Austin Peay’s Mike DiLiello, Tennessee State’s Terrell Allen, Colgate’s Owen Goss and Saint Francis’ Nick Whitfield Jr. were selected Monday as the FedEx Ground FCS National Players of the Week for Week 9 college football games ending on Saturday.
In addition, South Dakota 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
Mike DiLiello, Austin Peay, QB, Grad, 6-1, 215, Pembroke Pines, Florida
DiLiello tied the Governors’ single-game record with six touchdown passes – each to a different receiver – while directing a 49-39 win over North Alabama in the United Athletic Conference. He completed 20 of 25 passes for 353 yards (one was an 87-yard TD) and a 277.8 pass efficiency rating (sixth-best in the FCS this season). In a six-game winning streak, DiLiello has 23 combined passing and rushing touchdowns.
Honorable Mention: Max Brosmer, QB, New Hampshire; Mitch Davidson, QB, Youngstown State; Nolan Grooms, QB, Yale; Jimmy Kibble, WR, Georgetown; Jobi Malary, RB, Portland State; Jacobian Morgan, QB, Jackson State; Hunter Rice, RB, VMI; Davius Richard, QB, North Carolina Central; Ralph Rucker, QB, Bucknell; Jaden Shirden, RB, Monmouth; Tyler Wesley, QB, Presbyterian; Marcus Yarns, RB, Delaware
FedEx Ground FCS National Defensive Player of the Week
Terrell Allen, Tennessee State, DE, 6-0, 275, Sr., North Little Rock, Arkansas:
Allen capped a dominating month in Tennessee State’s fourth straight win, 43-20 over Lindenwood in the Big South-OVC Football Association. The second-year Austin Peay transfer had a career-high 10 tackles (seven solos) while racking up an FCS season-high 4.5 sacks and matching the high with 6.5 tackles for loss. He forced two fumbles, including a strip sack that was recovered by a teammate in the Lindenwood red zone to set up a touchdown.
Honorable Mention: Sundiata Anderson, DE, Grambling State; Isaiah Cash, S, Houston Christian; James Conway, LB, Fordham; Kobe Joseph, LB, Chattanooga; Logan Kopp, LB, North Dakota State; Eric O’Neill, DE, LIU; Isaiah Reed, DB, Brown; Daniel Rickert, DE, Tennessee Tech; Tyreese Shakir, DB, Portland State; Mike Smith Jr., DB, Eastern Kentucky; David Walker, DE, Central Arkansas; Amir Wallace, CB, San Diego; Saiku White, DB, Lafayette; Riley Wilson, LB, Montana
FedEx Ground FCS National Special Teams Player of the Week
Owen Goss, Colgate, Coverage/FS, Sr., 6-0, 205, Hinsdale, Illinois
Goss tied the FCS single-game record by blocking three kicks in Colgate’s 49-34 loss to Bucknell in the Patriot League. He blocked a field goal late in the first quarter and extra points in the second and third quarters, recovering the final one and returning it 67 yards in an attempt to score two defensive points. Goss also had three solo tackles and one assist on defense.
Honorable Mention: Leilani Armenta, PK, Jackson State; Jack Barton, Coverage/DE, Furman; Connor Brooksby, PK, Utah Tech; Hunter Dustman, PK, South Dakota State; Adrian Guzman, PK/P, Tarleton; Keith Jenkins Jr., KR/DB, Morgan State; Robert McMinn, Returns/WR, Alabama State; Brody Richter, P, Northern Arizona
FedEx Ground FCS National Freshman Player of the Week
Nick Whitfield Jr., Saint Francis, QB, R-Fr., 6-5, 205, Fredonia, New York
Whitfield made his first start in place of an injured Cole Doyle, the Northeast Conference’s 2022 offensive player of the year, and helped lead a 28-21 win over Merrimack. He finished 10 of 18 for 164 yards, catching a two-yard touchdown as part of a trick play and throwing a 71-yard score for his second of two TD passes while the Red Flash scored 22 unanswered points in the fourth quarter. It marked their largest comeback win (from down 21-6) since 2012.
Honorable Mention: Wade Abrams, LB, Valparaiso; Carson Conklin, QB, Sacramento State; Jaylen King, QB, Gardner-Webb; Richard Torres, QB, UIW; Adam Zouagui, PK, Davidson
FedEx Ground FCS National Team of the Week
South Dakota State (37-3 at then-No. 4 South Dakota)
The top-ranked Jackrabbits (8-0) grabbed sole possession of first place in the Missouri Valley Football Conference while securing their FCS-leading fourth Top 25 win. Amar Johnson rushed for two 20-yard touchdowns and the defense allowed only 183 yards. Posting the largest margin of victory in the 134-year-old series since 1963, first-year coach Jimmy Rogers’ squad extended its winning streak to 22 games, which ties for the sixth-longest winning streak in FCS history.
Honorable Mention: Delaware (51-13 win at Towson), Duquesne (27-0 win at Sacred Heart), Florida A&M (45-7 win over Prairie View A&M); Idaho (24-21 win over then-No. 2 Montana State)
