To celebrate 30 years of excellence in the Missouri Valley Football Conference, the league is recognizing some of its all-time top moments. We’ve divided these moments into 10 categories, and have selected the Top 3 in each … today, we take a look at “Individual Accomplishments.”
If not listed below, the moment you are looking for may have already been included in a previous segment.
The entire series (Moments, 10 vignettes; and Players, 10 vignettes) is below in the body of this release.
TOP 3
Nov. 4, 2006 (Western Illinois 46, Indiana State 41) – Herb Donaldson had 328 rushing yards and became the third (and the most recent) player in league history with six rushing touchdowns as the Leathernecks rallied from a 21-10 deficit.
Sept. 15, 2012 (Indiana State 27, Drake 10) –Shakir Bell scored two TDs and averaged 10.6 yards per carry while setting a league record with 349 rushing yards against Drake. It remains the eight-best figure in FCS history.
Sept. 15, 2012 (#15 Illinois State 54, Eastern Illinois 51 – 2 ot) – A 25-yard TD from Matt Brown to Tyrone Walker sealed the come-from-behind victory. Brown set a school record with 473 yards passing and had seven TDs (5 passing, 2 rushing).
OTHERS CONSIDERED
Nov. 8, 2008 (South Dakota State 52, Illinois State 21) – Ryan Berry threw for a school and league record seven touchdowns in a blowout win against Illinois State. Berry established school records for career completions and TDs in the game.
Sept. 28, 2002. Muhammad Abdulqaadir set what was then a conference record with 312 yards at Eastern Michigan. It stands as the most yards by a league running back versus an FBS opponent.
Sept. 28, 2002 – UNI PK Mackenzie Hoambrecker made five field goals and lifted UNI to a 29-26 triple-overtime victory over Cal Poly. He hit a 57-yarder to force overtime with 14 seconds remaining.
Nov. 12 2005 (Illinois State 70, Indiana State 28) – WR Laurent Robinson had a school-record 14 catches for a league-record 292 yards and three touchdowns, while Luke Drone accounted for six TDs with 440 yards passing and five TDs.
Nov. 24, 2012 (South Dakota State 58, Eastern Illinois 10) – South Dakota State earns its first-ever playoff victory as RB Zach Zenner ran for a school-record 295 yards and scored three touchdowns against visiting Eastern Illinois in a first-round game.
Nov. 8, 2003 (Illinois State 48, Missouri State 43) – Steve Rush of Missouri State had 410 all-purpose yards and scored 5 times: 9, 88, 74, 75 and 80 yards. He’s the only to eclipse 400 yards in MVFC history.
Nov. 13, 1999 (Western Illinois 46, UNI 27) – Ryan Helming became only the second player in league history to throw for more than 500 yards in a game as he had 541 in a loss at Western Illinois.
Oct. 10, 1998 (Illinois State 38, UNI 23) – Kevin Glenn threw for 457 yards and ran for 60 yards in leading the Redbirds to a road win in the UNI-Dome. His 61 attempts are third-highest in league history.
Nov. 7, 2009 (Illinois State 25, Western Illinois 7) – Only one in league history has six field goals in a game. ISU’s Zach Kutch did it in this win against Western Illinois. Three of his makes were 40+ yards.
Oct. 30, 2010 (UNI 34, Youngstown State 30) – UNI’s Tirrell Rennie rushed for 194 of his league-record 1,291 yards (rushing by a QB) in the win at Youngstown State, keeping UNI’s 2010 league title and playoff hopes alive.
Sept. 17, 2005 (Murray State 27, Indiana State 15) –Sam Logan set a league record that stands today as he had 17 receptions (151 yards) against the Racers. The Sycamores jumped to a 15-7 lead but lost by 12.
Nov. 17, 2001 (Western Illinois 52, Indiana State 15) –WR Frisman Jackson became the only player in league history with two 250+ single-game receiving yards with 286 against Indiana State. He had 266 against Southern Utah earlier in 2001.
1994 – Buck Phillips of Western Illinois is the only player in Valley Football history with three returns for touchdowns, including two punts and an interception. He’s league Newcomer of the Year.
Sept. 1, 2012 (Kansas 31, South Dakota State 17) – RB Zach Zenner ties an NCAA record and is the second player in Valley Football history with a 99-yard TD run as he reels off a 99-yarder against the Jayhawks.
RECORDS OF NOTE
All-Purpose Yards (21 players with 300+ yards in a game): 410, Steve Rush, Missouri State (2003)
Total Offense (3 players with 500+ yards in a game): 548, Ryan Helming, UNI (1999)
Points Scored (4 players with 6 TDs in a game): Most recent: Herb Donaldson, WIU (2006)
FGs in a Game (10 players with 5+ FGs in game): 6, Zach Kutch, Illinois State (2009)
Rushing Yards (114 players with 200+ yards, 4 with 300+): 349, Shakir Bell, Indiana State (2012)
Passing Yards (23 players with 400+ yards in game, 2 with 500+): 541, Ryan Helming, UNI (1999)
TD Passes in a Game (6 with 6 or more): 7, Ryan Berry, South Dakota State (2008)
Pass Receptions in a Game (9 with 14 or more): 17, Sam Logan, Indiana State, 2005
Receiving Yards in a Game (28 players with 200+ yards in a game): 292, Laurent Robinson, ISU (2005)
TD Receptions in a Game (6 with 4 in a game): Most Recent: Kaya Farris, Missouri State (2003)
Longest Rush: 99 yards (twice, most recent by Zach Zenner, South Dakota State (2012)
Longest Pass: 99 yards (Jay Johnson to Kenny Shedd, UNI, 1990)
Longest Punt: 89 yards (Mike Scifres, Western Illinois, 2000)
Longest KO Return: 100 yards (11 times, by 9 different players)
Longest Punt Return: 96 yards (Josh Lee, Youngstown State, 2011)
Longest Interception Return: 100 yards (5 times)
Longest Fumble Return: 100 yards (Bryan Presume, Southern Illinois, 2012)
Interceptions in a Game: 3 (8 times)
Tackles in a Game: (15 players with 25 or more in a game): 31, Tim Carver, Eastern Illinois (1994)
Sacks in a Game: (5 players with 5 or more in a game): 6, John Jurkovic, Eastern Illinois (1986)
SERIES PLAYLIST (10 FEATURES on MOMENTS, 10 FEATURES on PLAYERS)