Football | 9/14/2026 3:47:16 PM

NORFOLK, Va. — The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) announced its football weekly honors, with North Carolina Central’s Plez Lawrence and Joshua Truesdale earning Offensive and Defensive Player of the Week honors, respectively.

South Carolina State’s Moses Umoren was named Offensive Lineman of the Week, while teammate Ricorian Brown earned Rookie of the Week honors. Jett Jackson rounded out the honorees as the Specialist of the Week.

Offensive Player of the Week: Plez Lawrence | NC Central | 5th | RB | Kokomo, Ind.
Plez Lawrence had the best game of his career, rushing 22 times for 210 yards and three touchdowns. Lawrence became the first Eagle to rush for 200 yards in a game since the 2024 season.
 
Defensive Player of the Week: Joshua Truesdale | NC Central | So. | DB | Charlotte, N.C.
Joshua Truesdale led the Eagles’ defense with 10 tackles, a half-tackle for loss, an interception and two pass breakups as North Carolina Central defeated North Carolina A&T State 30-22 in the Aggie-Eagle Classic.
 
Rookie of the Week: Ricorian Brown | South Carolina State | Fr. | RB | Lancaster, S.C.
Brown made the most of his opportunities in South Carolina State’s 66-0 shutout win over Virginia State, rushing three times for 63 yards and a touchdown. He averaged 21.0 yards per carry, including a 36-yard run.
 
Offensive Lineman of the Week: Moses Umoren | SC State | Sr. | OL | Columbus, Ga.
Umoren anchored a dominant South Carolina State offensive line in the Bulldogs’ 66-0 shutout victory over Virginia State. The senior posted a 91 percent grade with seven pancake blocks while allowing no sacks and committing no penalties. His performance helped South Carolina State pile up 524 yards of total offense, including 282 rushing yards.
 
Specialist of the Week: Jett Jackson | South Carolina State | So. | K | Palm Harbor, Fla.
Jackson delivered a strong special teams performance in South Carolina State’s 66-0 shutout victory over Virginia State. The sophomore recorded eight kickoffs for 494 yards, including four touchbacks, while averaging 61.8 yards per kickoff. He also converted all six of his PAT attempts and connected on a season-best 52-yard field goal.
 
Other Top Performers

• Cameron Edge (Morgan State) – Edge made the most of his third career start, completing 17-of-19 passes for 282 yards and four touchdowns before exiting in the third quarter. He also added 26 rushing yards on three carries.
• Kaleb Gallop (Howard) – Gallop turned in a strong defensive performance against then-No. 5 Indiana, leading Howard with seven total tackles, including four solo stops.

About the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference
The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) enters its 56th year of intercollegiate competition with the 2026–27 academic year. Headquartered in Norfolk, Virginia, the MEAC is comprised of eight distinguished Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) along the Atlantic seaboard: Coppin State University, Delaware State University, Howard University, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Morgan State University, Norfolk State University, North Carolina Central University, and South Carolina State University. Since its founding in 1970, the MEAC has been dedicated to promoting academic excellence, sportsmanship, and the personal growth of student athletes. For more information, visit www.MEACSports.com.