This week's Missouri Valley Football Conference players of the week include QB Tommy Schuster of North Dakota; CB Montrae Braswell of Missouri State; QB Cam Miller of North Dakota State; and PK Cole Frahm of South Dakota State
 
Offensive Player of the Week
QB Tommy Schuster, North Dakota
6-0, 196, R-Fr., Macomb (Mich.) Chippewa Valley High
Schuster threw for a career high 328 yards and three touchdowns in No. 3 UND’s 38-21 win over Western Illinois in Macomb … He completed over 78% of his passes to move to 5-0 in his career at UND … His two first half touchdowns helped the Fighting Hawks jump out to an early 21-7 lead before lofting a 20-yard strike to Jake Richter to put the finishing touches on the victory.


 
Defensive Player of the Week
CB Montrae Braswell, Missouri State
6-0, 185, So., Avon Park (Fla.) Avon Park High / Central Michigan
   Braswell was everywhere for Missouri State against South Dakota to help the Bears pull off their first win over a ranked opponent since 2018. His heroics began with a 100-yard kickoff return in the first quarter to tie the game and become the fifth Bear in school history to log a 100-yard kick return (first since Deion Holliman at USD in 2015). Eight minutes later, Braswell gave the Bears the lead with a 36-yard "pick six" interception return for a score to give MSU its first lead of the game. In the second half, Braswell's defensive prowess continued with a two more pivotal plays on South Dakota's final two possessions. His third-down pass break-up as the Coyotes were driving for a potential go-ahead score held USD to a field goal attempt, which the Bears blocked and turned into the game-winning field goal. On South Dakota's last possession, Braswell's third-down tackle with less than five minutes to go forced a USD punt, and the Bears never gave the ball back, ultimately running out the clock for their second MVFC road win of the season. Braswell finished with 6 total tackles, all solos with a pair of passes defended and two touchdowns.


 
Newcomer of the Week
QB Cam Miller, North Dakota State
6-1, 205, Fr., Solon (Iowa) High
Miller accounted for 118 yards of total offense and led a key fourth-quarter scoring drive in North Dakota State’s 21-13 victory over Illinois State. Playing in just his third game as a true freshman, Miller traded snaps with starter Zeb Noland in the first half and led the Bison for a majority of the second half. Miller rushed for a team-high 57 yards on 11 attempts and went 5 of 7 passing for 61 yards. His six-yard TD run with 3:39 left in the game capped a 13-play, 84-yard drive that ate up 8:13 of the final quarter.
 


Special Teams Player of the Week
PK Cole Frahm, South Dakota State
6-5, 225, Jr., Omaha (Neb.) Burke High / Nebraska
Frahm booted the game-winning 29-yard field goal with 31 seconds remaining to lift South Dakota State to a 19-17 victory over Youngstown State. Earlier in the game, Frahm connected on a career-long 52-yard field goal en route to going 2-for-3 on field goals on the day. Frahm has made a field goal in all four games this season and is 5-for-7 on the season.


OTHERS NOMINATED

RB Javon Williams Jr., Southern Illinois -- Was a stat-sheet stuffer in SIU’s 17-16 win over Northern Iowa. He rushed 10 times for 41 yards, caught 3 passes for 17 yards and completed a 42-yard touchdown pass to Avante Cox that sparked a Saluki comeback from a 13-0 halftime deficit against Northern Iowa. Williams Jr. also added an 11-yard punt return for good measure.

RB Pierre Strong Jr., South Dakota State -- Strong rushed 21 times for a season-high 124 yards (5.9 ypc) in South Dakota State’s 19-17 home victory over Youngstown State on March 13. It was Strong’s first 100-yard game of the season and 10th of his career. 

RB Tyler Hoosman, UNI -- Tallied 18 carries for 73 yards and a touchdown in UNI’s 17-16 loss to Southern Illinois. He had a long run of 18 yards. He leads UNI with 204 yards rushing after playing in three games. 
 
WR Christian Watson, North Dakota State -- Watson had a game-high 138 all-purpose yards including a season-high four receptions and 93 yards on seven targets in North Dakota State’s 21-13 victory over Illinois State. Watson had kickoff returns of 26 and 31 yards and caught three passes for 77 yards in the first quarter to help spark the Bison to a 14-0 lead. Watson entered the game with only five receptions and 123 all-purpose yards in NDSU’s previous four contests.

QB Carson Camp, South Dakota -- Completed 22-of-34 passes for a season-high 339 yards and threw a 36-yard touchdown in Saturday’s game against Missouri State.

LB Devon Krzanowski, North Dakota -- Krzanowksi once again made his living in the backfield for the UND defense, collecting a pair of sacks to go alongside his six tackles. The junior also pounced on a fumble in the third quarter that resulted in a touchdown drive for the visitors. As a team, UND held Western Illinois to just 26 yards rushing in the game. 

LB James Kaczor, North Dakota State -- Kaczor made a team-high eight tackles including five solo stops in North Dakota State’s 21-13 victory over Illinois State. Kaczor also broke up one pass and had two quarterback hurries in helping limit the Redbirds to completing 9 of 26 attempts. He is NDSU’s second-leading tackler this season with 42 total tackles and a team-high 23 solos.

LB Preston Tetzlaff, South Dakota State -- Tetzlaff registered a team-high nine tackles in South Dakota State’s 19-17 victory over Youngstown State on March 13. As a team, the Jackrabbits limited YSU to 251 yards of total offense, including only 55 through the air.

CB Charles Woods, Illinois State -- Woods did it all for the Redbirds Saturday at the Fargodome against the Bison. The junior from Dallas recorded a pair of interceptions and was also credited with another pass breakup against NDSU. He also added eight tackles in the contest, including one TFL against the Bison. Woods now has six career interceptions for the Redbirds and 27 career passes defended.

DB Omar Brown, UNI -- Tallied seven tackles, all solo, an interception and a pass breakup. Saturday, he was targeted in three passes and recorded an interception and a pass breakup and an incompletion. He has been targeted four times downfield in four games and has tallied two pass breakups and an interception.

WR Quan Hampton, UNI -- Had four receptions for 91 yards, including a 52-yard reception. He leads UNI with 21 receptions for 270 yards so far this season. His 52-yard reception set up a potential game-winning field goal. 
 
DB Kyriq McDonald, Missouri State -- McDonald led the Missouri State defense in Saturday's win at No. 21 South Dakota with game-highs 8 solo tackles and 11 total stops against the Coyotes. The standout defensive back brought down 5 ball carriers in the second quarter alone and was the team's play stopper on eight different passing plays, in addition to a pair of key third- and fourth-down tackles. 

WR Jake Richter, North Dakota -- Richter had his best game since joining the Fighting Hawks, tallying a UND-best four catches and 58 yards in the win … Hauled in his first touchdown catch in green and white on a 20-yard pass from Schuster to put the finishing touches on the 38-21 victory … Also recovered the onside kick attempt by WIU late in the fourth quarter … Three of his four catches went for first downs.

TB Jaleel McLaughlin, Youngstown State -- For the second straight week, McLaughlin rushed for more than 100 yards and had two scores for the Penguins. McLaughlin rushed for 122 yards on 26 attempts and had a pair of touchdowns in YSU's tough 19-17 loss at South Dakota State. He scored on a 42-yard run in the first quarter and added a one-yard score in the fourth. In the week prior, he rushed for 124 yards and had two TDs vs. Southern Illinois.

DB Zaire Jones, Youngstown State -- Jones had an interception and a season-high nine tackles in the Penguins' tough 19-17 loss at South Dakota State. His interception in the fourth quarter setup YSU's go ahead touchdown at the SDSU 20-yard line. He was credited with six solos and three assisted tackles.

RS Jayden Price, North Dakota State -- Price returned Illinois State’s first punt of the game 85 yards for his first career touchdown to spark North Dakota State’s 21-13 victory. It was the third longest punt return in NDSU history and one of only five punt return attempts by the Bison in 37 opportunities this year. A first-year starter at cornerback, Price added three tackles including one tackle for loss on defense.

P Brady Schutt, South Dakota -- Averaged 47.6 yards on five punts with a net of 43.6 yards in Saturday’s game against Missouri State. Had a long of 52 yards and pinned two inside the 10-yard line with no returns.

PK Adam Stage, North Dakota  -- Booted home a 46-yard field goal, his longest in a UND uniform and longest since a 47-yarder when he was with St. Cloud State (Sep. 8, 2018 at Minn. Crookston) … Also had three kickoffs that averaged 58.7 yards per kick.