Story courtesy of the Mid-American Conference
Photo courtesy of Bowling Green Athletics
East Division
Offensive Player of the Week: Kent State RB Dri Archer
Junior running back Dri Archer (Laurel, Fla.) ran for 222 yards and a touchdown on only 12 carries in Kent State’s 31-17 victory over Army Saturday. Half of his carries went for 12 yards or more, including an 87-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter. Archer also threw a 24-yard touchdown pass to in the second quarter and made a pair of catches.
Defensive Player of the Week: Bowling Green DT Chris Jones
Senior defensive tackle Chris Jones (Brownsville, Ind.) had five tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks in the Falcons’ 37-12 win over Miami, the Falcons first win over the RedHawks at home since 1997. Miami entered Saturday’s contest averaging 24.8 points and 394.5 yards per game, but were limited to just 12 points (1 TD) and 256 total yards. Jones and the defense also held the RedHawks to just three yards rushing on 20 carries.
Special Teams Player of the Week: Ohio K Matt Weller
Senior kicker Matt Weller (Twinsburg, Ohio) moved into fourth place on the All-Time MAC scoring list this past Saturday as he scored 10 points. The 10 points scored by Weller moved him past former Toledo running back Chester Taylor. Weller connected on four extra points and hit field goals from 44 and 29 yards out in a 34-28 win over Akron. He also tallied five touchbacks and averaged 64.4 yards per kick on kickoffs.
West Division
Offensive Player of the Week: Eastern Michigan RB Bronson Hill
Sophomore running back Bronson Hill (Grand Rapids, Mich.) turned in the best single-game rushing performance in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) this year with 283 yards gained on 28 rushes to go along with an EMU record-tying four touchdown runs in a 52-47 loss to Toledo. His rushing effort is the second-best in school history, trailing only Larry Radcliff’s 291 rushing yards, Oct. 16, 1971, at home against Eastern Kentucky. Three of his touchdowns came during the chaotic third quarter, as Hill busted off big runs of 47 yards, 58 yards, and 70 yards for touchdowns; within three minutes of one-another.
Defensive Player of the Week: Northern Illinois DB Marlon Moore
Freshman defensive back Marlon Moore (Mobile, Ala.) made his first career start and responded with two interceptions on successive drives in the third quarter in a 45-3 win over Buffalo. The Huskies defense held an opponent without a touchdown for the first time in 22 games (since Nov. 26, 2010). Moore added five tackles, four solo stops, and a pass break-up. Moore’s first interception came on the NIU six-yard line and stopped a Buffalo drive that had reached the Northern Illinois 11-yard line. His second pickoff came on Buffalo’s next possession and once again occurred with the Bulls’ inside the Huskie 20-yard line as he intercepted Buffalo QB Alex Zordich in the end zone and returned the ball 12 yards.
Special Teams Player of the Week: Toledo KR Bernard Reedy
Junior kick returner Bernard Reedy (St. Petersburg, Fla.) collected six returns for 170 yards, including an 89-yard return for a touchdown in a 52-47 win at Eastern Michigan. Reedy also added a career-high 11 receptions for a school-record 237 yards and two touchdowns as he set a school record with 407 all-purpose yards.