Story courtesy of the Mountain West Conference
Photo courtesy of Boise State Athletics
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – D.J. Harper (Boise State), Robbie Rouse (Fresno State), Phillip Thomas (Fresno State) and Andrew Shapiro (Fresno State) are the Mountain West Players of the Week for games through Sept. 15. Harper and Rouse share Offensive Player of the Week honors, while Thomas garners the Defensive Player award and Shapiro receives Special Teams recognition. This marks the first career MW weekly accolade for all four individuals.
CO-OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
D.J. HARPER, BOISE STATE
Senior, Running Back, Cypress, Texas/Cypress Creek HS
D.J. Harper scored a career-high four touchdowns (three rushing, one receiving), in Boise State’s 39-12 win over Miami (Ohio). His touchdown runs were from 1, 11 and 43 yards, while his lone reception was a 21-yard TD. Harper ended the game with a career-high 162 yards rushing on 16 carries, averaging 10.1 yards per attempt. The Cypress, Texas, native also added a two-point conversion run to finish with 26 points overall, which ties an MW senior class record and ranks as the fifth-highest single-game tally in league history. Harper’s 26 points are also the most in a single game by an FBS player this season. Harper’s four touchdowns are the most in a single game for Boise State since former running back Doug Martin scored four times against New Mexico State in 2009.
CO-OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
ROBBIE ROUSE, FRESNO STATE
Senior, Running Back, San Diego, Calif./Madison Christian HS
Senior running back Robbie Rouse tied a Bulldog Stadium record by scoring four touchdowns in a 69-14 win over Colorado on Saturday. Rouse rushed for 144 yards on nine carries (16 yards per attempt) and caught four passes for 42 yards in just over a quarter and a half of action. He had two rushing touchdowns and two receiving. All four of his TDs came in the first quarter, the last being a 94-yard run that helped Fresno State set a new Mountain West record with 35 points in the first 15 minutes. Rouse’s 94-yard run ties for the second-longest in the FBS this season, as well as the longest in program history, fourth-longest in Mountain West history and longest by a MW senior.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
PHILLIP THOMAS, FRESNO STATE
Senior, Safety, Bakersfield, Calif./Bakersfield HS
Senior safety Phillip Thomas equaled a Fresno State and Mountain West record with three interceptions in leading the Bulldogs’ defensive efforts in a 69-14 win over Colorado. Thomas returned two of his three picks for touchdowns, the first from 16 yards out and the second from 46. Phillips is the only FBS player to record two interception return TDs in a single game this season and the third to do so in MW history, matching a record shared by two other individuals. The Bakersfield, Calif., product also contributed two tackles and a quarterback hurry in addition to his three picks.
SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK
ANDREW SHAPIRO, FRESNO STATE
Senior, Punter, Walnut Creek, Calif./Las Lomas HS
Senior Andrew Shapiro averaged 50 yards on three punts in Fresno State’s 69-14 win over Colorado. One of Shapiro’s punts was a career-long 69-yarder that was downed at the two-yard line. The Bulldogs netted 40 yards off the Walnut Creek, Calif., native’s three punts and none of them were returned.