Offensive Player of the Week
Riko Smalls (QB, Texas Southern)
Smalls led the SWAC in total yards, totaling over 300 in TSU’s win over Prairie View. He rushed for 101 yards on 11carries and passed for 222 yards and a touchdown. He was 9-for-18 with two interceptions in the TSU win at the Labor Day Classic
Co-Defensive Players of the Week
Vernon Marshall (DB, Alabama A&M) and LeTevin Wilcoz (DB, Texas Southern)
Marshall had eight tackles (4 solo), a half tackle for loss and blocked an attempt at a game-winning fieldgoal to help preserve a 7-6 win over Tuskegee for Alabama A&M.
Wilcox had five tackles (4 solo), a TFL and a fumble recovery that he returned 33 yards for a touchdown in the Tigers’ wild 44-41 win over Prairie View.
Specialist of the Week
Robert Hersh (PK, Texas Southern)
Hersh kicked a career long 47 yard field goal with three seconds left in the game, to beat Prairie View in the Labor Day Classic. The win ended a 5-year losing streak to the Panthers. Hersh hit 5-of-5 PATs and connected on 3-of-4 field goals for 14 of the Tigers 44 points in the game. He also averaged 52.4 yards on kick offs and 39 yards in punts.
Newcomer of the Week
Edward Perkins-Loving (RB, Texas Southern)
Perkins-Loving was not on the depth chart as a running back. He came into the game and turned TSU’s running game around in the second half. He had 18 carries for 88 yards and two touchdowns. Perkins-Loving’s first TD run was 5 yards. His second was a 26 yard touchdown run that gave TSU its first lead of the game.
