Holy Cross’ Jordan Fuller, Eastern Illinois’ Elijawah Tolbert, New Hampshire’s Dylan Laube and Montana State’s Scottre Humphrey were selected Monday as the FedEx Ground FCS National Players of the Week for weeks 0 and 1 college football games through Sunday.
In addition, Morgan State was named the FCS National Team of the Week.
The five honorees plus honorable mention selections:
FedEx Ground FCS National Offensive Player of the Week
Jordan Fuller, Holy Cross, RB, Jr., 6-0, 231, North Hampton, New Hampshire
Fuller scored fifth-ranked Holy Cross’ final five touchdowns as it pulled away from Merrimack 42-20. He finished with 13 carries for a career-high 120 yards and four scores, and caught a 14-yard touchdown for the four-time defending Patriot League champion. It marked the most TDs by a Crusader since the legendary Gordie Lockbaum had six in a 1986 win over Dartmouth.
Honorable Mention: Max Brosmer, QB, New Hampshire; Jason Brown, QB, Jackson State; Jayden Brown, RB, Gardner-Webb; Jamar Curtis, RB, Lafayette; Michael Hiers, QB, Samford; Kasim Hill, QB, Rhode Island; Kisean Johnson, WR, Alabama State; Takairee Kenebrew, WR, North Alabama; Jonathan Murphy, QB, Kennesaw State; Reese Poffenbarger, QB, UAlbany; Kaderris Roberts, RB, Stetson; Tommy Schuster, QB, North Dakota; Christopher Zellous, QB, Hampton
FedEx Ground FCS National Defensive Player of the Week
Elijawah Tolbert, Eastern Illinois, LB, Jr., 6-1, 230, Country Club Hills, Illinois
Tolbert was right in the middle of the Panthers’ 27-0 victory at Indiana State – their first shutout since 2016 – as they began play in the new Big South-OVC Football Association. He racked up 11 tackles, including a career-best seven solos, and had a hand in two forced turnovers in EIU territory, first knocking out a fumble that was recovered by a teammate and later adding an interception.
Honorable Mention: Colton Adams, LB, Alabama State; Jacob Dobbs, LB, Holy Cross; Ty French, DE, Gardner-Webb; Ian Goodly, DB, Southeastern Louisiana; Marcus Harris, CB, Idaho; Anton Juncaj, LB, UAlbany; Eric O’Neill, DE, LIU; Elijah Ponder, DE, Cal Poly; CJ Tillman, LB, Campbell; Edwin White Schultz, DB, North Alabama; Jacob Williams, LB, Texas Southern; Cole Wisniewski, S, North Dakota State
FedEx Ground FCS National Special Teams Player of the Week
Dylan Laube, New Hampshire, RB/Return, Sr., 5-10, 208, Westhampton, New York
The 2022 FCS leader in all-purpose yards per game picked up right where he left off, totaling a Week 1-high 229 yards on 21 touches in the 11th-ranked Wildcats’ 51-17 victory at Stonehill. Laube scored on a 58-yard punt return less than four minutes into the game – the first of his three touchdowns (also one rushing and one receiving). The All-CAA standout finished with 89 rushing yards, 31 receiving yards, 58 punt return yards and 51 kickoff return yards.
Honorable Mention: Jack Barnum, PK, Central Connecticut State; Jeff Caldwell, WR/ST, Lindenwood; Chris Campos, PK, Stephen F. Austin; Brandon Codrington, PR, North Carolina Central; Aidan Laros, P, UT Martin; Ryan Leavy, P, Furman; Marcus Riley, KR Florida A&M; Tristan Shannon, KR, Marist; Kaedin Steindorf, P, North Dakota State; Abraham Williams, KR, Weber State
FedEx Ground FCS National Freshman Player of the Week
Scottre Humphrey, Montana State, RB, Fr., 5-11, 207, Seattle
In his first game for the defending Big Sky co-champions, Humphrey resembled a recent Bobcats’ running back to wear No. 22, All-American Isaiah Ifanse. The true freshman carried the ball 14 times for 114 yards and three touchdowns as the third-ranked team posted a 63-20 victory over Utah Tech. He gained 47 yards on his second career carry, and scored on two-, 29- and nine-yard runs.
Honorable Mention: Jalyn Daniels, RB, North Alabama; Champ Dozier, RB, Houston Christian; Tyrece Fairly-Diyem, TE, Cal Poly; Eli Gillman, RB, Montana; Devaon Holman, DB, Butler; Tristen Kenan, RB, Maine; Michael Montgomery, LB, Portland State; VJ Wilkins, WR/KR, Campbell
FedEx Ground FCS National Team of the Week
Morgan State (17-10 win at No. 18 Richmond)
The Bears earned a nationally ranked upset and their first season-opening win since 2012. Jabriel Johnson’s 10-yard touchdown run with 6:27 left broke a 10-10 tie, and it was set up one play earlier by defensive end Noah Washington’s fumble recovery following linebacker Erick Hunter’s strip sack of Richmond’s Kyle Wickersham. The MEAC squad, which finished 4-7 in coach Damon Wilson’s first season last year, limited Richmond to 264 yards of offense, forced four turnovers and had five sacks.
Honorable Mention: Eastern Illinois (27-0 win at Indiana State); Florida A&M (28-10 win over Jackson State); Southern Illinois (49-23 win over Austin Peay); Tarleton (52-34 win at McNeese)
