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FCS Conference Players of the Week
All 14 league honors.
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BSC:
Montana quarterback Andrew Selle, Weber State QB Cameron Higgins and Eastern Washington running back Taiwan Jones all sharing the honor. For the second straight week, Eastern Washington linebacker J.C. Sherritt is the Defensive Player of the Week. Portland State’s Aaron Woods is the Special Teams Player of the Week.
OFFENSE
Montana quarterback Andrew Selle, a 6-foot-2, 219-pound junior from Billings, Mont., completed 29-of-38 passes (.763 percent) for a career-high 349 yards and three touchdowns in Montana’s 41-34 overtime victory over Northern Arizona. Selle threw a 45-yard touchdown pass to Sam Gratton with 2:37 to play in regulation to give UM a 34-31 lead. He tossed a 25-yard TD pass to Tyler Palmer on the first play of overtime for the game-winning touchdown. This is Selle’s first Player of the Week.
Weber State QB Cameron Higgins, a 6-2, 195-pound junior from Kai, Hawai’i, completed 31-of-47 passes (.660 percent) for 410 yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions in Weber State’s 36-29 road win over Portland State. Higgins led the Wildcats on a six-play, 84-yard drive in 55 seconds, hitting Tim Toone for a 38-yard touchdown with 17 seconds remaining on a fourth-and-3 play. Higgins, a candidate for the Walter Payton Award, completed 4-of-7 passes for 75 yards on the game-winning drive. This is Higgins’ fourth Player of the Week honor.
Eastern Washington running back Taiwan Jones, a 6-foot-1, 185-pound sophomore from Antioch, Calif., rushed for a career-high 190 yards on just 15 carries and scored four touchdowns in EWU’s 56-30 victory over Sacramento State. Jones averaged 12.7 yards per carry and scored on runs of 38, 37, 12 and 7 yards. He also caught one pass for 20 yards and finished with 279 all-purpose yards.
DEFENSE
Eastern Washington linebacker J.C. Sherritt, a 5-10, 210-pound junior from Pullman, Wash., recorded 15 tackles – 2.5 for loss – forced two fumbles and recovered a fumble in the Eagles’ victory over Sacramento State. Sherritt has moved into sixth in the nation in tackles per game with an average of 13.0, which leads the Big Sky. Sherritt ranks eighth nationally in tackles for loss per game with 1.88. This is his second Player of the Week honor.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Portland State’s Aaron Woods, a 5-6, 180-pound senior from Portland, Ore., returned a kick 97 yards for a touchdown and finished with 202 kick return yards in Portland State’s near upset of Weber State. Woods’ 97-yard kick return, the second KOR TD of his career, came near the end of the third quarter and closed Weber State’s lead to 28-17. Woods also caught five passes for 128 and caught two touchdowns. Woods’ second TD reception gave PSU a 29-28 lead with 1:15 to play. Woods finished the game with 330 all-purpose yards, the 14-best single-game effort in league history.
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BSO:
OFFENSE
VMI quarterback Kyle Hughes (Williamsburg, Va.)
In his second start of the season, Hughes accounted for all four of VMI’s touchdowns and amassed 274 yards of offense (133 rushing, 141 passing) in the Keydets’ 38-28 loss at No. 1 Richmond. He gave VMI an early 7-0 lead on a 44-yard touchdown pass to Tim Maypray, then brought the Keydets to within seven points late in the second quarter with a touchdown pass to Mario Scott. Hughes scored on a 1-yard touchdown run in the third quarter, then added a 66-yard TD rush and two-point conversion in the fourth stanza for VMI’s final points of the day. Hughes led VMI to its most points vs. Richmond since 1995, and the most points allowed by the Spiders in their last 12 games.
DEFENSE
Coastal Carolina linebacker E.J. Brown (Goose Creek, S.C.)
Brown recorded a career-best five tackles in Coastal Carolina’s 28-7 win over North Carolina A&T, including a pair of solo stops, a half-sack for minus-9 yards, and his first career interception. Brown’s 29-yard interception return in the second quarter set up the Chanticleers’ second score of the contest, one of two plays he made that ended A&T drives.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Liberty punter Mike Larsson (Monroe, N.C.)
Larsson averaged 41.4 yards on five punts and placed three inside the 20-yard line against No. 6 James Madison. He battled rainy conditions all night in posting his first career game with a 40.0 punting average. Larsson pinned JMU at its own 2, 13 and 5-yard lines during the night, and booted a career-long 50-yarder in the third quarter. He had a net average of 40.6 yards, and the Dukes managed just two returns for four yards.
FRESHMAN
Stony Brook linebacker Kenny Tuiloma (Long Beach, Calif.)
Tuiloma responded in his first career start with a career-high 12 tackles and an interception at No. 15 UMass. His interception and 27-yard return in the second quarter set up Stony Brook’s second touchdown of the game that brought the Seawolves to within four points of the Minutemen.
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CAA:
Offensive Player of the Week - R.J. Archer, QB, William and Mary
Archer earned CAA Football Offensive Player of the Week honors after registering a career-high 313 yards passing by completing 23-of-37 attempts in the fifth-ranked Tribe’s win over Delaware, 30-20. The Earlysville, Va., native got his night started with a 91-yard touchdown completion to junior Chase Hill for first scoing play of the game. Archer’s toss marked the longest completion in Tribe history, besting the previous mark of 87 yards set in 2004 by Lang Campbell (Dominique Thompson). The senior went on to complete passes to seven different receivers on the evening, including one more TD-toss to Hill.
Offensive Player of the Week - Eric Ward, QB, Richmond
Ward notched CAA Football Offensive Player of the Week recognition after completing 28-of-39 passes for a career-best 394 yards and three touchdowns in No. 1 Richmond’s 38-28 win over VMI Saturday. The Atlanta, Ga., native posted the second-best passing yardage total in school history, upped his career-highs in completions and attempts, and connected on 17 passes of 10-or-more yards. Ward completed TD-passes to three different receivers on the day, including a 53-yard toss to sophomore Donte Boston, and had two wideouts go over the 100-yard receiving mark for the first time since 2005.
Defensive Player of the Week - Arthur Moats, DL, James Madison
Moats, the CAA Football Defensive Player of the Week, was part of No. 7 James Madison’s defense which led the Dukes to a 24-10 win over No. 25 Liberty on the road. Moats, a Portsmouth, Va., native made a team-best nine tackles, including three for a loss of nine yards. The senior also recorded one of JMU’s two sacks on the night, and forced a fumble. Moats and the Dukes’ defense limited the Flames’ offense, averaging better than 325 yards/game, to just 217 in the contest and only 96 on the ground.
Special Teams Player of the Week - Matt Goff, P, James Madison
Goff, the CAA Football Special Teams Player of the Week, played an important role in the field-position battle during No. 7 James Madison’s 24-10 win over No. 25 Liberty. The Fairfax, Va., native totalled three punts on the night for an average of 46.3 yards. The junior’s biggest boot of the night came with just over seven minutes left in the game. Goff, pinned against the back of the endzone, punted the ball 65 yards to the Liberty 29-yardline and forced the Flames to drive the length of the field. The 65-yard punt marked the eighth-longest punt in James Madison history.
Rookie of the Week - Perry McIntyre, LB, Massachusetts
McIntyre earned Rookie of the Week honors after helping No. 15 Massachusetts to a 44-17 win over Stony Brook Saturday. The Royal Palm Beach, Fla., native made a team-high eight tackles, including one for a loss of three yards. The true freshman was part of a Minuteman defense which gave up just 229 yards of offense to the Seawolves, including just 97 yards after halftime.
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GWC:
Offensive
QB Noah Shepard - South Dakota (6-2, 215, Sr., Thornton, Colo.)
South Dakota quarterback Noah Shepard continued on his assault of the Coyote record book in the Coyote’s 44-13 FCS win over Southeastern Lousiana on Saturday in the Dakotadome. Shepard went 21 for 29 for 259 yards and two touchdowns to tie the USD career touchdown passes mark. He also rushed for 96 yards and two touchdowns as South Dakota scored 30 points in the second half to break open a one-point lead at the half.
Defensive
CB Kenneth Brown - UC Davis (5-10, 180, Sr., Paramount, Calif.)
Cornerback Kenneth Brown helped set up two Aggie touchdowns with an interception (first of his career) and a forced fumble as UC Davis defeated Western Oregon 29-13 for its first win of the season. Brown was also credited with three solo tackles and two pass breakups. His interception came in the second quarter at the Western Oregon 27 which he returned 25 yards to the 2 in the second quarter. Brown was credited with a forced fumble late in the half which UC Davis recovered at the WOU 11. Bakari Grant would later score on a TD pass from Greg Denham. He also chipped in on special teams with a blocked PAT attempt by WOU in the third quarter.
Special Teams
WR Ismael Bamba - North Dakota (6-0, 188, So., Montreal, Quebec)
On UND’s second possession of the game, Ismael Bamba caught a Stephen F. Austin kickoff at the five yard line, dropped it, picked it back up and, after dodging tackles for 25 yards, found open field on the way to the endzone. Bamba’s 95-yard TD kick return tied Tracy Martin (1984-86) for the third longest return for a touchdown in UND history and it was the second-longest in Great West history. Bamba led the Fighting Sioux offensively with 347 all-purpose yards (the most from either side of the ball, 223 of those yards coming on kick returns.
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IVY:
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Harvard junior quarterback COLLIER WINTERS (Claremore, Okla.) accounted for all three Crimson touchdowns in a 24-21 win over Brown in a matchup between the defending Ivy League champions. Winters completed 18 of 27 passes for 223 yards and two touchdowns of 15 and 30 yards while also running for a game-high 51 yards including a three-yard touchdown run. He averaged 5.1 yards per carry on 13 attempts.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Cornell junior safety ANTHONY AMBROSI (Newton, Mass.) recorded four tackles all in the second half, including two for a loss, three pass breakups and a 20-yard interception return for a touchdown that provided the winning points in the Big Red’s 14-12 win at Yale. Making his first career start, Ambrosi’s pick six with 6:18 left in the third quarter was Cornell’s first defensive score since the injured player he replaced, Frank Morand, found paydirt from 72 yards away in a 2007 win over Colgate. A converted running back, he forced a second-half punt by knocking down a pass, scored on the interception on the next possession and forced another punt with a fourth-quarter pass breakup. He led a defense that allowed less than 300 yards of offense to the Bulldogs and hounded Yale quarterback Patrick Witt into a 21-of-54 passing day that included 11 Cornell pass breakups in the secondary and three interceptions.
SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Yale senior punter/placekicker TOM MANTE (Westford, Mass.) tied the Ivy League record with a 54-yard field goal in the Bulldogs’ 14-12 Loss to Cornell. His long boot came on the final play of the first half and brought Yale to within a point (7-6) of the Big Red. Mante now shares the league mark with five others, but no kicker had reached from that distance since Penn’s Tim Mazzetti in 1976. He also connected on a 23-yarder in the first quarter, accounting for half of the Bulldogs’ points for the game. In his punting chores, Mante had a school-record 12 punts, including six inside the 20-yard line.
ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Penn freshman running back LYLE MARSH (Bethel Park, Pa.) led the game in rushing with twice as many yards as any other player and he did not touch the ball until the third quarter in the Quakers’ 20-17 overtime loss at Lafayette. Marsh rushed five times in a row to start the second half, single-handedly getting Penn from its own 36-yard line to the Lafayette six, which led to a Quaker touchdown. On the next drive, he rushed two more times for seven yards, setting up Penn’s long touchdown pass to tie the game at 17-17. He compiled 66 yards in the third quarter and 85 yards on 15 carries for the game, averaging 5.7 yards per rush.
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MEAC:
OFFENSE
Norfolk State Chris Bell (WR, 6-3, 210, r-Jr., Norfolk, Va.) recorded career highs in receptions and yards receiving in the Spartans victory over the Wildcats. He had the first 100-yard receiving game for the Spartans since 2007 and recorded a MEAC season high 213 yards on nine catches including two TDs. He caught three passes for over 20 yards, including a 62-yard TD.
DEFENSE
Will Croner of Howard (DE, 6-2, 280, Sr., Wilmington, Del.) recorded six tackles, three solo, with 1.5 for a loss of 12 yards. He also posted two sacks for a loss of 12 yards and intercepted a pass with two minutes remaining in the game to the seal Howard’s win over Georgetown.
DEFENSE
George Howard of Morgan State (LB, 6-1, 245, Sr., Chesapeake, Va.) collected 18 tackles, nine solo, with 1.5 for a loss of two yards. He also forced a fumble that aided MSU to a 12-9 win over Towson, the first for the Bears since 2003. Howard has shared the weekly honor for two weeks in a row.
ROOKIE
Tahree McQueen of Delaware State (RB, 5-10, 195, r-So., Paterson, N.J.) carried the ball 21 times for 102 yards in the Hornets 21-6 victory over the Hampton Pirates. He also caught three passes for 25 yards and finished with 127 all-purpose yards in the victory.
OFFENSIVE LINEMAN
Florida A&M’s Robert Okeafor (RT, 6-4, 320, Sr., Jacksonville, Fla.) aided the Rattlers that accounted for 402 yards of total offense. He graded out at 94-percent on his assignments with three pancake blocks and no sacks yielded.
SPECIAL TEAMS
DSU’s Nick Lochner (P, 6-1, 160, Sr., Webster, N.Y.) recorded six punts for 264 yards in the victory over the Pirates. He recorded two punts of 50-yards or more, including a season-best 60-yard boot. Two of his punts were fair caught and another three landed inside Hampton’s 20-yardline. Lochner also registered eight yards on the ground after picking up a botched snap and rushing for a first down that later led to the Hornets first touchdown of the game.
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MVFC:
Offense
RB Kyle Minett, South Dakota State, Jr., 5-10, 215, Ruthton (Minn.) R-T-R High
Minett rushed 21 times for a season-high 146 yards and scored two touchdowns in SDSU’s 38-17 win at Illinois State. He scored from 11 yards out in the second quarter, then broke off a career-long 64-yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter. In posting his ninth career 100-yard game, Minett moved into 10th place on the Jackrabbit career rushing chart with 2,134 yards.
Defense
DE Jake Steffen, South Dakota State, So., 6-5, 250, Mount Vernon (S.D.) High
Steffen recorded 10 tackles, including 3.5 for loss, and added an interception in the Jackrabbits’ 38-17 win at Illinois State. His interception and subsequent 24-yard return late in the second quarter shifted the momentum firmly in the Jackrabbits’ favor and set up a touchdown that put SDSU ahead 21-10 at halftime.
Special Teams
P Scott Ravanesi, Southern Illinois, Sr., 6-0, 195, Carol Stream (Ill.) Glenbard North High
SIU punter Scott Ravanesi averaged 46.4 yards on eight punts, and three were downed inside the 20-yard line in the Salukis’ 24-14 win against visiting North Dakota State. He had a long of 67, and two more of his punts were good for over 50 yards. The Salukis netted 41.4 yards on his eight punts and half of them were fair caught.
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NEC:
Offensive Player of the Week
David Sinisi, Monmouth
Sr., RB, 5-9, 200, Cedar Grove, NJ/Cedar Grove
Sinisi was responsible for three touchdowns (two rush, one pass) while producing the Northeast Conference’s highest single-game rushing total this season in a 31-28 road victory over Old Dominion. The Walter Payton Award candidate rushed a career-high 41 times for 216 yards, 109 of which came as the Hawks held the ball for nearly 90 percent of the fourth quarter (13:14). Sinisi converted four third-down situations in the final quarter alone. The 200-pound tailback averaged 5.3 yards per carry for the game including a 6.4 ypc clip in the final 15:00. After rushing for a pair of first-half touchdowns, Sinisi erased a 21-17 third-quarter deficit by throwing a 24-yard touchdown strike to Bobby Giles. Sinisi, the NCAA’s active scoring leader (366 pts.), became only the second player in NEC history to exceed 4,000 career rushing yards (Rick Sarille, Wagner 1996-99 [4,460]).
Defensive Player of the Week
Dave Nicomini, Albany
Sr., OLB, 6-3, 230, Newton, NJ/Kittatinny Regional
Nicomini made five tackles (2.0 TFL), recorded a sack, and broke up three passes to preserve Albany’s 22-9 victory over Sacred Heart. The veteran outside linebacker was especially effective in red zone situations, twice thwarting the NEC rival Pioneers on first-and-goal situations. With Sacred Heart facing a first down at Albany’s nine-yard line in the second quarter, Nicomini almost single-handedly prevented the Pioneers from reaching paydirt and limited them to a field goal. attempt. After breaking up a first-down pass, he sacked SHU quarterback Dale Fink two plays later. Nicomini stood tall at the goal line once again in the fourth quarter, stuffing the SHU ball carrier Garry Coles for a loss of one yard on a first-and-goal from the one-yard line. The opposition once again settled for a field goal.
Co-Special Teams Player of the Week
Roberto Rodriguez, Central Connecticut State
Sr., DL, 6-2, 235, Miami, FL/Christopher Columbus
Rodriguez blocked two kicks in helping Central Connecticut State to the Northeast Conference’s first-ever win over an Ivy League institution, a 22-13 come-from-behind road victory at Columbia. The senior defensive lineman prevented Columbia from extending its lead to 10-0 in the first quarter by stuffing a 31-yard field goal attempt. After Columbia’s second touchdown of the opening half, Rodriguez blocked the ensuing extra point attempt which Dominique Rose returned for a two-point score. Rodriguez, who has three blocked kicks to his credit this season, added five tackles and one sack on defense.
Co-Special Team Player of the Week
Frantz Placide, Wagner
Jr., DB, 6-2, 205, Miami, FL/Archbishop Curley
Placide scored his third special teams touchdown of the season during Wagner’s 56-48 league win over Saint Francis (PA). With Saint Francis (PA) holding a 31-27 lead and punting from its own end zone, Placide stuffed the kick and recovered it for a touchdown with 2:10 remaining in regulation. The lead was Wagner’s first since it led 7-3 in the first quarter. It was the second blocked punt he’s turned into a touchdown. He added six tackles (four solo) on defense.
Rookie of the Week
Nick Doscher, Wagner
Fr., QB, 6-1, 220, Staten Island, NY/Moore Catholic
Doscher accounted for 242 yards of total offense, 144 of which came on the ground, in Wagner’s three-overtime victory over Saint Francis (PA) which was the NEC opener for both teams. The freshman quarterback averaged 7.2 yards per carry and rushed for three touchdowns in contributing to the highest scoring game in the history of NEC play. Helping Wagner storm back from a 17-point deficit, Doscher scored second-half TDs on runs of five and one yards. Then, with the Seahawks behind in the second overtime, Doscher reached the end zone from six yards out to tie the game at 48-48. The rookie signal caller added another two points, converting in the third overtime after Dominique WIlliams’ game-winning touchdown.
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OVC:
OFFENSIVE
Ryan Perrilloux, QB • Sr., 6-3, 223 • LaPlace, La. • Jacksonville State
In the return to his home state, Perrilloux accounted for five touchdowns (four passing, one rushing) for the second straight week as Jacksonville State pounded Nicholls State 60-10. He finished the game 14-of-22 for 250 yards and four touchdowns (of 17, 44, 14 and 6 yards) and added 58 rushing yards and a score (38 yard rush) to account for 308 total yards of offense in just three quarters of play (he sat out the fourth quarter). He finished with a passing efficiency of 219.09, the third best total in school history. His 181.55 passing efficiency on the season is No. 1 nationally. He became the first Gamecock to post back-to-back five-touchdown games in school history. Perrilloux accounts for 22.00 points/game for his team, the third best total nationally. Perrilloux has been named OVC Offensive Player of the Week three straight weeks, marking the first time a player has done that since now Dallas Cowboy quarterback Tony Romo did for Eastern Illinois from Oct. 5-19, 2002.
DEFENSIVE
Bryan Blanfort, FS • Jr., 6-1, 190 • Miami, Fla. • Southeast Missouri
Blanfort netted a career-high 14 tackles, forced a fumble and had a pass breakup in Southeast Missouri’s 29-22 road loss at UT Martin. Blanfort recorded nine tackles in the first half along to help keep the Redhawks close. His crushing hit on a UTM back forced a fumble that led to a Southeast touchdown as the team pulled to within six points early in the fourth quarter.
SPECIALIST
Patrick Tatum, K/P • So., 6-2, 200 • Sylvania, Ala. • Jacksonville State
Tatum had a career game in handling all the kicking duties in Jacksonville State’s 60-10 road win over Nicholls State. As a punter he averaged a career-best 47.2 yards/punt on four punts, including booming a long of 55 yards. He pinned two of those punts inside the Nicholls 8-yard line (one at the 2-yard line). As a place kicker Tatum hit six extra points and had 10 kickoffs for a career-best average of 61.6 yards.
CO-NEWCOMER
Jake Christensen, QB • Grad., 6-1, 215 • Lockport, Ill. • Eastern Illinois
Christensen helped Eastern Illinois remain perfect on the season with a 30-20 road win over Austin Peay on Saturday. The transfer from Iowa started the game by going 10-of-11 with two touchdown passes as EIU built a 21-0 lead. Christensen finished the game 21-of-36 for 192 yards and those two scores. The win helped the Panthers improve to 4-0 for the first time since the 1996 season. Christensen was named Newcomer of the Week for the second straight week and it marks the third straight week an EIU player has earned the honor.
CO-NEWCOMER
Jamal Young, RS/RB • Jr., 5-7, 175 • Jackson, Miss. • Jacksonville State
Young finished with 217 all-purpose yards, including a 95-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, in Jacksonville State’s 60-10 road win over Nicholls State. Young had 130 yards on two kickoff returns, carried the ball 12 times for a team-high 65 yards and caught three passes for 22 yards. The 95-yard kickoff return for a score was the sixth longest in Jax State history. It was the longest scoring play of the season for the Gamecocks.
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PL:
Offensive Player of the Week
Greg Sullivan, Colgate Jr., QB, 6′1, 204, Monroe, N.Y./Monroe-Woodbury Sullivan had an outstanding game to give a Colgate a victory to open its Patriot League schedule, as he totaled 298 yards and three touchdowns in a 20-12 win over Fordham on Saturday. He carried the ball 21 times for 109 yards and a score, and completed 12-of-19 passes for 189 yards and two touchdowns. It was the fourth game of his career and second this season in which he passed and rushed for over 100 yards. Sullivan is eighth nationally in pass efficiency, 23rd in total offense and 30th in rushing yardage per game, helping the Raiders lead the FCS?in team rushing. He earns Patriot League Offensive Player of the Week honors for the second time this season and third in his career. It is the third straight week that a Colgate student-athlete claims the award.
Defensive Player of the Week
Michael Schmidlein, Lafayette Jr., LB, 6′1, 206, Chester, N.Y./Chester Academy Schmidlein recorded 16 tackles to help Lafayette limit Ivy League favorite Penn to just 17 points in a 20-17 overtime victory over the Quakers on Saturday. He also recorded a tackle for loss and pass breakup as the Leopards held Penn to just 2-of-13 on third-down conversions. Schmidlein leads the Patriot League and is seventh nationally with 11.7 tackles per game. He earns his first Defensive Player of the Week award.
Special Teams Player of the Week
Davis Rodriguez, Lafayette Jr., K, 5′11, 210, St. Petersburg, Fla./St. Petersburg Catholic Rodriguez hit 2-of-3 field goals, including the game-winner from 28 yards out in overtime, to help Lafayette to defeat Penn, 20-17, on Saturday. Rodriguez also connected on both of his extra-point attempts as he scored eight points on the evening. He had previously kicked the game-winner against Penn in an 8-7 triumph in 2007. Rodriguez earns his first Special Teams Player of the Week award this season and third of his career.
Rookie of the Week
Joseph Francis, Bucknell Fr., DB, 5′11, 190, Arlington, Texas/Juan Seguin Francis tallied a career-high nine tackles in his first career start to help Bucknell past Marist, 17-16, on Saturday. He was tied for the third on the team as the Bison held an opponent to the fewest points since the second game of the 2008 season. Francis earns his first Rookie of the Week award.
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PFL:
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Andrew Huck, Butler
Sophomore, Quarterback, Bloomington, Ind.
Huck followed disastrous first half with a remarkable second frame and led Butler to a 28-21 overtime victory at Morehead State, Saturday. Huck’s first half was forgettable as he completed 10-of-24 passes for 65 yards and threw three interceptions. However, he recovered to lead the come-from-behind effort with a 16-of-25, 143-yard, four-touchdown second half performance. His 22-yard touchdown on the second play of overtime gave Butler its first lead of the game. Huck finished the game completing 26-of-49 passes for 208 yards. It is his third “Offensive Player of the Week” citation this season.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Derek Harkness, Morehead State
Senior, Defensive Back, Acworth, Ga.
Harkness made Huck’s life miserable in the first half, intercepting a PFL record three passes and returned one for a touchdown in Morehead State’s 21-28 overtime loss, Saturday. Harkness’ returned his first interception 63 yards for a touchdown to give Morehead State a 14-0 lead. His second interception stopped Butler’s ensuing drive at the Morehead State six-yard line. He completed the trifecta with a pick in the opening moments of the second quarter. Harkness also was credited with two pass breakups for a total of five passes defensed. He is the third FCS player to record three interceptions in a game this season.
SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Jaquan Bryant, Marist
Sophomore, Return Specialist, Albans, N.Y.
Bryant returned two kickoffs for 84 yards, including a 73-yard dash to set up a Marist touchdown in its 17-16 loss at Bucknell, Saturday. His 73-yard return came after Bucknell took a 17-10 lead and set the Red Foxes offense up at the 17-yard line where they scored a touchdown three plays later. However, the potential game-tying extra-point attempt blocked, setting up the final score.
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SOCON:
CO-OFFENSIVE PLAYERS OF THE WEEK: Scott Riddle, Elon, Jr., QB and Bart Blanchard, The Citadel, Jr., QB
In a 28-14 win over Georgia Southern, Riddle passed for 338 yards and a touchdown while also adding a score on a 19-yard TD run. The junior, in just his 26th collegiate game, became the Southern Conference’s all-time leader in both passing yards (7,893) and pass completions (705). The Ramseur, N.C., native also set a SoCon record by extending his streak of passes without an interception to 218 before throwing a late interception.
Blanchard, The Citadel’s signal-caller, also had a record-setting day as he became just the fifth quarterback in league history to throw for six touchdowns passes in a game. The junior from Rock Hill, S.C., was 20-for-30 through the air for 263 yards and the six scores while also tossing two interceptions. Four of Blanchard’s TD passes went to All-American wide receiver Andre Roberts in the Bulldogs’ 46-21 win over Presbyterian.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: D.J. Smith, Appalachian State, Jr., LB
Smith recorded 16 tackles, including a half tackle for loss, in Appalachian State’s 20-7 win over Samford Saturday afternoon in Boone. He led an ASU defense that limited Samford to 192 yards of total offense, including just 71 in the first half. Originally from Charlotte, N.C., Smith leads the SoCon with 12.7 tackles per game in 2009.
FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK: Ryan Consiglio, Chattanooga, Fr., LB
Consiglio led the team in tackles for the second straight game with nine against Wofford, including four solo stops and one for loss. A native of Darien, Ga., he guided a UTC defensive effort that held Wofford to just nine points, its fewest in a SoCon game since 2006. The Mocs defense also held Wofford to just 151 yards rushing, which was more than 100 yards less than the Terriers’ average coming into the game.
SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Matthew Cesari, Furman, Sr., PK
Cesari was a perfect 7-for-7 on kicks, accounting for 15 points in Saturday’s 33-14 Southern Conference road win over Western Carolina in very wet conditions. The senior from Atlanta, Ga., was a perfect 4-for-4 on field goals and 3-for-3 on PATs. Cesari’s field goals covered 24, 34, 31, and 36 yards, and he has now made 6-of-7 field goals this year and 10 of his last 11 attempts.
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SLC:
Offensive Player of the Week: Vincent Pervis, Stephen F. Austin
Stephen F. Austin running back Vincent Pervis recorded career highs in carries and yards, totaling 154 yards on 17 carries in the Lumberjacks’ 65-31 victory over North Dakota on Saturday. The senior from Texas City, Texas (Texas City H.S.), averaged 9.1 yards per rush and also caught two passes for five yards. His rushing total is the most in the Southland this season. Stephen F. Austin leads the nation in scoring (55.0 points per game), passing offense (385.5 yards per game) and total offense (550.5 yards per game.
Defensive Player of the Week: Seth Thomas, McNeese State
McNeese State cornerback Seth Thomas intercepted two passes in a 42-32 loss at Tulane. The freshman from Orange, Texas (West Orange Stark H.S.), ran one back for 39 yards to the Tulane 32. His first pick halted a potential scoring drive and his second one set up a McNeese drive that went to the Tulane 17-yard line before the Cowboys lost the ball on a fumble. Thomas’ brother, Earl, a sophomore safety at Texas, was the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week this week after he had two interceptions in the Longhorns’ victory vs. UTEP on Saturday.
Special Teams Co-Player of the Week: Jeff Turner, Southeastern Louisiana, and Evan Engwall, Stephen F. Austin
Southeastern Louisiana kicker Jeff Turner booted a pair of field goals in the team’s 44-13 loss at South Dakota. The senior from Houston, Texas (Cy Creek H.S.), kicked a 52-yard field goal in the first quarter. The kick was the longest in school history and broke the previous mark (50 yards) set in 1969 by Roy Hurd against Louisiana-Lafayette. Turner added a 20-yard kick in the second quarter and an extra point that closed Southeastern to within 14-13 at halftime.
Stephen F. Austin kicker Evan Engwall earns his third player of the week honor this season after he scored a career-high 17 points in the Lumberjacks 65-31 victory over North Dakota. He was perfect 3-for-3 on his field goal tries, connecting from 30, 28 and 29 yards and converted all eight PATs.
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SWAC:
OFFENSIVE - QB Tim Buckley, Alcorn State; 6-1, 185, JR; Madison, MS
Buckley completed 25 of 40 passes for 408 yards and five touchdowns and one interception and rushed 18 times for 52 yards and one touchdown in the Braves’ 48-42 loss at Southern.
Buckley threw TD passes of 73 and 20 yards in the second quarter and had scoring passes of 31, 14, and 11 yards in the fourth quarter as well as a one-yard TD run in the fourth quarter. His five touchdowns passing is the highest in the FCS this season and his 460 yards total offense is the third highest in the FCS this season.
DEFENSIVE - DE Steven Williams, Southern; 6-1, 255; JR; Mobile, AL
Williams made five tackles (3 solo, including 1.5 TFL) and 1.5 sacks in Southern’s 48-42 win over Alcorn State.
Williams made a solo sack in the first quarter and combined with a teammate on a fourth-quarter sack as the Jaguars held off Alcorn State.
NEWCOMER - QB Arvell Nelson, Texas Southern; 6-4, 225; JR; Louisville, KY
Nelson completed 31 of 47 passes for 325 yards and one interception at Texas State.
Nelson led the Tigers on three scoring drives in setting individual career highs in completions, attempts and passing yards.
SPECIALIST - RB Byron Williams, Southern; 5-10, 185; SO; Clinton, LA
Williams averaged 37.8 yards on four kickoff returns, including a 91-yard kickoff return for touchdown in the fourth quarter of Southern’s win over Alcorn State.
It was the first KO return for touchdown by a SWAC player since 2008 when Grambling State’s David Stuckman returned a kickoff 91 yards in the SWAC Championship Game vs. Jackson State
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