This week's Missouri Valley Football Conference players of the week include QB Connor Sampson of Western Illinois, DB Omar Brown of UNI and RB/KR Kobe Johnson of North Dakota State.

Offensive Player of the Week
QB Connor Sampson, Western Illinois
6-3, 215, Jr., Belleville, Mich. (Belleville HS)
Sampson threw for a career-high 368 passing yards with three touchdowns in Western's 38-34 win over South Dakota. The yardage ranks 14th all-time in Western's single-game records and also sits third-most on the MVFC's 2019 passing list. Sampson also completed 31 passes which ties for second all-time in WIU single-game history. The Western win snapped a 10-game losing streak dating back to last season.




Defensive Player of the Week
& Newcomer of the Week
DB Omar Brown, UNI
6-1, 195, Fr., Minneapolis, Minn. (North Senior HS)
Brown tallied two interceptions, a tackle for loss and five tackles, including four solo stops to help No. 9 UNI defeat No. 7 Illinois State 27-10 in Normal, Ill.  In the first half, he took down Walter Payton Award Candidate James Robinson down in the backfield on fourth down to end a promising Illinois State drive in Panther territory. His first interception of the game came with less than a minute to play in the second quarter and set up a Panther touchdown that gave UNI a 14-7 lead. He picked off his second pass with 5:33 to play in the game to help UNI close out the statement road win.



Special Teams Player of the Week
RB/KR Kobe Johnson, North Dakota State
5-9, 177, Fr., Lawrenceville, Ga. (Discovery HS)
Johnson had 241 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns in North Dakota State’s 56-17 win at Youngstown State. It was the fifth-most all-purpose yards by an NDSU player in a Division I game. Johnson notched his second career 100-yard rushing game with six carries for a season-high 103 yards including a 75-yard touchdown. In his first game returning kickoffs, he had three for 138 yards including a 94-yard touchdown that is tied for sixth longest in school history.


OTHERS NOMINATED

Offense
RB D.J. Davis, Southern Illinois
Davis carried 22 times for 160 yards (7.3 avg.) in SIU’s 23-14 win over Indiana State. It was a season-high for Davis and marked the 10th time in his last 18 games that the senior has recorded 100+ yards rushing. He also became only the third player in school history to surpass 5,000 yards of total offense. He is one of two active players in FCS with more than 5,000 yards and he passed the mark on a 48-yard carry during the second quarter. 

WR Cade Johnson, South Dakota State 
Johnson caught five passes for 164 yards –an average of 32.8 yards per reception -- with a touchdown in South Dakota State’s 35-14 road win at Missouri State on Nov. 2. Johnson’s touchdown came on a shovel pass from running back Pierre Strong, Jr. and covered 89 yards, marking the Jackrabbits’ longest pass play in five years.  Johnson also moved into third place in SDSU history for career touchdown receptions (27) and fifth place for career receiving yards (2,490) in the contest.

QB Will McElvain, UNI
McElvain tied his high with three touchdowns passes to lead UNI to a 27-10 win over No. 7 Illinois State on the road in Normal. The redshirt freshman was 14-28 for 189 yards and three touchdowns while throwing to five different receivers. He also ran 10 time for 35 yards on the day. 
 
QB Trey Lance, North Dakota State
Lance accounted for four touchdowns and 192 yards of total offense in North Dakota State’s 56-17 win at Youngstown State. Lance completed 7 of 9 passes for 160 yards and three TDs averaging 17.8 yards per attempt. He scored on a 9-yard run and threw a career-long 69-yard TD pass to put NDSU ahead 14-0 midway through the first quarter. Lance has attempted 160 consecutive passes without an interception, breaking the NDSU career record of 152 set by Easton Stick from 2016 to 2017.


Defense
LB Aaron Mercadel, North Dakota State
Mercadel made a career- and team-high seven tackles in North Dakota State’s 56-17 win at Youngstown State. He made five solo stops and had one of NDSU’s eight tackles for loss. Mercadel had four tackles by halftime as the Bison held YSU to just 47 rushing yards and 101 total yards in the first half.

LB Zach Glisan, Western Illinois
Glisan finished Western's first win of the season with a career-high 16 tackles (eight assisted, eight solo). He was the last Leatherneck to record 15 or more and did so last season versus Montana. 

LB Seven Wilson, South Dakota State 
Wilson marked a successful return to his home state by registering a career-high 12 tackles, including one tackle for loss, to pace the Jackrabbit defense in a 35-14 road win at Missouri State on Nov. 2. Wilson led a Jackrabbit defense that forced Missouri State to punt 10 times. Seven times the SDSU forced a three-and-out.

OLB Makel Calhoun, Southern Illinois
Calhoun had 11 tackles, including two sacks in the win over Indiana State. SIU held the Sycamores to 266 yards. Calhoun has been on a tear during conference games with 4.5 sacks, third-most in the league. 

Romeo McKnight, DE, 6-5, 260, Jr., Crystal Lake, Illinois (Iowa)
McKnight was solid all day long for the Redbird defense against UNI. The Crystal Lake, Illinois, native set a career-high with nine tackles, including six solo stops, and recorded a TFL. McKnight was also credited with a pass breakup and a quarterback hurry on the afternoon. He now leads the team with 10.5 TFLs on the season.

S Denzel Bonner, Indiana State
Safety Denzel Bonner recorded a team high eight tackles (four solo) in a loss to Southern Illinois. The senior forced fumble that was picked up by the Sycamores in the first quarter leading to an ISU touchdown to tie the game. 


Special Teams
PK Nico Gualdoni, Southern Illinois
Gualdoni was a last-minute replacement for regular place-kicker Griffin Cerra, who hurt a quad muscle during pregame warmups. Gualdoni made all three of his field goals in the game from 24, 36 and 27 yards, and was 2-for-2 on PATs. Four of his six kickoffs went for touchbacks.

PK Matthew Cook, UNI
Cook hit field goals from 23 yards and 33 yards to help UNI ice away a 27-10 victory over No. 7 Illinois State on the road at Normal. He averaged 59.0 yards per kickoff, including one kickoff that was returned to the Illinois State six-yard line. He is now 14-17 on the season for field goals and leads the MVFC in makes.
 
P Ben Dinkel, South Dakota State 
Dinkel averaged 42 yards on five punts, landing two inside the Missouri State 20-yard line in South Dakota State’s 35-14 road win on Nov. 2. His long punt of the afternoon covered 50 yards.

PK Mason Lorber, South Dakota
Lorber was 2-for-2 on field goals, hitting from 33 and 37 yards, made all four extra points and had two touchbacks on seven kickoffs Saturday against Western Illinois in Macomb.


Newcomer
RB Kobe Johnson, North Dakota State -- earned Special Teams Player of the Week

QB Keaton Heide, South Dakota State 
In his first career start, Heide completed 11-of-19 passes for 173 yards and a touchdown to help lead South Dakota State to a 35-14 win at Missouri State on Nov. 2. Heide’s first career touchdown pass was a 10-yard strike to Adam Anderson that gave the Jackrabbits an early 6-0 lead. He also carried the ball three times for nine yards.

RB Javon Williams Jr., Southern Illinois
Williams scored both of SIU’s touchdowns in a 23-14 win over Indiana State. He now leads all Division I freshmen with 15 touchdowns. Williams Jr. carried 12 times for 84 yards and a 7.0 yard average.

WR Dominique Dafney, Indiana State
Dafney made his debut in the wildcat Saturday against Southern Illinois. The Iowa transfer accounted for both Sycamore touchdowns and 54 rushing yards while splitting duties in the backfield. Dafney averaged 4.9 yards per carry with a long rush of 15 yards against the Salukis. 

QB Mark Waid, Youngstown State
Waid came into the game during the second half against North Dakota State, finishing 5-of-10 for 51 yards through the air while picking up 79 yards with his legs on nine carries to go along with a score.