Davis, Odum, Fonseca Earn Week Seven Football Awards
Southland Conference
FRISCO, Texas – Sam Houston State wide receiver Davion Davis, linebacker George Odum of Central Arkansas and Nicholls placekicker Lorran Fonseca are the Southland Conference Football Players of the Week, the league announced Monday. Southland Players of the Week are presented by
UniversalCoin.com.
Davis was named Offensive Player of the Week, Odum was tabbed Defensive Player of the Week while Fonseca earned his second special teams distinction of the season.
Week eight features five conference matchups Saturday. Sam Houston State (5-1, 3-1 SLC) looks to continue its home win streak, hosting Lamar (1-5, 0-4 SLC) at 3 p.m. on ESPN3. Central Arkansas (5-1, 4-0 SLC) hits the road to face Northwestern State (1-5, 1-3 SLC) at 6 p.m. while Nicholls (5-2, 4-1 SLC) has a bye week before traveling to face UIW on Oct. 28.
Offensive Player of the Week: Davion Davis, Sam Houston State – Jr. – Wide Receiver – Hutto, Texas
Davis continued his stellar junior year with a dynamic performance in Sam Houston’s comeback win over Northwestern State on Saturday. Just one week after tying SHSU’s single-game reception record against SFA, Davis became just the seventh Bearkat in school history surpass 2,000 career receiving yards with an 8-catch, 137-yard night that included four touchdown scores. The four touchdown catches tied the high by any player in the FCS in a single game this season entering last Saturday, and is only the third time in school history a player has had four touchdown grabs. He brought in a pair of scores in the first half, then pulled in an 11-yard score in the third quarter that pulled the Kats within one score of the Demons. The junior’s biggest play of the night came in the fourth quarter when Jeremiah Briscoe connected with him up the right sideline midway through the fourth quarter and Davis did the rest on the drive’s first snap from scrimmage, going 70 yards for a score that pulled Sam Houston to within 36-34 with 8:11 to play. His 42 receptions and nine touchdowns for the year each lead the conference.
Honorable Mention: Derrick Mitchell, UIW; Kierre Crossley, Central Arkansas; Dontrell Taylor, Nicholls; Marcus Cooper, Southeastern Louisiana.
Defensive Player of the Week: George Odum, Central Arkansas – Sr. – Linebacker – Millington, Tenn.
Odum was dominant with 13 tackles (10 solo), four tackles for loss and two sacks to lead UCA’s defensive effort in a 24-20 win over Stephen F. Austin. The senior recorded sacks on SFA’s final two plays of the game for a combined -14 yards in the final minute to end their threat. He helped UCA to 13 team tackles for loss and season-high seven sacks while holding the Lumberjacks to 319 yards of offense.
Honorable Mention: Sione Teuhema, Southeastern Louisiana; Allen Pittman, Nicholls; Quandre Washington, UIW.
Special Teams Player of the Week: Lorran Fonseca, Nicholls – Jr. – Placekicker – Hercules, Calif.
Fonseca set the Colonels’ single-game field goal record with a perfect 5-for-5 day in their 29-20 win over Abilene Christian. The Wildcat defense allowed just one touchdown, but Fonseca delivered every time to keep the Colonels ahead. After ACU scored a touchdown in the fourth to make the score 26-20, Fonseca booted his longest field goal of the game, a 44-yarder, to make it a two-possession game. The field goal also broke Adam Diel’s record of four, set in 1996.
Honorable Mention: Eric Piccione, Northwestern State; Tyler Slaydon, Lamar.
Southland weekly award winners are nominated and voted upon by each school’s sports information director. Voting for one’s own athlete is not permitted. To earn honorable mention, a student-athlete must appear on 25 percent of ballots.