Senior quarterback Jimmie Russell of Bethune-Cookman University and Russell Reeves of Delaware State University were selected as the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Football Offensive and Defensive Player of the Week, the league announced Tuesday.
Florida A&M’s Philip Sylvester earned Rookie of the Week honors, while Norfolk State teammates Brandon Nance and Justin Castellat were selected as the offensive lineman and special teams’ player of the week, respectively.
Russell (QB, 5-9, 175, Sr., Jonesboro, Ga.) connected on 7-of-19 passes for 103 yards by air and rushed for 114 yards on 16 attempts with three touchdowns to lead the Wildcats to a 31-17 win over Jacksonville University Saturday in Daytona Beach, Florida.
Reeves (LB, 6-3, 241, Sr., Mechanicsville, MD) recorded 12 total tackles, seven solo and five assists, including three for a loss of 16 yards in the Hornets 23-18 win over #23 Coastal Carolina Saturday night in Dover, Delaware. In addition to the double-digit tackle performance, Reeves provided a balanced defensive outing with a sack for 13 yards, two pass break ups and a force fumble in the win.
Sylvester (RB, 5-10, 185, Fr., Marianna, Fla.) earned rookie accolades after rushing for 101 yards on 14 carries with two TDs in his first collegiate start. His longest rush was for 45 yards, while averaging 7.2 yards per carry. Also, Sylvester recorded four kickoff returns for 84 yards.
Nance (C, 6-2, 290, r-Jr., Winston-Salem, NC) directed an offensive line unit that paved the way for 493 yards total offensive, the most among MEAC opponents in the league’s opening weekend. Nance graded out as the team’s top lineman with a 90-percent average and three pancake blocks. His efforts along the offensive line led to a 232 rushing and 261 passing yards showing in the Spartans, 33-7, win over Virginia State University.
Castellat (K, 6-1, 170, Sr., Virginia Beach, Va.) finished 4-of-4 in field goal attempts (22, 28, 32, 41 yards) in the Spartans victory. He also made all three PAT attempts talling 15 points as well as 63.5 yards on eight kickoffs.
Other Top Performances:
Maguell Davis (NSU) led the Spartans with 10 total tackles including a sack and an interception in the Spartans home opening victory.
Jerrell Guyton (MSU) collected 10 tackles (five solo), three for a loss of 13 yards, in the Bears home opener.
Justin Keable (B-CU) averaged 43.6 yards per kick on seven attempts, netting 305 yards. He tied for fifth as the Wildcats all-time punter with a 71-yarde against Jacksonville and two punts inside the 20 yard line.
Daryl Jones (NSU) ran for 125 yards on 24 attempts and two TDs in the Spartans win. He also caught two passes for 21 yards.
Lymon Reed (FAMU) led the FAMU defensive linemen in tackles with 10, 3.5 for a loss of 14 yards. He also posted 1.5 sacks for a loss of eight yards.
Nick Richmond (DSU) graded out at 97-percent with two pancake blocks in the Hornets victory over #23 Coastal Carolina.
Chad Simpson (MSU) rushed for 142 yards on 27 attempts and three touchdowns in the Bears, 47-7, win over Savannah State.
Andre Thornton (NCAT) posted a team-high 12 tackles (nine solo) including three for a loss of 13 yards in the Aggies opening game.
Bobbie Williams (B-CU) recorded nine tackles, two solo, and one interception in the Wildcats opening win.