• OVC Football Players of the Week & Updated Stats - October 7 (PDF)
OFFENSIVE
Casey Brockman, QB • Sr., 6-2, 215 • Murray, Ky. • Murray State
Brockman threw as many touchdown passes (5) as he had incompletions (5) in Murray State’s 52-14 road victory over Austin Peay on Saturday night. The senior completed 38-of-43 passes for 455 yards and in the process began the OVC’s all-time leader in completions (793), breaking the mark of 774 previously held by Morehead State’s Chris Swartz (1987-90). The 793 completions are the most among any active FCS player. Brockman also became the Murray State all-time leader in touchdown passes (55). He started the game by completing 17-straight passes and has now thrown 204 passes without an interception. Brockman has thrown for 300 or more yards in five-straight games (including three games in that stretch over 400 yards). Brockman currently ranks first nationally in completions (35.67/game), third in total offense (356.5 yards/game) and fourth in passing yards/game (355.67).
Others Nominated: Jimmy Garoppolo, Eastern Illinois; Marques Ivory, Jacksonville State; Michael German, Tennessee State; Derek Carr, UT Martin.
DEFENSIVE
Nick Thrasher, LB • So., 6-2, 240 • Morrow, Ga. • Tennessee State
Thrasher had a game-high 12 tackles, including nine solo stops, and a key sack as No. 24 Tennessee State improved to 6-0 on the season with a 23-20 come-from-behind victory over No. 16 Eastern Kentucky on Saturday afternoon. With the Tigers trailing by four points late in the fourth quarter, Thrasher sacked EKU quarterback T.J. Pryor on a 3rd and 6 at the TSU 29-yard line and the Colonels were unable to convert on fourth down, setting up TSU for the game-winning drive (which covered 68 yards on 13 plays).
Others Nominated: Brenton Tolson, Jacksonville State; T-Ray Malone, Murray State; Ben Johnson, UT Martin.
SPECIALIST
Kevin Barfield, KR/WR • Jr., 5-9, 167 • Memphis, Tenn. • UT Martin
Barfield set the tone in UT Martin’s 51-37 victory over Eastern Illinois on Saturday, taking the opening kickoff 93 yards for a touchdown in putting the Skyhawks ahead for good just 13 seconds into the game. It marked the 13th-longest kickoff return of the season in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS). Barfield finished the game with 161 all-purpose yards, 118 on kickoff returns and 43 receiving yards on five receptions (including a 29-yard touchdown in the first quarter).
Others Nominated: Ben Campbell, Austin Peay; Griffin Thomas, Jacksonville State; Jamin Godfrey, Tennessee State.
NEWCOMER
Telvin Brown, WR/RS • Fr., 5-9, 161 • Carrollton, Ga. • Jacksonville State
Brown had 275 all-purpose yards in Jacksonville State’s 37-28 come-from-behind victory at Tennessee Tech on Saturday. Brown caught two passes for 98 yards, including an 86-yard touchdown with 1:06 to play in the third quarter that gave the Gamecocks a 30-28 lead, its first of the night. The 86-yard receiving touchdown was the longest under 13th-year head coach Jack Crowe and third-longest in JSU school history; it was the sixth-longest reception in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) in 2012. As a return specialist Brown had four kickoff returns for 144 yards (including a long of 72 yards) and four punt returns for 29 yards; he also added a rush attempt for four yards as the JSU team accounted for 566 yards of total offense on the night.
Others Nominated: Reco Williams, Austin Peay; Jourdan Wickliffe, Eastern Illinois; Dontel Watkins, Murray State; A.C. Leonard, Tennessee State; William Dillard, Tennessee Tech; Jeremy Butler, UT Martin.