl berth took place against Sparty at Beaver Stadium. Royster rushed for 79 yards on 12 carries, helping Penn State pound Michigan State 49-18. No Big Ten championship game existed before the 2011 season, so Penn State was Pasadena bound after winning the Land Grant Trophy.
After ’08, Rosyter broke 1,000 yards in each of his last two seasons, helping Penn State to an 11-2 record and a Capitol One Bowl win over LSU his junior year. After Royster’s final year at Penn State, the Washington Redskins selected him in the sixth round of the 2011 NFL draft. He played three seasons in Washington and tried to catch on with the Atlanta Falcons in 2015 but went on season-ending injured reserve weeks after being signed in August. That was the end of his NFL career.
Royster rushed for more yards at Penn State than greats such as Warner, Saquon Barkley, Blair Thomas, Curtis Enis, D.J. Dozier, Larry Johnson, Lydell Mitchell and Ki-Jana Carter.
