This week's Missouri Valley Football Conference players of the week include RB Javon Williams of Southern Illinois, LB Christian Rozeboom of South Dakota State, PR/WR Jaxon Janke of South Dakota State and Will McElvain of UNI.
Offensive Player of the Week
RB Javon Williams, Southern Illinois
6-2, 234, Fr., Centralia (Ill.) High
RB Javon Williams touched the ball 9 times during SIU’s 45-20 win over FBS UMass. He scored touchdowns on three of them, totaling 171 yards (68 rushing, 103 receiving) for an average of 19.0 yards per touch. He tied the school record for longest reception by a running back with an 85-yard TD catch, and added a 64-yard run for touchdown on the ground. The win was SIU’s fourth-ever against an FBS opponent and first since 2007.
Defensive Player of the Week
LB Christian Rozeboom, South Dakota State
6-2, 230, Sr., Sioux Center (Iowa) High
Rozeboom recorded a team-high eight tackles, forced a fumble and intercepted a pass in South Dakota State’s 38-3 victory over Long Island University on Sept. 7. His interception in the third quarter came in the middle of the Jackrabbits scoring 14 points in a 19-second span. Rozeboom led a Jackrabbit defense that held LIU out of the end zone, limiting the Sharks to only 123 yards of total offense and eight first downs.
Special Teams Player of the Week
PR/WR Jaxon Janke, South Dakota State
6-2, 210, R-Fr., Madison (S.D.) High
Janke swung the momentum firmly in South Dakota State’s favor by returning a punt 77 yards for a touchdown in the second quarter of the Jackrabbits’ 38-3 home victory over Long Island University on Sept. 7. Janke, whose touchdown pushed the lead to 14-3, finished the game with four punt returns for 111 yards, becoming the first SDSU player in the Division I era (since 2004) to record more than 100 punt return yards in a contest.
Newcomer of the Week
QB Will McElvain, UNI
5-11, 197, Fr., Des Moines (Iowa) Lincoln High
McElvain went 17-of-25 for 262 yards and three touchdowns to lead UNI to a 34-14 victory over Southern Utah. He was 14-of-20 for 234 yards and three TDs before the half when the Panthers took their foot off of the gas pedal. He completed six of his first eight passes and threw three touchdowns to three different receivers while not throwing an interception. He also ran for 23 yards on eight carries. He was on the passing end of Deion McShane’s circus catch and play that ended up the No. 6 play on ESPN SportsCenter’s Top 10 Saturday night.
OTHERS NOMINATED
Offense
QB Trey Lance, North Dakota State
Lance accounted for four touchdowns rushing 16 times for 95 yards and two TDs while going 11-for-15 passing for 162 yards and two scores in North Dakota State’s 38-7 victory over North Dakota. Through his first two collegiate starts, Lance has six TD passes against just five incompletions (21-for-26). NDSU rushed for 266 yards and converted 9 of 14 third down opportunities while holding the ball for more than 35 minutes in the program’s 23rd straight win.
WR Deion McShane, UNI
Deion McShane caught a career-high eight passes for 110 yards and a touchdown to lead UNI to a 34-0 win over Southern Utah Saturday at the UNI-Dome. His touchdown catch proved the catalyst for the UNI offense as it was the first points of a 34-0 run that allowed UNI to take control of the game. He caught the ball and flipped over the top of his defender to stay alive and score the 56-yard score, the longest of his career. The highlight ended up sixth on SportsCenter’s Top 10 plays Saturday night.
RB James Robinson, Illinois State
Senior James Robinson and the Redbird rushing attack controlled the game from the start on way to a 42-14 victory in the home opener for the Redbirds over the Eagles. Robinson averaged 7.7 yards per carry and finished the game with 178 yards while tying a career-high with three touchdowns on the ground in the victory for the Redbirds. Robinson got things started with a 16-yard TD run in the first quarter and added another just before halftime from 34 yards out. He capped off an impressive night with a 2-yard run early in the fourth quarter to put the game away and give the Redbirds their first win of the season.
QB Nathan Mays, Youngstown State
Mays threw two touchdown passes and ran for another in the Penguins’ 54-28 win over Howard. He competed 8-of-14 passes for 182 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for 30 yards on seven carries and scoring a touchdown. Mays threw touchdown passes of 38 yards to Jermiah Braswell and 15 to Ryan Emans and added a two-yard rush in the third quarter for a touchdown.
QB Austin Simmons, South Dakota
Simmons was the Coyotes’ leading passer and rusher against the fourth-ranked Oklahoma Sooners Saturday. He completed 25 of 34 passes for 244 yards and two touchdowns, and ran seven times for 28 yards.
RB Peterson Kerlegrand, Indiana State
Peterson Kerlegrand rushed for 194 yards and two touchdowns against Dayton Saturday during his first career start. The juniors rushing total was the 22nd-best performance by a Sycamore tailback in program history and the most since Jake Shields rushed for 196 yards against Murray State in 2003. A Fort Wayne, Indiana native, Kerlegrand rushed the ball 17 times for an 11.4 yards per carry average. He broke off a career long 60-yard scamper that led to a touchdown to pull ISU within one score just before halftime.
Defense
DT DeMarko Craig, Youngstown State
Craig had a career-high seven tackles, including three TFLs against Howard. He had a career-high two sacks as well in the victory.
LB Tuvone Clark, Illinois State
Senior linebacker Tuvone Clark did it all for the Redbirds in a victory over Morehead State Saturday night. Clark recorded the first interception of his career and returned it 29 yards for the pick six to give the Redbirds an early 14-0 lead, as the Redbird defense held the Eagles scoreless until late in the third quarter. Clark finished the game with four tackles and added a TFL in addition to the interception, one of two on the night for ISU.
Bryce Flater, UNI
Flater notched a career-high and game-high 13 tackles, including a tackle for loss to lead the UNI defense and helped shut Southern Utah out for the first three quarters of the game. He was active all over the place set a physical tone for the rest of the defense with his downhill hitting.
SS Michael Tutsie, North Dakota State
5-10, 194, So., Indianapolis, Ind. (Warren Central HS)
Tutsie had two interceptions and a career-high seven tackles in North Dakota State’s 38-7 victory over North Dakota. He nearly picked off a third pass and was part of one tackle for loss as the Bison held UND to just 68 yards rushing.
S Qua Brown, Southern Illinois
Entering the game leading the nation in solo tackles, S Qua Brown continued his torrid tackling pace with 14 more stops during SIU’s 45-20 win over FBS UMass. He had 10 solos and 4 assists as the Salukis held UMass to 2.6 yards per carry on the ground and just 321 total yards. Brown, who now has 30 tackles on the year, added two pass break ups as well. The win was SIU’s fourth-ever against an FBS opponent and first since 2007.
LB Jonas Griffith, Indiana State
Jonas Griffith had 11 tackles, including 1.5 tackles for loss and a sack for seven yards Saturday against Dayton. The redshirt senior also picked off Jack Cook in the third quarter of action for his third career interception.
Special Teams
K Griffin Crosa, North Dakota State
6-1, 165, Fr., Powell, Ohio (Dublin Scioto HS)
Crosa converted all five PAT kicks and his first collegiate field goal, a 27-yard kick, in North Dakota State’s 38-7 win over North Dakota. Crosa has connected on all 13 attempts in his first two games, including a 7-for-7 effort on PATs against Butler in the season opener.
Zac Kibby, UNI
Kibby averaged 40.5 yards per punt and pinned SUU inside their 20 twice in four tries. He also recorded three tackles and drew an illegal block in the back penalty while still making a tackle on special teams.
WR Dakota Caton, Indiana State
Dakota Caton helped spark the Sycamores in the second half with a 35-yard punt return that setup a quick score to tie the game in the third quarter. The sophomore added two kick returns for 49 yards, including a 26-yard return in the second quarter. Caton also added three receptions for 52 yards.
P Brady Schutt, South Dakota
Schutt averaged 45.7 yards on six punts with a long of 60 against the fourth-ranked Oklahoma Sooners Saturday. He pinned two punts inside the 20 including one where the tackle was made inside the 5.
Newcomer
QB Trey Lance, North Dakota State
Also nominated for Offensive Player of the Week
PR/WR Jaxon Janke, South Dakota State
Earned Special Teams Player of the Week
DT DeMarko Craig, Youngstown State
Also nominated for Defensive Player of the Week