MAC announces POTW

The Mid-American Conference on Monday announced its Week Two Players of the Week.
MAC East honorees are Nick Holley (Kent State), Ulysees Gilbert III (Akron), Jake Suder (Bowling Green). West honorees are Shane Morris (Central Michigan), Jeremiah Harris (Eastern Michigan), Darius Phillips (Western Michigan).
 
(Click Read More for details . . . )

---

East Division:
Offensive Player of the Week:
​Kent State QB Nick Holley
Kent State senior quarterback Nick Holley (Toledo, Ohio) rushed for 119 yards and a touchdown in Kent State’s 38-31 win over Howard on Saturday. Holley also threw for 105 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. He ran for a two-point conversion in the fourth quarter.
 
Defensive Player of the Week:  Akron LB Ulysees Gilbert III
Akron junior linebacker Ulysees Gilbert III (Ocala, Fla.) led the defense with 10 tackles in Akron’s 52-3 win over Arkansas Pine Bluff.  He also scored a touchdown on his first career interception, returning the ball 30 yards to put Akron ahead, 24-0. It was also the linebacker’s second career touchdown. In 2016 at Marshall, he blocked a punt and returned it 30 yards for a score. The last time Akron scored a touchdown on an interception was in 2016 in the win at Marshall. After two games, Gilbert leads the Akron defense with 15 tackles, a TFL, and an interception.
 
Special Teams Player of the Week:  Bowling Green K Jake Suder
Bowling Green junior kicker Jake Suder (Toledo, Ohio) went a perfect 4-for-4 on field goal attempts in a 35-27 loss to South Dakota, tying a Doyt L. Perry Stadium record for made field goals in a single game. Suder made field goals of 30, 27 and 40 yards in the first half, before nailing a 38-yard field goal in the fourth quarter to wrap up his perfect day. Suder tied former kicker Tyler Tate, who made four field goals in a 2014 victory over Indiana. Bowling Green’s current kicker is now a perfect 5-for-5 on field goals for the 2017 season.
 
 

West Division:
Offensive Player of the Week: Central Michigan QB Shane Morris
Central Michigan senior quarterback Shane Morris (Hazel Park, Mich.) tossed five touchdown passes while going 28-of-37 passing for 467 yards and no interceptions in a 45-27 win at Kansas. Morris had scoring passes of 14, 40, 6, 7 and 75 yards and also rushed for 32 yards. His 467 yards passing in a game is the third-best total in Central Michigan program history.
 
Defensive Player of the Week:  Eastern Michigan
​DL Jeremiah Harris
Eastern Michigan junior defensive lineman Jeremiah Harris (Lambertville, Mich.) totaled one sack, one tackle for loss, one interception and a pass defensed in a 16-13 win at Rutgers on Saturday afternoon. Harris had the game-sealing sack on the final play of the game to clinch the first victory over a Big Ten opponent in program history. In addition to the sack, Harris added an interception to halt a potential Rutgers scoring drive. Harris was the catalyst for a defense that held Rutgers to just 128 yards rushing, 198 passing, and 15 first downs. The game-winning sack was the 6.5th of his career, while the pick was his second. The win was also Eastern Michigan’s first win over a Big Ten opponent in 39 tries. The Eagles are off to a 2-0 start for the first time since 2011.
 
Special Teams Player of the Week: Western Michigan 
KR Darius Phillips
Western Michigan senior kickoff returner Darius Phillips (Detroit, Mich.) had a 100-yard kickoff return in a 28-14 loss at Michigan State this past Saturday. He totaled 4 kickoff returns for 181 yards and the 100-yard return for a touchdown. It was the second straight week Phillips has taken a 100-yard return to the house, also doing so in the season-opener at No. 4 USC on Sept. 2. Phillips now has four 100-yard kickoff returns for touchdowns and five overall kickoff returns for touchdowns. It was the second time with a 100-yard return against Michigan State in his career, his first was in 2015. In addition to the 100-yarder, Phillips also had returns of 52, 18 and 11 yards. Phillips accounted for both Western Michigan scores against Michigan State, also forcing a fumble and then recovering the ball for a 67-yard touchdown.