MAC Awards Football Players of the Week

^{Mid-American Conference Football Players of the Week}

^{October 20, 2008}

 

^{EAST DIVISION}

 

^{OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK}

^{Dennis Kennedy, RB, Akron}

^{Sr., Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. (Stranahan HS)}

^{Kennedy rushed for 277 yards and the winning touchdown on 25 carries in 42-35 win at Eastern Michigan. His 277 yards are the second highest total in school history and the most since going to FBS (I-A). Kennedy had a career-long 73 yard run and scored the game-winner with 14 seconds left from four yards. He scored three rushing TDs during the game.} 

 

^{DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK}

^{Davonte Shannon, SS, Buffalo}

^{So., Jennette, Pa. (Jeanettee HS)}

^{Davonte Shannon, So., SS, 6-0, 193, Jeannette, PA/Jeannette HS}

^{Shannon had a career-best 20 tackles, the most by any Bull in their 10 years in Division I-A football, two for loss. He led a UB defense that held Army to 46 yards in the fourth quarter and overtime to allow the Bulls to come back from a two touchdown deficit for a 27-24 overtime win over Army. Shannon had 12 solo stops and was involved in the tackle that caused the fumble that set up Buffalo’s game-tying score.}

 

^{SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK}

^{Nate Parseghian, PK, Miami}

^{Sr., PK, Sylvania, Ohio (Hargrave Military Academy)}

^{With his team trailing 20-14 in the second half, Parseghian connected on field goals from 37 yards (third quarter) and 36 yards (fourth quarter) to pull his team even. Miami would go on to a 27-20 victory at Bowling Green. He also had three PAT and is now 12-of-13 on field goals this season.}

 

^{WEST DIVISION}

 

^{OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK}

^{Brian Brunner, QB, Central Michigan}

^{Sr., Hubertus, Wisc. (Hartford Union HS)}

^{In a 38-28 win over Western Michigan, Brunner completed 20-of-28 attempts (71.4 pct.) for 346 yards and a touchdown. He added 22 rushing yards on seven attempts as he made his first start since 2006. Brunner stepped in for Dan LeFevour, who missed the game because of an ankle injury. He was 10-of-15 on third down throws and had a TD pass on the Chippewas’ opening drive to set the tone for the offense, which produced season-high in points (38) and yards (524).}

 

^{DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK}

^{Alex Kube, LB, Northern Illinois}

^{So., Cary, Ill. (Cary-Grove HS)}

^{Kube made a season-best six tackles (four solo) to rank second on the Huskie team while recording one of the biggest defensive plays of the game for NIU with a sack of Toledo QB Aaron Opelt in a 38-7 win over the Rockets.  That play came in the second quarter with NIU holding a 14-0 lead. Toledo faced third and six from the NIU 16 yard line and Kube sacked Opelt for a 13-yard loss to the 29 yard line.  From there, the Rockets missed a field goal and Northern Illinois went on to extend its lead to 21-0 on their next drive. It was Kube’s first sack of the season but he does rank fourth on the team with 29 tackles.}

 

^{SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK}

^{Andrew Aguila, PK, Central Michigan}

^{Jr., Bellflower, Calif. (Compton JC)}

^{Aguila scored eight points in a 38-28 win over Western Michigan. He had a 20-yard field goal and was a perfect 5-for-5 on PAT.}

 

^{ADDITIONAL NOMINEES - EAST DIVISION}

^OFFENSE

^{Anthony Turner, RB, Bowling Green (led the Falcons in rushing and receiving vs. Miami. Turner had 41 rush yards on 12 carries and 7 receptions for 88 yards.).}

^{Ernest Jackson, FL, Buffalo (had a career-best 9 receptions for 134 yards and a game-tying score forcing overtime in a 27-24 win over Army. Jackson helped the Bulls rally from a two-touchdown deficit with a first down reception on fourth down on that drive, and also had a 32-yard reception on a third-and-20 on another scoring drive.).}

^{J.R. Taylor, RB, Miami (the freshman rushed for a career-high 127 yards on 18 carries and scored the game-winning TD in a 27-20 win at Bowling Green. On the drive for the winning score he rushed for 69 yards on 6 carries.).}

 

^DEFENSE

^{Diyral Briggs, DE, Bowling Green (had 7 tackles, a sack, a tackle for a loss and a QB hurry vs. Miami.).}

^{Joe Coniglio, DE, Miami (6 tackles and 2 sacks for minus 20 yards in a 27-20 win at Bowling Green. He had a 10-yard sack in BG’s final drive the helped linch the victory.).}

 

^{SPECIAL TEAMS}

^{Andy Hildreth, H, Akron (the holder on FG attempts, Hildreth grabbed a blocked kick and rushed for a first down with 39 seconds left at Eastern Michigan. The Zips would score and go on to a 42-35 win.).}

 

 

^{ADDITIONAL NOMINEES  - WEST DIVISION}

^OFFENSE

^{Terrence Blevins, RB, Eastern Michigan (rushed for 91 yards and 2 TDs in a 42-35 loss to Akron.)}

^{Chandler Harnish, QB, Northern Illinois (in his first start since the second game of the season, Harnish led NIU to a 38-7 win over Toledo by passing for 3 TDs. He completed 12-of-16 passes for 173 yards and had a run of 32 yards to set up a field goal.).}

^{Stephen Williams, WR, Toledo (caught a game-high 9 passes for 75 yards in a loss at Northern Illinois.).}

^{Tim Hiller, QB, Western Michigan (passed for a school record 471 yards, completing 38-of-51 attempts in a loss at Central Michigan. Had 2 TDs with no interceptions.).}

 

^DEFENSE

^{Frank Zombo, DE, Central Michigan (had 6 tackles and 2.5 sacks vs. Western Michigan. His sacks both came on third down plays, forcing a punt.).}

^{Brad Ohram, DL, Eastern Michigan (had a team-leading 9 tackles, with 2 sacks for minus yards, 3 tackles for a loss for 15 yards, and a forced fumble.).}

^{Archie Donald, LB, Toledo (had a game-high 11 tackles at Northern Illinois.).}

^{Austin Pritchard, LB, Western Michigan (had a career-high 17 tackles with 2 tackles for a loss at Central Michigan.).}

 

^{SPECIAL TEAMS}

^{Bill Claus, P, Toledo (punted 4 times for a 41.8 average at Northern Illinois.).}

^{John Potter, PK, Western Michigan (was 4-of-4 on PAT and made a touchdown-saving tackle on a kickoff at Central Michigan.).}