Northwestern State Sweeps Week One Aeropostale Football Player of the Week Awards
Sept. 6, 2005
PLANO, Texas -
After helping Northwestern State erase a 23-0 halftime road deficit in a 27-23 win at Division I-A Louisiana-Monroe, three Demons have been voted Southland Conference football players of the week. Quarterback Davon Vinson, tackle Tory Collins and punter/placekicker Marshall Burton have been named offensive, defensive and special teams players of the week, respectively. Following is a look at their performances along with names of others nominated.
OFFENSE
DAVON VINSON, NWLa., Sr., QB, 6-3, 228, Kilgore, Texas -- Vinson tossed three touchdown passes in the second half as the Demons came back from a 23-0 deficit to upend Louisiana-Monroe, 27-23. He finished 15-for-23 passing for 230 yards and three touchdowns, and also ran 13 times for 81 yards. Vinson threw a pair of touchdowns in a 1:07 span in the third quarter, including an 85-yard strike to Toby Ziegler. His 37-yard touchdown pass to Dane Charpentier with 6:46 remaining held up as the game-winning score. Vinson engineered the biggest comeback for the Demons at the I-AA level.
Honorable Mention: Andrew Audelin, SHSU; Chance Dennis, SFA; Barrick Nealy, TXST.
DEFENSE
TORY COLLINS, NWLa., Jr., DT, 6-3, 265, New Orleans, La. -- After losing his family home in Hurricane Katrina, Collins had nine tackles, including two for lost yardage (1 sack) to help trigger Northwestern's comeback win at Louisiana-Monroe. On his sack, he forced a fumble late in the third quarter that gave NSU the ball at the ULM 21, producing the Demons' second touchdown two snaps later in a 27-point flurry over a 10-minute span beginning with 1:55 left in the third.
Honorable Mention: Robert Herron, SHSU; Stephon Rhea, SFA; Travis Upshaw, TXST.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Marshall Burton, NWLa., So., P/K, 5-11, 189, Bossier City, La. -- Burton averaged 48.4 yards on five punts with one inside the 20-yard line. He had a 77-yarder, one yard shy of tying the school record. ULM had only 12 yards on four return attempts. Burton also kicked off five times and ULM averaged 20.8 yards per return.
Honorable Mention: Ryan Gooch, SFA; Tony Jones, SHSU.