Valley Football Players of the Week

by MVFC

Tuesday, Sep 8, 2015 8:17 am

Offense (Co)
QB Mark Iannotti, Southern Illinois, 6-2, 220, Sr., Schaumburg (Ill.) E. Michigan
 Iannotti piled up the most yards of total offense in the nation on Saturday with 517 in SIU’s 48-47 loss at Indiana. Iannotti threw four touchdowns and no interceptions, and he rushed for a score, as well. His 106 rushing yards led the team, and he became the first player to throw for more than 300 yards and rush for more than 100 yards in a game in school history. He completed 77 percent of his passes (24-for-31) while averaging 17 yards per completion. His passing efficiency (231.4) ranks third in the FCS.

WR Jake Wieneke, South Dakota State, 6-4, 205, So., Maple Grove (Minn.) High
 Wieneke helped the Jackrabbits to their first-ever win against an FBS program as he caught eight passes for 160 yards and two TDs in a 41-38 win at Kansas. Wieneke’s touchdown receptions covered 29 and 16 yards as the Jackrabbits scored on their first five offensive possessions. Wieneke, who tallied 109 receiving yards in the first quarter alone, posted his eighth 100-yard receiving game of his career, and he has now caught a TD pass in 12 of 15 career games, including 10 of the last 11.

Defense & Newcomer
S LeRoy Alexander, Youngstown State, 6-0, 195, Jr., Toledo (Ohio) Witmer High/Nebraska
 Alexander intercepted two passes in his YSU debut, returning one 41 yards for a touchdown. He also finished with nine tackles, including six solo stops. Both of his interceptions came in the second quarter. Alexander returned a pick nine yards on the second play of the second quarter. With YSU trailing 17-6, Alexander returned an interception 41 yards for a score with 48 seconds left in the first half to cut the deficit to four points.

Special Teams
WR Lance Lenoir, Jr., Western Illinois, 6-0, 200, Jr., Crete (Ill.) Crete Monee High
 Lenoir set a career-high with 280 all-purpose yards in the win over No. 25 Eastern Illinois. Lenoir finished six yards of tying for the eighth-most all-purpose yards in a game in WIU history. His 71-yard kickoff return was the longest by a Leatherneck in four years, while is 42-yard return matched the longest since 2009. Two of his returns led to a WIU touchdown. He also recorded his seventh career 100-yard receiving game (10 catches/124 yards), moving to within one of tying the career record. He moved into eighth place all-time in receiving yards and tied for fifth in TD receptions.

Offensive Line
Ethan Wirth was the top graded offensive lineman as Southern Illinois piled up 659 yards of total offense at Indiana on Saturday afternoon. Wirth graded out at 86 percent overall, including 90 percent on pass plays and 83 percent on running plays. SIU ran for 248 yards (5.4 yards per rush) and passed for 411 more. Wirth’s O-Line led the charge for SIU’s 659 yards of total offense, the most by SIU against a Division I team since 1970. SIU set school records against FBS foes for points (47) and total yards (659).


Other Notable Player of the Week Submissions
OFFENSE
TB Jody Webb, YSU -- 17 rushes for 127 yards and a pair of TDs vs. Pitt. Scored on runs of 27 and 75 yards in the second half. He also caught two passes for 21 yards.

WR Lance Lenoir Jr., WIU -- earned Special Teams Player of the Week honors

RB LeMonte Booker, INS -- Had a career-high 137 yards rushing on 11 carries (12.5 YPC) for three touchdowns on the ground – doubling his career total. He also caught a screen pass and ran it in 24 yards for a TD.

QB Carson Wentz, NDSU -- Accounted for four TDs at Montana going 16 of 28 passing for 198 yards and two TDs and rushing 13 times for 70 yards and a pair of scores. He completed passes to eight different receivers.

DEFENSE
LB Brett Taylor, WIU -- Recorded his first career interception and returned it for a touchdown (first of his career) in the win over Eastern Illinois, just his fourth career start. He helped create five takeaways, the most by a Leatherneck defense since the 2013 season-opener. Taylor also made six tackles.

Tyson Graham, USD -- Had seven tackles (six solo), one tackle for loss, one pass breakup and forced two fumbles against Kansas State. Graham forced a fumble on 3rd-and-goal from the 1 and teammate Andrew Van Ginkel recovered for a Coyote stop in the red zone.

LB Dylan Cole, MSU -- Had eight tackles against the preseason American Athletic Conference favorite. He had six solos against Memphis, including 1.5 TFL for a total of six yards, both of which represented game highs.

LB Chase Allen, SIU -- Posted seven stops and a TFL in SIU’s 48-47 loss at Indiana. His biggest play came on special teams, when he blocked a first-quarter punt that was recovered in the end zone for a TD.

CB Deiondre’ Hall, UNI -- Had a career-high nine tackles against Iowa State. Hall finished the game with six solo and three assisted, along with one tackle for loss of a yard. He added two key forced fumbles.

LB Dallas Brown, SDSU -- Registered four tackles and returned a first-quarter interception 53 yards to set up a Jackrabbit touchdown in South Dakota State’s 41-38 victory at Kansas on Sept. 5.

LB Jameer Thurman, INS -- Had two interceptions for a total of 23 yards in returns. Thurman was also ISU’s fourth-best tackler with four total stops and one pass breakup.

LB Nick DeLuca, NDSU -- Made 12 tackles including one sack and two tackles for loss in North Dakota State’s 38-35 loss at Montana. He also forced a fumble and made his fourth career interception.

SPECIAL TEAMS
P Brady Hale, SDSU -- Punted five times for an average of 41.6 yards, with a long of 56 in his collegiate debut Sept. 5 at Kansas. Hale landed four of his punts inside the Jayhawks’ 20-yard line.

LB Chase Allen, SIU -- Also nominated at Defense

PK Zak Kennedy, YSU -- In his YSU debut, Kennedy made field goals of 22, 23 and 42 yards in the Penguins’ contest at Pittsburgh. He was 4-of-4 on PAT kicks to score 13 points in his YSU debut.

P Chris Sullens, MSU -- Eclipsed the Missouri State career record for punting yardage (9,060), passing Jordan Chiles (8,986) for the Bears’ all-time mark after averaging 39.9 yards on his nine boots. The senior recorded a long of 53 yards and pinned the Tigers inside their own 20 on two occasions.

PK Eric Heidorn, INS -- Hit a 24-yard FG and was also a perfect 7-for-7 in PAT attempts in ISU’s 52-17 victory over Butler. Heidorn’s 7-of-7 PAT line ties a career high set last year vs. Tennessee Tech.

KR Eric Perkins, NDSU -- Returned five kicks for 155 yards, an average of 31 yards per return, at Montana. He started the game with consecutive 29-yard returns with the second leading to a TD. His long of 43 yards on the next possession sparked a four-play scoring drive to give NDSU its largest lead, 21-13.

NEWCOMER
S Anthony Upchurch, MSU -- Logged a team-high eight tackles against his hometown Memphis Tigers Saturday at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium. The redshirt freshman safety also assisted on one stop for a loss, while registering five solo tackles in the MSU loss.

QB Aaron Bailey, UNI -- The transfer from Illinois finished the night 11-19-1 for 114 yards and a touchdown. His touchdown was a 19-yard pass to Savon Huggins to put UNI up 7-0 in the second quarter. He also finished the game with 85 yards on the ground on 22 carries.

QB Jake Kolbe, ILS -- Came into the game in relief of starter Tre Roberson, who was suffering from leg cramps. Kolbe proceeded to complete 11-of-15 passes for 147 yards with two touchdowns against Iowa.

RB Isaac Wallace, SDSU -- Rushed 24 times for 118 yards and a touchdown, and added two receptions for eight yards in the Jackrabbits’ 41-38 win at Kansas. His touchdown, a 3-yard run with 6:18 to play, gave the Jackrabbits a 41-31 lead and ultimately sealed SDSU’s first victory over an FBS opponent.

RB Daquan Isom, SIU -- Had a team-high 148 all-purpose yards in his collegiate debut. He only rushed two times for six yards, but he took a screen pass 80 yards for a touchdown and finished with three receptions for 99 yards. His 80-yard TD reception was the third-longest reception in the FCS in Week 1.

DB Xavier Rowe, WIU -- In his first collegiate game, got the start and shared the team-lead with seven tackles. Six of his stops were solos. He also broke up a pass. He was part of a defensive unit that kept EIU out of the endzone for the first time in 65 games, a team that averaged 31 points per game last year.

RB Roland Genesy, INS - Genesy was ISU’s second-leading rusher behind Booker with 53 yards rushing on nine carries – including a long of 17 yards. He also added in one reception for one yard.

WR Darrius Shepherd, NDSU -- Had three receptions for 36 yards in North Dakota State’s 38-35 loss at Montana. He caught two passes for first downs, was targeted five times, and was one of eight different NDSU receivers to catch a pass.

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