FRISCO – UTRGV quarterback Eddie Lee Marburger, Nicholls defensive back Ty Marsh, and Southeastern return specialist Brandon Hayes have been named the Southland Conference football weekly award winners for Week 9, the league announced Monday.
Offensive Player of the Week: Eddie Lee Marburger, UTRGV – QB – R-Sr. – Mission, Texas (Sharyland Pioneer HS)
Marburger threw six touchdown passes, tied for the 10th-most in a game in Southland Conference history, while going 26-for-36 for a career-high 440 yards in the air to go with 13 yards and one touchdown on the ground. UTRGV finished with 548 total yards on offense, the most in both a FCS and conference game in the Southland this year, the most by a Southland team against an FCS opponent, the third most by UTRGV, and the fourth most by a Southland team this year.
Defensive Player of the Week: Ty Marsh, Nicholls – DB – Sr. – Dallas, Texas (Denton Ryan HS)
Marsh sparked the Colonels' defensive effort in the 31-7 win over McNeese, totaling four tackles, an interception for a touchdown, and one sack. With Nicholls leading 10-7 in the third, Marsh tallied his second pick-6 of the season with a 45-yard return. It was his third interception for a TD in 20 career games with the Colonels. The Colonel defense allowed 264 yards with 90 coming on a highlight diving catch for 45 yards, and a 45-yard catch on a flea flicker. The victory was the fifth straight against McNeese, which is the longest winning streak for the Colonels in the series history
Special Teams Player of the Week: Brandon Hayes, Southeastern – WR – Sr. – Hattiesburg, Miss. (Oak Grove HS)
For the second straight week, Hayes returned the opening kickoff of the second half for a touchdown. Hayes' 85-yard kickoff return touchdown in No. 19 Southeastern's 38-14 victory at HCU was his second of the season and third of his Lion career. Later in the third quarter, he broke free for a 55-yard kickoff return to set up an SLU field goal. On the day, he averaged 51.6 yards per kickoff return. One of two FCS players to return two kickoffs for touchdowns this fall, Hayes is third in FCS with 32.7 yards per kickoff return.
2025 Southland Football Players of the Week
| Date |
Offensive |
Defensive |
Special Teams |
| Sept. 1 |
Miequle Brock, Jr., Nicholls |
Fernando Washington, Northwestern State |
Cooper Evans, Northwestern State |
| Sept. 8 |
Nathan Denney, UTRGV |
Kristian Pugh, Lamar |
Ben Woodard, Lamar |
| Sept. 15 |
Jake Strong, McNeese |
Andrew Huff, Lamar |
Kendric Malone, Lamar |
| Sept. 22 |
Jerrell Wimbley, SFA |
Rodney Dansby, HCU |
Kylon Harris, SFA |
| Sept. 29 |
Jerrell Wimbley, SFA |
Declan Williams, UIW |
Kyndon Fuselier, Lamar |
| Oct. 6 |
Sam Vidlak, SFA |
Jaydon Southard, SFA* |
Kyndon Fuselier, Lamar* |
| Oct. 13 |
Xai'Shaun Edwards, HCU |
Ronnie Hamrick II, Lamar |
Brady Young, HCU |
| Oct. 20 |
Jake Strong, McNeese |
Kyree Anderson, East Texas A&M |
Ben Woodard, Lamar* |
| Oct. 27 |
Eddie Lee Marburger, UTRGV |
Ty Marsh, Nicholls |
Brandon Hayes, Southeastern |
* - Also named Stats Performn National Player of the Week
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.