This week's Missouri Valley Football Conference players of the week are QB Ryan Boyle of Indiana State; LB Katrell Moss of Indiana State; and PK Austin Errthum of UNI.
Offensive Player of the Week
& Newcomer of the Week
QB Ryan Boyle, Indiana State
Jr., 6-2, 215, Urbandale, Iowa / (Iowa)
Boyle accounted for a program record seven touchdowns in a 51-48 triple overtime victory against South Dakota. He tied an Indiana State single-game record with five passing touchdown, including three during the overtime periods. He accounted for 380 yards of total offense, including a career high 187 yards on the ground. He was 20-for-27 through the air for 193 yards. The redshirt junior hit two Sycamores in Dakota Caton and Dante Jones II in the first half for their first career receiving touchdowns. He added two rushing touchdowns in regulation before breaking down the Coyote defense in each of the overtime periods. It took just one play for the Sycamores to score in the first overtime as Boyle connected with Dante Hendrix for 25 yards. He would come back to give the Sycamores the lead in the second period with a three-yard jump pass for the two-yard score to tight end Zach Larkin before winning the game on a three-yard pass to Hendrix to push the Sycamore winning streak to three games for the first time since 2014. Starting his seventh career game for the Sycamores, Boyle helped Indiana State to 40 or more points for the fifth time.
Defensive Player of the Week
LB Katrell Moss, Indiana State
Sr., 5-11, 225, Indianapolis, Ind. (Warren Central HS)
Moss recorded a season high 18 tackles, including 10 solo stops Saturday against South Dakota. Moss found his way into several key plays, making 3.5 tackles-for-loss in the game, including one tackle for loss at the goal line. A Warren Central High School product, Moss recovered a fumble in the third quarter as the Coyotes marched into the red zone, seizing the momentum. Moss also was credited for a quarterback hurry in the game.
Special Teams
PK Austin Errthum, UNI
Sr., 5-10, 180, Kalona, Iowa (Mid-Prairie / Drake)
Errthum was 4-4 in field goals and 2-2 in PATs to help lead UNI to a 26-16 win over Illinois State. He hit from 30, 30, 27 and tied his second longest kick of the season at 43 yards. The senior was also stellar in kickoffs, finding the end zone on every kick to average 65 yards per kickoff and notch six touchbacks on seven kicks.
OTHERS NOMINATED
Offense
RB Marcus Weymiller, UNI -- Racked up 109 yards and a touchdown on 30 carries and tallied one catch for 42 yards. It was the second 100-yard rushing day of the year. He now has 635 yards rushing for the season. He also had 17 punt return yards.
RB Pierre Strong Jr., South Dakota State -- Strong needed only nine carries to rack up a career-high 136 yards (15.1 ypc) with two long touchdowns in South Dakota State’s 59-7 home victory over Missouri State. He opened the scoring with a 55-yard touchdown around right end in the first quarter, then jump-started a 31-point outburst in the second quarter with a 54-yard touchdown run up the middle. He added one reception for nine yards and a 14-yard kickoff to give him 159 all-purpose yards on the afternoon.
QB Austin Simmons, South Dakota -- Simmons completed 38 of 54 passes for 375 yards and three touchdowns against Indiana State. The 38 completions are one shy of USD’s single-game record. He tossed a 3-yard touchdown pass to Dakarai Allen on 4th-and-goal late in the first half, orchestrated 13-play, 81-yard touchdown drive at the end of regulation to force overtime, and used a 24-yard run to setup a 1-yard touchdown in the first overtime that gave USD its first lead.
QB Sean McGuire, Western Illinois -- McGuire turned it on in the second half to assist the Leathernecks in their comeback victory over Southern Illinois. The senior quarterback recorded 220 passing yards in the second half with one touchdown. He was 5-9 passing at the half, and completed the game 22-40.
RB Lance Dunn, North Dakota State -- Dunn rushed for 100 yards on 18 carries and caught a 30-yard touchdown pass in North Dakota State’s 17-7 win over Youngstown State. It was his second straight 100-yard rushing game and third this year. Dunn’s 37-yard run in the fourth quarter set up NDSU’s go-ahead touchdown three plays later. He averaged 5.6 yards per carry.
Defense
DE Derrek Tuszka, North Dakota State -- Tuszka had four tackles, two hurries, and two key tackles for loss including a sack on back-to-back plays in the fourth quarter against Youngstown State. NDSU went ahead 14-7, then forced a three-and-out sparked by Tuszka’s 6-yard tackle for loss on first down and a sack on second down. NDSU got the ball near midfield after a punt and converted a field goal for a 17-7 victory.
DL Pete Swenson, Western Illinois -- has sacked the opposing quarterback in all but one game this season, and did so twice in Western’s 34-31 win at Southern Illinois. Swenson recorded a team-high six solo tackles in Carbondale with four tackles for loss (4.0 – 10 yards), a pair of forced fumbles and a QB hurry.
DE Ryan Earith, South Dakota State -- Earith spearheaded a smothering effort by the Jackrabbit defense with five tackles, including 2.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks, in a 59-7 victory over Missouri State on Nov. 3. Earith’s tackles for loss added up to a loss of 18 yards as SDSU held its opponent to under 100 yards on the ground for the second week in a row, limiting the Bears to 30 net yards of rushing in 31 attempts. The 183 yards of total offense allowed by the Jackrabbits was the lowest total since giving up only 161 yards to Indiana State in a 29-0 shutout during the 2013 season.
S Jared Beshore, Missouri State -- Snagged two interceptions and registered four tackles at South Dakota State, including a pair of solo stops.
CB Isaac Armstead, South Dakota -- Armstead made his first start since being injured in the season opener at Kansas State and recorded a season-high seven tackles including a career-best 2.5 for loss. In addition, he forced a fumble inside the red zone with the score tied at 21-21 near the start of the fourth quarter, and was credited with one pass breakup.
DE Rickey Neal Jr., UNI - Tallied three solo tackles and one assist tackle. Neal had 3.0 tackles for loss for 15 yards including 2.0 sacks for 11 yards and He forced one fumble on a sack that was recovered by Illinois State on the ISU five-yard line. He has a team-high 11.5 TFLs, 6.5 Sacks and three forced fumbles on the season.
LB Armand Dellovade, Youngstown State -- Dellovade was credited with a career-high 16 tackles, a forced fumble and a pass breakup in the Penguins' 17-7 loss to North Dakota State. Dellovade had seven solo stops and nine assists in the game. In the first quarter, he forced a fumble at the NDSU 47 that YSU recovered.
Special Teams
P Mark Schuler, Youngstown State -- Schuler averaged 36.6 yards on seven punts, but placed three inside the NDSU 20-yard line in the Penguins' 17-7 loss. Schuler pinned the Bison at their own 15, 13 and 1 yard line in the contest.
PK Sam Crosa, Western Illinois - Crosa's first career game-winning field goal occurred with 13 seconds remaining in the Leathernecks 34-31 come-from-behind victory at Southern Illinois. He went 2-2 on the day from 34 and 33 yards out, with both occurring in the fourth quarter.
PK Mason Lorber, South Dakota -- Lorber made all six extra points and kicked two field goals against Indiana State Saturday in Terre Haute, Ind. Two of the kicks extended the game, and another gave USD a 51-48 lead in triple overtime. Lorber also provided kickoff duties in the second half and had one touchback on four kicks.
K Jerry Nunez, Indiana State -- Nunez was instrumental for the Sycamores Saturday against South Dakota. The junior was a perfect 6-for-6 on PAT attempts while notching a 23-yard field goal in the fourth quarter during the Sycamores’ 51-48 triple overtime victory over the Coyotes. Nunez also recorded a pair of touchbacks while handling kickoff duties for the Trees.
Newcomer
RB Pierre Strong Jr., South Dakota State -- also nominated at offense
WR Dante Hendrix, Indiana State -- Hendrix continues his impressive run at receiver for the Sycamores. Hendrix completed his second consecutive 100-yard receiving game Saturday in a triple overtime win over South Dakota. The wideout racked up 11 catches for 111 yards and tied a career high with two touchdowns. A Florence, Kentucky native, Hendrix caught a 25-yard touchdown in the first overtime period before catching the game-winning score on a three-yard pass from Ryan Boyle to push the Sycamore winning streak to three games for the first time since 2014.
WR Deion McShane, UNI -- Tallied a catch for 19 yards. He had a 53-yard kick return and 26 punt return yards.