Furman’s Dominic Roberto, Penn’s Kendren Smith, Sam Houston’s Seth Morgan and UAlbany’s Reese Poffenbarger were selected Monday as the FedEx Ground FCS National Players of the Week for Week 7 college football games through Sunday.
In addition, South Dakota State earned FCS National Team of the Week.
The five honorees plus honorable mention selections:
FedEx Ground FCS National Offensive Player of the Week
Dominic Roberto, Furman, RB, R-Jr., 5-11, 231, Fayetteville, North Carolina
Roberto rushed for 252 yards – the most by a Paladin since 2000 and the third-highest total in program history – and scored three touchdowns as Furman downed Western Carolina 47-40 in the Southern Conference. He scored on 62- and 1-yard runs, averaged over 10 yards on a career-high 25 carries, caught a 20-yard TD pass and produced eight first downs.
Honorable Mention: Nic Baker, QB, Southern Illinois; Cade Brister, QB, Lindenwood; Kayvon Britten, RB, Arkansas-Pine Bluff; Dylan Classi, WR, Princeton; Malcolm Mays, QB, Hampton; Marquez McCray, QB, Sacred Heart; Jaleel McLaughlin, RB, Youngstown State; Willie Patterson, WR, Montana State; Fred Payton, QB, Mercer; Davius Richard, QB, North Carolina Central; Lindsey Scott Jr., QB, UIW; Cameron Skattebo, RB, Sacramento State; Jake Wilcox, QB, Brown
FedEx Ground FCS National Defensive Player of the Week
Kendren Smith, Penn, CB, Sr., 6-1, 205, Charlotte
Smith continually stopped Columbia drives while fueling unbeaten Penn to a 34-14, Ivy League win. He forced and recovered two fumbles, and both set up Quakers touchdowns. He also denied Columbia with an interception in Penn’s end zone. His team-high five tackles were all solos, and he had a pass breakup on fourth down to end a first-quarter drive and forced an incompletion with a QB hurry.
Honorable Mention: Brevin Allen, DE, Campbell; Mike Campbell, CB, Mercer; James Conway, LB, Fordham; Kenny Gallop Jr., DB, Howard; Corione Harris, DB, Southern; Connor Henderson, LB, Cornell; Charles Ike, LB, Idaho State; Kaedon Jenkins, CB, Davidson; Khairi Manns, DL, Maine; Jermaine McDaniel, DE, North Carolina A&T; Kendall Paul, DB, Texas A&M-Commerce; Jay Person, Edge, Chattanooga; Garrett Sayegh, LB, Charleston Southern; Dre Terry, LB, Alabama A&M
FedEx Ground FCS National Special Teams Player of the Week
Seth Morgan, Sam Houston, PK, So., 5-11, 160, Houston
Morgan kicked four field goals, including a 34-yarder with three seconds left to put Sam Houston in front for good in a 25-17 win at then-No. 23 Eastern Kentucky (the Bearkats added a touchdown off a fumble recovery on the ensuing kickoff). It was the third time Morgan gave his WAC squad the lead, also nailing a 47-yard field goal and two from 45 yards out. He finished with 13 points and averaged 62 yards on six kickoffs.
Honorable Mention: Wayne Anderson, KR, Furman; Latrell Fordham, PK/WR, Youngstown State; Keith Jenkins Jr., KR, Morgan State; Donald Johnson, PR, Grambling State; Alen Karajic, PK, Jacksonville State; Tyler Keltner, PK, ETSU; Jeremiah McClendon, CB/ST, Charleston Southern; Alex Schmoke, PK, Saint Francis; Matt Sochovka, DT/ST, Furman; Kam Thomas, KR, Austin Peay
FedEx Ground FCS National Freshman Player of the Week
Reese Poffenbarger, UAlbany, QB, R-Fr., 6-0, 210, Middletown, Maryland
The Old Dominion transfer completed 26 of 45 attempts while passing for 337 yards and a career-best four touchdowns in a 38-37 overtime loss to Hampton in CAA Football. No FCS quarterback without an interception has thrown more attempts (193) and for more TDs (13) than Poffenbarger this season.
Honorable Mention: Gave Abel, RB, St. Thomas; Brady Buell, P, Houston Christian; Cade Chambers, QB, Indiana State; Victor Dawson, RB, Merrimack; Censere Lee, WR, Western Carolina; Gevani McCoy, QB, Idaho; Caleb Flagg, S, Houston Christian; Noah Walters, QB, North Alabama
FedEx Ground FCS National Team of the Week
South Dakota State (23-21 win at then-No. 1 North Dakota State)
In the second all-time regular-season matchup between No. 1- and 2-ranked FCS teams (and seventh in history), SDSU rallied from a 21-7 deficit halftime to beat the defending national champion Bison. Hunter Dustman’s third field goal – an 18-yarder with 3:49 left – provided the winning margin. Isaiah Davis and Amar Johnson rushed for touchdowns in the Jackrabbits’ third straight win in the Dakota Marker rivalry.
Honorable Mention: Gardner-Webb (21-20 loss at Liberty); Idaho (30-23 win at then-No. 3 Montana); Northwestern State (37-10 win over HCU)