Adding in that Spencer was lineman of the week!!!
Offense
WR Lance Lenoir, Western Illinois, 6-0, 190, So., Crete (Ill.) Monee High
Lenoir set career-highs with 12 receptions totaling 195 yards, and he matched his personal-best of two touchdown receptions as Western nearly upset No. 9 Illinois State. Lenoir caught 2 TD passes for the second straight week after no TD catches in the season. He also surpassed the 1,000 yard mark for his career, and now has 1,192 yards. Lenoir moved into a tie for 10th place all-time at Western with 11 TD catches. His 12 catches matched the best in the FCS this weekend, and his 195 receiving yards were fourth-best.
Defense
DE Kyle Emanuel, North Dakota State, 6-3, Sr., 251, Schuyler (Neb.) Central High
Four of Emanuel’s five tackles went for negative yards in NDSU’s 34-17 home win over 22nd-ranked Indiana State. Emanuel had 2.5 sacks totaling 18 yards and 3.5 tackles for loss totaling 21 yards, plus two quarterback hurries as the Bison’s top-ranked defense held Indiana State to 2 of 12 on third down, 0 yards in the first quarter, and just 96 yards through three quarters.
Special Teams
P Chris Sullens, Missouri State, 6-0, 181, Jr., Camdenton (Mo.) High
Sullens was the difference maker in MSU’s homecoming win over South Dakota, helping the Bears dominate the field position battle throughout the day at Plaster Stadium. Six of Sullens’ seven punts were downed inside the Coyotes’ 20-yard line, giving USD an average field position of their own 19 for the game. Sullens finished with a 40.4 punting average on the afternoon, including a career-long 74-yard boot in the second quarter -- the fourth-longest kick in MSU history and second-longest in the Valley this season. The long punt was just one yard shy of tying the Missouri State record, achieved last by Jordan Chiles in 2009.
Newcomer
QB Hunter Wells, Youngstown State, 6-5, 195, Fr., Navarre (Ohio) Fairless High
In his first conference start, Wells completed 21-of-28 passes for 269 yards and a touchdown in a 26-14 win over Southern Illinois. Wells had a first-quarter toss of nine yards to Jelani Berassa and YSU led 17-0 at halftime. The Salukis crept within 20-14, but he engineered a seven-play, 62-yard drive for the game clincher in the fourth quarter. Wells improved to 2-0 as a starter this season.
Offensive Lineman
RT Justin Spencer, Youngstown State, 6-5, 295, Fr., Indiana (Pa.) High
Spencer led YSU with five knockdown blocks and had his highest grade for the season. He also had no missed assignments per the coaching staff. QB Hunter Wells threw for 269 yards completing 21-of-28 passes while Martin Ruiz ran for 108 yards. YSU had 465 yards of total offense and averaged 6.3 yards per play. YSU had 269 passing and 196 in the game. As a unit, the line allowed just one sack and no pressures against SIU, which entered the game with 24 sacks on the year.
Other Nominees of Note
OFFENSE
WR A.J. Johnson, INS -- Caught seven passes for 120 yards, including one TD at No. 1 North Dakota State. Johnson made a pair of leaping grabs of over 20 yards at the end of the first half which resulted in a FG.
TB Jody Webb, YSU -- Had two scores in the Penguins’ 26-14 win over Southern Illinois. Webb scored on a 19-yard run early in the second quarter and then put the game away with a nine-yard run with 8:31 left
QB Kierra Harris, MSU -- Had a career-high 90 rush yards vs. USD and had 143 pass yards on just 8 completions -- 3 for TDs -- to average 17.9 yards per completion. Accounted for 233 of the Bears’ 431 yards.
WR Zach Vraa, NDSU -- Made a career-high nine pass receptions and caught his first two touchdowns of the year in No. 1-ranked North Dakota State’s 34-17 home win over Indiana State.
RB David Johnson, UNI -- Led the Panthers in rushing yards with 78 yards on nine carries with two touchdowns and also tied for the lead in receiving yards with 43.
WR Tay Willis, SIU -- caught four passes for 97 yards and a touchdown in SIU’s loss to Youngstown State on Saturday. Willis had three of his four catches and 86 of his 97 yards in the second half.
WR Jason Schneider, SDSU -- Caught a game-high nine passes for 117 yards, including an acrobatic 40-yard reception on the SDSU’s winning drive late in the fourth, as South Dakota State defeated UNI, 31-28.
TE James O’Shaughnessy, ILS -- Caught two second-half TDs, as ISU erased a 21-point deficit. For the game, he had four catches for 94 receiving yards and tied a career-high with the two touchdown grabs.
DEFENSE
DE David Perkins, ILS- Intercepted a pass at the line of scrimmage and returned it 14 yards to the WIU 32-yard line with 2:28 seconds left in the game. That turnover led to the game-winning field goal.
LB Brett McMakin, UNI -- Career-high 14 tackles, including eight solo, six assisted and sack for a loss of eight yards. The 14 tackles also served as a game-high for both teams.
FS Donald D’Alesio, YSU -- Finished with five tackles and had an interception vs. SIU. Recorded three solos and two assists and his third-quarter interception led to a YSU field goal.
DB David McDaniel, WIU -- Recorded eight tackles, a fumble recovery and interception in the Illinois State game. His fumble recovery eventually led to a WIU touchdown in the second quarter.
LB Dylan Cole, MSU -- Matched a career high with 12 total stops in the Bears’ homecoming win over South Dakota. His 5 solo tackles against the Coyotes was a game high
DB Donovan Layne, INS -- recorded 12 total tackles, including one quarterback sack and a tackle for a loss at No. 1 North Dakota State. Layne posted the only quarterback sack of the game for the Sycamores
DE Jack Sherlock, SDSU -- Sherlock led a solid effort by the Jackrabbit defensive line with six total tackles, including 3.5 for loss and two sacks in South Dakota State’s 31-28 win at Northern Iowa on Oct. 31.
Blake Miller, SIU -- had five tackles and a sack in SIU’s loss to Youngstown State. Starting his 14th-straight game, Miller had four solo tackles and got SIU’s lone sack in the loss.
SPECIAL TEAMS
K Adam Keller, NDSU -- Keller booted field goals of 19 yards and a career-long 50 yards to stake NDSU to a 6-0 lead in an eventual 34-17 home win over 22nd-ranked Indiana State. He made 4 of 4 PAT kicks and is now 24 of 24 this season with a streak of 83 straight that ranks seventh in MVFC history.
PK Justin Syrovatka, SDSU -- Connected on the game-winning 44-yard field goal with 1:47 to play as South Dakota State downed Northern Iowa, 31-28, Oct. 18 at the UNI-Dome. Syrovatka has now made 8-of-9 field goals this season and has made at least one field goal in all seven games this season
P Logan Bieghler, UNI -- Had six punts for 283 yards and a career-high average of 47.2. He grabbed a season-long 51-yard punt during the game, finishing with one punt landing inside the 20-yard-line and another for a touchback.
P Osborn Umeh, INS -- Punted seven times for 325 yards – an average of 46.4 yards per punt. He booted three punts of over 50 yards in Fargodome and pinned NDSU inside its own 20 twice. Had a long of 56
RS Tay Willis, SIU -- Posted 113 yards on kickoff returns in SIU’s loss to Youngstown State on Saturday. Willis had six returns and a long of 29 yards.
PK Nick Aussieker, ILS -- Connected on a 34-yard field goal as time expired to give the Redbirds the win in dramatic fashion for the second week in a row. Aussieker also added four extra points in five tries.
NEWCOMER
P Osborn Umeh, INS -- also nominated at Special Teams
QB Tre Roberson, ILS -- Bounced back from a rough first half, where he committed three turnovers, to lead his team to victory. In the second half, was 14-of-19 and accounted for four TDs vs. Western Illinois.
QB Mark Iannotti, SIU -- went 12-for-22 with 149 yards and two touchdowns in SIU’s loss to Youngstown State. Was 10 of his 14 for 131 yards and both scores in the second half.
WR Malik Earl, MSU -- Scored his first career TD in dramatic fashion with a 53-yard catch and run in the first quarter -- MSU’s longest scoring play of the season. Finished with a game-high 72 receiving yards.
WR/RS Quadarias Mireles, WIU -- Mireles caught two passes for 24 yards and had the two longest kickoff returns by WIU this season, 42 and 38 yards, in the Illinois State game. He had 104 all-purpose yards.
