Sam Houston Duo, SLU’s Jordan Pick Up Southland Football Weekly Honors
FRISCO, Texas – Sam Houston’s Jequez Ezzard and Jahari Kay, along with Southeastern Louisiana’s Ferlando Jordan, are the Southland Football Players of the Week, the league announced Monday. Weekly awards are presented by
Hercules Tires.
Ezzard, a graduate transfer wide receiver, is the Offensive Player of the Week after he caught three passes for 139 yards and two touchdowns in the Bearkats’ 71-17 win over No. 7 Nicholls, the program’s largest win over a ranked team and eighth-straight win over a top-10 opponent at home.
Kay garnered Defensive Player of the Week recognition after finishing with 6 stops and 2.5 sacks against the Colonels. He forced two fumbles on the day and scored on a pick-six to help SHSU stifle the Nicholls offense. The Bearkats (2-0, 2-0 SLC) hit the road for the first time this spring at Lamar at 6 p.m. CT Saturday.
Last week’s Defensive Player of the Week, Jordan is honored as the Defensive Player of the Week this time around after tallying two of the Lions’ three blocked field goals, including the potential game-winner in a 27-24 win over Northwestern State. SLU (2-1, 2-1 SLC) begins the second half of its league schedule at UIW at 2 p.m. Saturday.
Offensive Player of the Week: Jequez Ezzard, Sam Houston – Graduate Student – Wide Receiver – College Park, Ga.
Ezzard recorded just three receptions in the upset of No. 7 Nicholls, but all were impactful, beginning with a 14-yard touchdown grab to get the Kats on the board late in the first quarter. One drive later, he turned a short reception into a 70-yard catch that set up the go-ahead points for SHSU.
The Howard transfer later high-pointed a pass from Eric Schmid in a one-on-one situation on the left sideline, going 55 yards for his second touchdown of the game to put the Kats up 30-7 in the second quarter. Ezzard also added a 12-yard rush for a first down and a 13-yard punt return, finishing with 164 all-purpose yards.
Honorable Mention: Jalen Dummett, Lamar; Cole Kelley, Southeastern Louisiana.
Defensive Player of the Week: Jahari Kay, Sam Houston – Senior – Defensive End – Berkeley, Calif.
Kay had a hand in each of the Bearkats’ two defensive scores, in addition to making six tackles and 2.5 sacks. He forced two fumbles on the day, the second leading to a 79-yard touchdown return by teammate Trevor Williams in the second half.
Kay was also a part of the biggest play of the day when teammate Kameryn Alexander dislodged a pass from Lindsey Scott to a Colonel receiver and Kay picked it off, racing 24 yards to the end zone for a score that gave the Kats a 24-7 lead.
Honorable Mention: Caimyn Layne, Lamar; Alexis Ramos, Southeastern Louisiana.
Special Teams Player of the Week: Ferlando Jordan, Southeastern Louisiana – Junior – Cornerback – Atlanta, Ga.
The junior corner blocked a 22-yard Eddie Godina attempt on the final play of the first half to keep the Lions within seven going into the break. With the score knotted at 24-24 on NSU’s final drive, Jordan blocked Godina’s 40-yard potential game-winner and set up SLU’s game-winning drive.
Honorable Mention: Bailey Giffen, Lamar; Craig Walker, Nicholls.
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.
2021 Southland Spring Football Players of the Week
March 15 – Jequez Ezzard, Sam Houston; Jahari Kay, Sam Houston; Ferlando Jordan, Southeastern Louisiana
March 8 – Kevin Brown, UIW; Ferlando Jordan, Southeastern Louisiana; Mateo Rengifo, Southeastern Louisiana
March 1 – Eric Schmid, Sam Houston; Hayden Shaheen, Nicholls; Ce’Cori Tolds
Feb. 22 – Cody Orgeron, McNeese; Dellary Oubre, Nicholls; Jacob Abel, McNeese