FRISCO, Texas – Nicholls' Jaylon Spears, Southeastern's Joshua Randall, and Lamar's Ramond Stevens are the winners of the Southland Conference’s football weekly awards for the 11th week of the season, as announced by the conference office Monday.
Offensive Player of the Week: Jaylon Spears, Nicholls– RB – So. – New Orleans, La. (Brother Martin)
Running back Jaylon Spears rushed for over 150 yards for the second straight game and totaled three touchdowns in the title-clinching win over Lamar. Spears racked up 177 yards on 16 carries with two rushing TDs, and also scored the Colonels' first touchdown on a 29-yard reception. He then broke free for a 69-yard score in the second quarter before adding a 14-yard highlight run in the third. He finished his day with 17 touches for 206 total yards. Spears leads the league in rushing in conference at 111.0 yards per game with an impressive 8.3 yards per carry.
Honorable Mention: Harlan Dixon, Southeastern; Jesse Valenzuela?, HCU
Defensive Player of the Week: Joshua Randall, Southeastern – DL – So. – New Orleans, La. (Edna Karr)
Defensive lineman Joshua Randall had a breakout game in Southeastern road contest at Texas A&M-Commerce. The reserve defensive end finished with a career-high three sacks and a forced fumble in a 52-14 victory – SLU's third straight. Randall led a Southeastern defensive effort that limited Texas A&M-Commerce to 209 today yards, including -23 yards rushing as they dominated from the opening whistle.
Honorable Mention: Tyler Morton, Nicholls; Jordan Oliver, HCU; Micah Davey, McNeese
Special Teams Player of the Week: Ramond Stevens, Lamar – DB – Jr. – New Orleans, La. (Warren Easton)
Defensive back Ramond Stevens was the third straight Lamar Cardinal to earn Southland Special Teams Player of the Week and fourth different Cardinal this season. After Nicholls scored a touchdown to take the lead, Lamar blocked the extra point which Stevens recovered and sprinted down the field for the two-point conversion, cutting the deficit to 13-9 in the second quarter. In addition to his work on special teams, Stevens also finished the game with four tackles, including one for a loss, and three pass breakups.
2023 Southland Football Players of the Week
| Date |
Offensive |
Defensive |
Special Teams |
| Sept. 4 |
Champ Dozier, HCU |
Ian Goodly, Southeastern |
Cam Thomas, McNeese |
| Sept. 11 |
Zach Calzada, UIW |
Steven Parker, UIW |
Gavin Lasseigne, Nicholls |
| Sept. 18 |
Brandon Porter, UIW |
Tre Richardson, UIW |
Austin Dunlap, Southeastern |
| Sept. 25 |
Colby Suits, HCU |
Max Epps, Texas A&M-Commerce |
Austin Dunlap, Southeastern |
| Oct. 2 |
Robert Coleman, Lamar |
Tyler Morton, Nicholls |
Kylan Dupre, Nicholls |
| Oct. 9 |
Collin Guggenheim, Nicholls |
Tyler Morton, Nicholls |
Damashja Harris, Lamar |
| Oct. 16 |
Sevonne Rhea, Lamar |
Tylan Foster, UIW |
Dillon Fedor, HCU |
| Oct. 23 |
Richard Torres, UIW |
Victor Tademy, Southeastern |
Tristan Goodly, Southeastern |
| Oct. 30 |
Brandon Porter, UIW |
Isaiah Cash, HCU |
Alfonso Deleon, Lamar |
| Nov. 6 |
Collin Guggenheim, Nicholls |
Davanté Mathews, Nicholls |
Damien Alexander, Lamar |
| Nov. 13 |
Jaylon Spears, Nicholls |
Joshua Randall, Southeastern |
Ramond Stevens, 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.