This week's Missouri Valley Football Conference players of the week include TB Jaleel McLaughlin of Youngstown State; LB Adam Bock of South Dakota State; S Ryan Cole of Indiana State; PK Ryan O'Grady of Indiana State; CB/RS Montrae Braswell of Missouri State; and WR Naseim Brantley of Western Illinois.
 
Offense:  TB Jaleel McLaughlin, Youngstown State
Co-Defense:  LB Adam Bock, South Dakota State | S Ryan Cole, Indiana State
Co-Special Teams:  PK Ryan O'Grady, Indiana State | CB/RS Montrae Braswell, Missouri State
Newcomer:  WR Naseim Brantley, Western Illinois
 
Offensive Player of the Week
TB Jaleel McLaughlin, Youngstown State
5-9, 183, Sr. (Marshville, N.C./Forest Hills/Notre Dame (Ohio) H.S.)
McLaughlin rushed for 203 yards on 20 carries and scored three touchdowns in YSU's season-opening 31-14 win over Duquesne. McLaughlin scored on runs of three, 13 and 54 in the victory over the Dukes. It was his most rushing yards since the 2021 season-opening win against UIW.
 


Co-Defensive Player of the Week
LB Adam Bock, South Dakota State
6-1, 215, Jr. (Solon, Iowa/Solon H.S.)
Bock registered a game-high 13 tackles for a South Dakota State squad that did not allow a touchdown and limited Iowa to only 166 yards of total offense in a narrow 7-3 loss on Sept. 3. Bock also forced and recovered a fumble that thwarted a Hawkeye drive in the red zone late in the third quarter to keep SDSU within striking distance.


 
Co-Defensive Player of the Week
S Rylan Cole, Indiana State
6-0, 205, So. (McCordsville, Ind./Mt. Vernon H.S.)
Cole picked off two passes, including the game-securing interception in overtime to lead Indiana State past North Alabama in the Sycamores’ season opener. The sophomore matched a career-high with eight tackles, while adding 2.5 tackles-for-loss, two interceptions, and two pass breakups. His first interception set up the short field for Indiana State’s go-ahead touchdown pass in the fourth quarter, while he secured the final interception on the last play of the game on the desperation heave toward the end zone. He nearly added a third interception in the first half off a tipped ball. Cole’s 2.5 tackles-for-loss led the Sycamores to a Curt Mallory-era 15.0 tackle-for-loss game on the afternoon as the Sycamores limited the Lions to just eight total rushing yards.
 


Co-Special Teams Player of the Week
CB Montrae Braswell, Missouri State
6-0, 190, Jr. (Avon Park, Fla.)
Braswell broke loose for a 98-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in the fourth quarter of MSU's road win at UCA. The return came on the heels of a UCA's first scoring drive of the game and Braswell's big play made it 27-7 at the time and seemed to put the game out of reach. It was Braswell's third career kick return TD and the seventh-longest kickoff return in Missouri State history. He averaged 65.0 yards on two kickoff return attempts in the win (the other was 32 yards).


 
Co-Special Teams Player of the Week
PK Ryan O’Grady, Indiana State
6-1, 180, Fr. (Lockport, Ill.)
O’Grady was clutch in his first career collegiate game as the freshman placekicker went a perfect 3-for-3 on his field goal attempts in Indiana State’s 17-14 win. He had joined the team midway through the preseason training camp and impressed the ISU coaching staff with his ability to connect in the clutch. It showed on Thursday night at Memorial Stadium as he knocked in field goals from 22 and 26 yards in regulation, while his 25-yard attempt went down the middle in overtime to secure the 17-14 win. O’Grady’s three-field goal day made him the first ISU placekicker to converted three attempts in a game since Jerry Nunez made a trio of field goals twice back in 2018.


 
Newcomer of the Week
WR Naseim Brantley, Western Illinois
6-4, 200, Gr. (Farmingdale, N.J./Sacred Heart/Howell H.S.)
Making his Leatherneck debut, Brantley had a big night for Western Illinois in the season opener at UT Martin. He had six catches for 171 yards as well as touchdown catches of 51, 44 and 32 yard. Brantley also became the first Leatherneck with at least three receiving touchdowns in a game since Jaelon Acklin had three against South Dakota in 2017. His 171 yards receiving made him the first WIU receiver to have over 150 receiving yards since Dennis Houston had 175 against Eastern Washington last year.


OTHERS CONSIDERED

QB Cam Miller, North Dakota State -- Miller went 6-for-9 passing for 105 yards and two touchdowns in the first half of a 56-14 win over Drake. WR Zach Mathis made his first career touchdown reception on a 31-yard passing play and TE Noah Gindorff hauled in a 24-yard TD pass among his team-high three receptions for 44 yards.

WR Deion McSchane, UNI -- McShane tallied his fourth career game with 100 yards or more in receptions. McShane racked up 106 yards off six receptions in UNI's opener. He was 6-for-6 in catches when he was the target. He had a 40-yard catch in the fourth quarter that set up UNI's first touchdown scoring drive of the game. This was the third most yards McShane has tallied in a single game in his career.

WR Ty Scott, Missouri State -- Scott posted game-highs with 8 pass receptions for 160 yards to lift Missouri State to an opening night win at Central Arkansas. He averaged 20.0 yards per reception and racked up 75 yards after catch with seven of his eight catches going for 10 or more yards. He also had three catches of 25 yards or more with a long of 41. His 160 receiving yards marked the second-highest single-game receiving total of Scott's career.

RB Isaiah Smith, North Dakota -- Rushed 10 times for 104 yards at Nebraska in the 31-17 loss, averaging 10.4 yards per carry; Had a 63-yard scamper midway through the third quarter that set up a UND touchdown to cut the deficit to 17-10. That rush is the longest of his career; The 104 yards on the ground is good for his third 100-yard game of his career.

DL Ben McNaboe, North Dakota -- Had the first multi-sack performance of his career, sacking Nebraska 1.5 times for -13 yards; Forced a Nebraska fumble on his first sack to help give UND momentum early; Put down five tackles at Nebraska, good for a career high.

DL Anthony Payne, Missouri State -- Making his 14th career start, defensive lineman Anthony Payne made a pair of impactful defensive sacks in the Bears road win at UCA. His first sack came on a key third-and-11 play in the third quarter that ultimately preserved MSU's shutout into the fourth quarter. His second sack came in the fourth quarter with a 12-yard hit on second down on another drive that also helped halt a UCA drive. He finished with 3 total tackles on the night with 2.0 sacks and 2.0 TFLs -- both career highs. 

LB Devin Johnson, Youngstown State -- In his first career game for the Penguins, Johnson had two interceptions and three tackles. Both of Johnson's interceptions set up Penguins touchdowns. His first interception came in second quarter at the Duquesne 31-yard line. Four plays later the Penguins took the lead at 14-7 and never trailed again. His second interception came with YSU ahead 17-14 in the fourth quarter. Seven plays later, the Guins went pushed a 17-14 advantage to 24-14.

LB Anthony Quinney, Western Illinois -- Quinney delivered for Western, leading the team with 15 tackles, a career high that surpassed the 13 he had last season at Dodge City Community College. Quinney became the first Leatherneck with 15 or more tackles in a game since Darius Joiner had 23 against Youngstown 

DB Korby Sander, UNI -- Korby Sander led UNI in tackles in the season opener against the United States Air Force Academy. He notched 11 tackles overall. He had six solo tackles and five assisted stops. 

DE Jake Kava, North Dakota State -- Kava blocked a field goal in a 7-7 game that led to a 56-yard touchdown return and put North Dakota State ahead for good in a 56-14 win over Drake. Kava made three total tackles including a half sack and solo tackle for loss. The Bison allowed just 219 yards of total offense and 3.2 yards per play.

P John Bickle, South Dakota -- Bickle netted an average of 45.7 yards on six punts in his Coyote debut. His first punt was a 61-yarder downed at the Kansas State 5. He had two punts of greater than 50 yards and didn’t allow a return.

P/PK Hunter Dustman, South Dakota State -- Dustman handled all of the kicking duties for South Dakota State in its season-opening 7-3 loss at Iowa. He punted 11 times for an average of 41.5 yards (long of 52) and scored the Jackrabbits' only points on a 44-yard field goal in the second quarter. Dustman's 11 punts mark the most by an SDSU player in the Division I era (since 2004). 

PR Jayden Price, North Dakota State -- Price moved into a tie for second place in NDSU career history with his third career punt return touchdown in North Dakota State’s 56-14 win over Drake. Price scored from 66 yards and had a 30-yard return called back by penalty. He also made two tackles playing cornerback.

PK Brady Stevens, North Dakota -- Accounted for five points in the 31-17 loss at Nebraska; Went 2-for-2 on extra points and made a 23-yard field goal to trim the deficit to 17-10 midway through the third quarter; Had four kickoffs for 222 yards and a touchback, averaging 55.5 yards per kickoff.

PK Jake Baumgarte, Southern Illinois -- In his first, career game, redshirt freshman Jake Baumgarte was 3-for-3 on field goal tries (47, 32 and 26 yards) and made two PATs to account for 11 of SIU’s 29 points at Incarnate Word.

LB Michael Scott, South Dakota -- Scott had eight tackles (six solo) including two sacks and a third tackle-for-loss in his Coyote debut against Kansas State. His third TFL came on a quarterback draw play on a third down that forced a KSU punt.

P Cael Loecher, UNI -- Loecher made his Panther debut against Air Force averaging 44.3 yards in four punts. He totaled 177 yards with a long of 51. With the help of Isaiah Garman, he pinned Air Force within the 10-yard line three times. His first attempt was a 34-yarder downed at Air Force's 7 yard line. His second went 50 yards and stopped at the 2 yard line. His third punt was 51 yards downed at the 4. His final punt went 42 yards and resulted in a touchback. 

S Dillon Thomas, Missouri State -- The transfer from Northern Illinois didn't take long to fit in to a Bears defensive secondary that already boasts two All-Americans. In his first start at MSU, the new safety came up with an acrobatic interception, posted a jaw-rattling sack, and finished with 3 total tackles (2 solos) in Missouri State's opening-night win at UCA. 

WR Red Wilson, North Dakota -- Had his first appearance for UND at Nebraska in the 31-17 loss; Recorded five receptions for 30 yards, while also rushing twice for five yards.

RB Barika Kpeenu, North Dakota State -- Kpeenu carried four times for 24 yards including his first career touchdown run from six yards out in the fourth quarter of North Dakota State’s 56-14 win over Drake. He was one of 11 ball carriers NDSU used in the game as the Bison rolled up 274 yards rushing and averaged 7.4 yards per carry.