This week's Missouri Valley Football Conference players of the week include WR/KR Rashad Rochelle of Indiana State; DB DeJuan Lewis of South Dakota; DB Nic Yatsko of Indiana State; RS Jackson Williams of North Dakota State; and OG Landon Woodard of Illinois State.

Offensive Player of the Week
WR/KR Rashad Rochelle, Indiana State, Sr., Springfield, Ill.
Rochelle returned a kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown to open the game against South Dakota State, and he then added four receptions for 84 yards and two more scores as the Sycamores topped the Jackrabbits in Brookings, S.D. 24-12. Rochelle’s kickoff return for a score marked Indiana State’s first kickoff return for a touchdown since 2014 and the longest since the end of the 2006 season and sparked the Indiana State team to the upset win over the Jackrabbits. With SDSU rallying in the second half, Rochelle hauled in touchdown receptions of 17 and 57 yards to put the game away in Brookings, marking the first multi-receiving touchdown effort of his Indiana State career.
 
Defensive Player of the Week
DB DeJuan Lewis, South Dakota, Sr., Pearland, Texas
For the second-straight week, Lewis recovered a fumble for the Coyote defense from his secondary spot – but this one was much bigger. A fumble in a large pile of bodies at the USD 20-yard line with North Dakota driving (USD leading 19-7), saw Lewis come out with the ball and disappear in a flash down the field for the 80-yard scoop-and-score as USD pushed their lead to 26-21, which proved to be the game winning touchdown on the day. It’s the first scoop-and-score for South Dakota since Mi’Quise Grace did it against the Jackrabbits last season (2024).
 
Newcomer of the Week
DB Nic Yatsko, Indiana State, R-Fr., Terre Haute, Ind.
Yatsko continues to make his presence felt as the redshirt freshman nickel back came through with a career-high 14 tackles, 2.0 tackles-for-loss, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery in the Sycamores’ 24-12 win over SDSU. Yatsko came through with a play that swung the momentum in the first quarter as SDSU was driving down the field following Rochelle’s kickoff return for a touchdown. On a fake punt, Yatsko came up with the forced fumble in Indiana State territory, and subsequently fell on the football for the recovery, one of Indiana State’s three turnovers in the game.
 
Special Teams Player of the Week
RS Jackson Williams, North Dakota State, So., Omaha, Neb.
Williams had a team-high 194 all-purpose yards on five touches to help spark North Dakota State to a 38-30 victory over 18th-ranked Youngstown State. Williams broke multiple tackles and scored a 100-yard kickoff return after YSU had scored to make it a four-point game late in the second quarter. It was his second career 100-yard kick return and the seventh in NDSU history. Williams added a 21-yard punt return and 24-yard kickoff return, and he rushed twice for four yards.

Offensive Lineman of the Week
OG Landon Woodard, Illinois State, Sr., Waukesha, Wis.
Woodard and the Redbird offensive line were a big part of the Redbirds success in a 31-16 win over UNI. The senior from Waukesha, Wisconsin graded out at 90 percent and helped lead the way for Victor Dawson, who rushed for 101 yards on the ground. As a team, the Redbird offense racked up 430 yards of total offense in a balanced effort, that featured 202 yards rushing (5.8 yards per carry) and 228 yards passing.