SWAC Players of the Week (Sept. 25, 27)

OFFENSIVE 
QB Reid Herchenbach, Alabama State; 6-4, 219; JR, Merced, CA

Herchenbach led the Hornets to the 47-7 victory over Mississippi Valley State. He was 26-of-34 for 248 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions. He added eight carries for 27 yards and one touchdown.

Herchenbach threw scoring passes four, seven, and five yards, and had a two-yard scoring run. The last three scoring plays all came in the second quarter.

DEFENSIVE 
DB Anthony Beck, Prairie View A&M; 6-2, 205; JR, Channelview, TX

Beck tallied six tackles as well as two interceptions in the Panthers’ 28-17 win over Morehouse. Beck’s first pick was returned 60 yards for a score which put PVAMU ahead 7-0 in the first quarter.

In the fourth quarter, Beck’s second interception of the game ended a Morehouse drive at the Prairie View A&M 21-yard line with just over eight minutes to play in a four-point ball game.

SPECIALIST
WR Kiare Thompson, Grambling State; 6-0, 185; SO, Sacramento, CA

Thompson totaling 132 yards on six punt returns (22-yard average), with his longest punt return spanning 38 yards.  He had two punt returns that helped setup two Grambling field goals in the 13-2 victory over Langston.

His 32-yard return in the first quarter led to the first score of the game on a 35-yard Luis Neal field goal and a 3-0 GSU lead. Thompson’s 28-yard return in the second quarter led to 34-yard field goal by Neal to extend the lead to 6-0.

NEWCOMER
RB Silas Gibbs, Southern; 5-10, 215; SO, Clinton, LA

In his first significant action of the season, finished with 99 yards on just seven carries in SU’s 15-12 win over Alcorn State.

Gibbs had a 25-yard run in the third quarter that led to Southern’s first score of the game, a 16-yard pass from Bryant Lee to Clevan White to give SU a 7-3 lead.   

OTHER NOTABLE PERFORMANCES

Donald Babers (Prairie View A&M) – Accounted for 223 all-purpose yards (180 rushing, 43 receiving) in win over Morehouse. He also scored a critical touchdown which brought the game to a 14-14 tie.

Bryant Lee (Southern) – Finished the game completing 24 of 35 passing for 271 yards and two touchdowns.  He rebounded from a vicious hit late in the fourth quarter to throw the game winning TD pass with 1:48 left in the game.

Bobby Reid (Texas Southern) – Completed 18-of-30 passes for 268 yards with two touchdowns and also rushed 20 times for 59 yards in three touchdowns in 45-27 win over Concordia.

Christian Anthony (Grambling State) – Finished with five tackles (1.0 TFL) and a pass break-up in helping defense pitch a shutout in a 13-2 win over Langston.

Antonio Rose (Texas Southern) – Made seven tackles (four solo) including 3.5 for loss; also 3 sacks for 13 yards and one fumble recovery

Zack Gilarski (Mississippi Valley State)  – Averaged 37.8 yards on 12 punt attempts with a long of 60 at Alabama State

William Osborne (Texas Southern) – Recorded 292 all-purpose yards in win over Concordia (WR 7-138 yards, 1 TD; KOR: 2-57 yards, Long 37 yards; PR: 4-76, Long 36)

Marcus Wright (Texas Southern) – Had 14 carries for 124 yards; 1 TD; average: 8.9; Long 80 yards.