Turning in a school-record passing performance in his collegiate debut earned Hutchinson Community College freshman quarterback Luke Barnes Jayhawk Conference Offensive Player of the Week honors, the league announced on Monday.
Playing for the first time in 22 months after transferring from Troy University to the Blue Dragons, Barnes threw for a school-record 459 yards and five touchdown passes in a 58-26 victory over No. 17 Coffeyville in the 2012 season opener on Saturday night at Gowans Stadium.
Barnes, a 6-foot-2, 192-pound freshman from Fort Walton Beach, Fla., competed 28 of 38 passes without an interception. He broke the old record of Greg Meinzer, who threw for 443 yards and a then-record five TD passes in the 2005 season opener against Dodge City.
Barnes threw touchdown passes of 50, 38, 11, 67 and 24 yards.
Barnes accounted for six total touchdowns. He also rushed for one score and a total of 21 yards.
Winning conference player of the week honors makes Barnes eligible for NJCAA national honors. That will be announced on Wednesday.
(HCC Sports Information)
