FRISCO, Texas — Southeastern’s Cole Kelley, Nicholls’ Lindsey Scott Jr., McNeese’s Isaiah Chambers and HBU’s Tyson Thompson earned Southland Football Player of the Week honors, the league announced Monday. Weekly awards are presented by GEICO.
Sharing Offensive Player of the Week honors, Kelley & Scott each powered their teams to big wins on the road. The Lions topped 50 points for the third-straight game in a 51-14 win over Northwestern State and the Colonels bounced back with a 44-14 victory versus HBU. Both Southeastern (6-1, 4-0 SLC) and Nicholls (3-4, 2-2 SLC) return home to face McNeese and Northwestern State, respectively.
Chambers garners Defensive Player of the Week recognition after recording a career-high four sacks in helping the Cowboys upset No. 16 UIW, 28-20. The McNeese defense racked up 10 sacks in the win and held the Cardinals to a season-low 20 points and 22 rushing yards. The upset-minded Pokes (3-4, 2-2 SLC) welcome the top-10 Lions at 6 p.m. CT on Saturday.
Special Teams Player of the Week goes to Thompson, who registered his second special-teams touchdown of the year with an 89-yard kickoff return for a touchdown against the Colonels. The Huskies (0-7, 0-4 SLC) head to San Antonio to take on UIW at 3 p.m. Saturday.
Offensive Player of the Week: Cole Kelley, Southeastern – Senior – Quarterback – Lafayette, La.
Picking up his third weekly honor in the last four weeks and his fourth of the season, Kelley accounted for 414 yards of total offense and four touchdowns in a road win at Northwestern State. The reigning Walter Payton Award winner engineered a Lion offense that finished with 621 total yards and topped the 50-point barrier for the third straight game for the first time in program history.
Offensive Player of the Week: Lindsey Scott Jr., Nicholls – Senior – Quarterback – Zachary, La.
The dual-threat quarterback totaled 375 yards of total offense and accounted for four touchdowns in a road win over HBU. He rushed for a career-high 161 yards on just 15 carries, tying a school record with his fifth 100-yard game of the season. In the opening quarter, Scott broke free for 42- and 46-yard touchdown runs before finding Dontaze Costly in the endzone for a 35-yard score. He played only two drives in the second half with both ending in Colonel touchdowns.
Defensive Player of the Week: Isaiah Chambers, McNeese – Graduate Student – Defensive End – Houston, Texas
Earning his first weekly award of the season and the third of his career, Chambers tallied a career-high four sacks in McNeese’s upset of No. 16 UIW. Two of his sacks came on third down. He finished the day with five total tackles, a pass breakup and a forced fumble to lead a defensive effort that held UIW to a season-low 20 points and just 33 rushing yards.
Honorable Mention: Tyreke Boyd, Nicholls; Justin Dumas, Southeastern.
Special Teams Player of the Week: Tyson Thompson, HBU – Sophomore – Wide Receiver – Spring, Texas
The FCS leader in kickoff return yards (726) added to his tally with an 89-yard kickoff return for a touchdown for the Huskies’ opening score against Nicholls. It was Thompson’s second return for a touchdown this year after his 44-yard punt return TD in the opener at New Mexico.
Honorable Mention: Mateo Rengifo, Southeastern; Scotty Roblow, Northwestern State; Logan Scott, Nicholls.
Southland weekly award winners are nominated and voted upon by each school’s sports information director. Voting for one’s own athlete is not permitted. To earn honorable mention, a student-athlete must appear on 25 percent of ballots.
2021 Southland Football Players of the Week
Oct. 25 – Cole Kelley, SLU; Lindsey Scott Jr., NICH; Isaiah Chambers, MCN; Tyson Thompson, HBU
Oct. 18 – Taylor Grimes, UIW; Mason Kinsey, MCN; Mason Pierce, MCN
Oct. 11 – Cole Kelley, SLU; Alexis Ramos, SLU; Gage Larvadain, SLU.
Oct. 4 – Cole Kelley, SLU; Kordell Williams, McNeese; Brady Buell, HBU
Sept. 27 – Lindsey Scott Jr., NICH; Kelechi Anyalebechi, UIW; Kevin Nguyen, UIW.
Sept. 20 – Cameron Ward, UIW; Corione Harris, McNeese; Mason Pierce, McNeese.
Sept. 13 – Dai’Jean Dixon, NICH; Kelechi Anyalebechi, UIW; Austin Dunlap, SLU.
Sept. 7 – Cole Kelley, SLU; Ferlando Jordan, SLU; Brady Buell, HBU.
{Courtesy: release from the Southland Conference}