Tops in the nation: McCoin voted OVC Offensive Player of the Week
Putting up the biggest receiving numbers in the nation during the first full weekend of action, on every level of college football, has vaulted Tennessee Tech sophomore Brock McCoin to being voted the adidas® Ohio Valley Conference Offensive Player of the Week.
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. -- Putting up the biggest receiving numbers in the nation during the first full weekend of action, on every level of college football, has vaulted Tennessee Tech's Brock McCoin to being voted the adidas® Ohio Valley Conference Offensive Player of the Week.
McCoin, a sophomore from Livingston, Tenn., had the most prolific receiving game against a Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) opponent in OVC history as he made nine catches for 264 yards and two touchdowns in Tech’s season-opening loss at Houston. Four of his catches either scored or led to all four Golden Eagle scores against the Cougars.
The 264 receiving yards were the fourth-most in OVC single-game history and the most ever by an OVC player against a Football Bowl Subdivision opponent. It was also the most receiving yards ever against the University of Houston, and the second-most receiving yards in school history.
McCoin hooked up with junior quarterback Jared Davis for touchdown catches of 77 and 71 yards, as well as having other catches that went for 46 and 47 yards. The 46-yard toss led to a 28-yard John Arnold field goal, and the 47-yard play set up a two-yard touchdown run by Willie Davis.
The 264 receiving yards were the most by an NCAA player (any classification) during the opening weekend of play; he also ranks fourth in the FCS in all-purpose yards after one game. A season ago McCoin had 517 receiving yards and two touchdowns in 12 total games.
McCoin and the Golden Eagles head to Spartanburg, S.C. this weekend to face Wofford Sayurday evening, then open the home schedule on Saturday, Sept. 19, with a 6 p.m. game against Mercer.
Joining McCoin in receiving OVC honors were Eastern Illinois linebacker Seth McDonald as Defensive Player of the Week and Jacksonville State kicker Connor Rouleau as Specialist of the Week, while JSU linebacker Joel McCandless and Tennessee State quarterback O’Shay Ackerman-Carter were chosen co-Newcomers of the Week.
Others Nominated on Offensive Player of the week: Jared Beard, Austin Peay; Jeff Glover, Eastern Kentucky; Troymaine Pope, Jacksonville State; KD Humphries, Murray State; O’Shay Ackerman-Carter, Tennessee State.
DEFENSIVE
Seth McDonald, LB • Jr., 6-1, 230 • Sandwich, Ill. • Eastern Illinois
McDonald led Eastern Illinois with 17 tackles (12 solo) in the team’s season opening loss at in-state rival Western Illinois. The junior added two tackles-for-loss and also forced and recovered a fumble in just his second career start. The forced fumble recovery stopped a WIU drive at the EIU 1-yard line in the third quarter. His 17 tackles are the second-most by a FCS player in a game this season.
Others Nominated: Sheldon Fleming, Eastern Kentucky; Brandon Bender, Jacksonville State; Zach Dean, Murray State; Latrelle Lee, Tennessee State; Stephen Bush, Tennessee Tech.
SPECIALIST
Connor Rouleau, K • So., 6-0, 226 • Suwanee, Ga. • Jacksonville State
Rouleau connected on three field and two extra points as No. 7 Jacksonville State went to No. 8 Chattanooga and pulled out the 23-20 come-from-behind victory. In the process the Gamecocks became the first Division I team (FBS or FCS) to claim a road win over a Top 10 ranked opponent this season. The sophomore connected from 34 yards out in the first quarter, 35 yards in the third quarter and 32 yards in the fourth to start the season perfect on attempts. Rouleau currently ranks first nationally in field goals made/game (3.0) and first in field goal percentage (100%).
Others Nominated: Bradley Dewberry, Eastern Illinois; Stanley Absanon, Eastern Kentucky; Carson Greifenkamp, Murray State; Alex Knight, Southeast Missouri; Jonathan King, Tennessee Tech.
CO-NEWCOMER
Joel McCandless, LB • So., 6-1, 229 • Birmingham, Ala. • Jacksonville State
McCandless, the transfer from Hinds Community College, had six solo tackles, two tackles-for-loss and a sack in Jacksonville State’s 23-20 road victory over No. 8 Chattanooga. He was instrumental in helping limit UTC quarterback Jacob Huesman, a candidate for the STATS FCS National Player of the Year Award, to just 86 passing yards and 50 rushing yards and the entire Mocs team to just 196 yards of total offense.
CO-NEWCOMER
O’Shay Ackerman-Carter, QB • R-Fr., 6-2, 215 • Jacksonville, Fla. • Tennessee State
In his first collegiate game Ackerman-Carter earned Offensive MVP honors at the John Merritt Classic as Tennessee State topped Alabama State 24-14 on Sunday night. He finished the game 20-of-37 passing for 188 yards and a touchdown and added 38 rushing yards on nine attempts (4.2 ypc). With his team trailing ASU 14-3 entering the fourth quarter, Ackerman-Carter led three scoring drives in an eight-minute stretch as TSU roared back to earn a 10-point victory. He started that comeback with a 19-yard touchdown pass to Patrick Smith early in the fourth quarter.
Others Nominated: Juwan Davis, Austin Peay; Dylan Chatman, Eastern Illinois; Noah Spence, Eastern Kentucky; Tay Bender, Southeast Missouri.
