Gannon University Athletics

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

• Don Hansen NCAA Division II All-America honorable mention team (2021)
• All-PSAC West first team running back (2021)
• Two-time PSAC West Offensive Athlete of the Week (10/16/21, 10/23/21)

 
Enters final season ranked tenth in career rushing with 2,035 yards and is tenth in career rushes with 372 … has 13 career rushing touchdowns, which is 12th … ranks sixth in career yards per carry (5.5).

2021: Started all 11 games, finishing as the second-leading rusher in the PSAC with 1,187 yards on 192 carries, a 6.2 yard average, with 9 TDs … added 12 receptions for 103 yards and 2 TDs … earned first team All-PSAC West honors … was named the PSAC West Offensive Athlete of the Week twice, following games against Seton Hill and Edinboro … ranked among the national leaders in several categories … ranked 18th in Div. II and second in PSAC in rushing yards per game (107.9), was 19th nationally and first in the PSAC in yards per carry (6.2), along with 19th in rushing yards (1,187) … the 1,187 yards ranks fifth in a season, while the 192 carries is ninth and the 6.2 yard average is 11th … had five games with 100-or-more yards, including a season-high 239 yards on 29 carries with 2 TDs against Edinboro … set career high for yards rushing against the Fighting Scots while posting the 13th-highest total in Gannon history … had 195 yards on 25 carries with a touchdown at Seton Hill, and finished the season with career-high 34 carries, the ninth-highest single-game total, for 176 yards at East Stroudsburg … ran for 169 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries at Bloomsburg … posted second career 100-yard effort in season opener at Northwood, rushing for 102 yards on 16 carries with a touchdown … scored two TDs on the ground against Clarion while rushing for 96 yards on 14 carries, and caught a pair of touchdown passes at Indiana(Pa.) while catching 4 passes for 51 yards.

2020: Appeared in three games, making two starts at running back … led the team in rushing touchdowns (3), rushing yards per game (67.7) and rushing yards per attempt (4.6) … carried 44 times for 203 yards on the season … also caught one pass for 58 yards … scampered for 142 yards, his first career 100-yard game, in the season opener against Davenport, doing so on 23 carries and adding a touchdown … also added a 58-yard reception in that game to hit 200 all-purpose yards in the game … closed the shortened season with 54 yards and two touchdowns in an overtime victory over Mercyhurst.
 
2019: Appeared in eight games, making seven starts at running back … led the team in rushing yards per game (57.5) and rushing yards per attempt (4.9) … carried 94 times for 460 yards and two touchdowns on the season … also caught 13 passes for 146 yards and a touchdown … topped 80 yards rushing in four games, including twice putting up a career-high 93 yards and a touchdown against West Chester and Clarion … eclipsed 100 yards from scrimmage in three straight games, including 131 (83 rushing, 48 receiving) against Kutztown, and 132 (93 rushing, 39 receiving) against Clarion.
 
2018: Appeared in nine games, making one start at running back … carried 42 times for 185 yards, averaging 4.4 yards per attempt … also served as the team’s primary kickoff returner, returning 24 kicks for 586 yards, an average of 24.4 per return, a mark that put him 48th in the nation … ran for a season-high 91 rushing yards in just his third career game against Kutztown on 15 carries.
 
High School: Played for head coach Patrick Carey at North Hills (Pa.) High School … was the leading 5A rusher in the WPIAL … named to the all-conference first team … broke North Hills’ single-season rushing record … served as a team captain … named to the honor roll.
 
Personal: Business major … the son of Tiffanie and Melvin Blanks Sr. … has one brother.
 
Career Highs
Rushes: 34 at East Stroudsburg (11/13/21)
Rushing Yards: 239 vs. Edinboro (10/23/21)
Rushing Touchdowns: 2 vs. Edinboro (10/23/21), vs. Mercyhurst (4/24/21)
Longest Rush: 55 at Bloomsburg (9/18/21)
Receptions: 5 at Kutztown (9/21/19)
Receiving Yards: 58 vs. Davenport (3/20/21)
Receiving Touchdowns: 2 at Indiana(Pa.) (10/2/21)
Longest Reception: 58 vs. Davenport 3/20/21)
Kickoff Returns: 6 at West Chester (9/8/18)
Kickoff Return Yards: 153 at West Chester (9/8/18)
Longest Kickoff Return: 39 vs. Mercyhurst (10/27/18)
All-Purpose Yards: 244 vs. Edinboro (10/23/21)