FRISCO, Texas — UIW quarterback Emmett Brown, UTRGV linebacker Jaiden Haygood and SFA wide receiver Kylon Harris have earned this week's Southland Football Player of the Week awards, the conference office announced Monday morning. Brown and Harris are first-time winners this season while Haygood is a second-time winner.
Haygood was also named the Stats Perform National Defensive Player of the Week after his performance in Week 8.
Offensive Player of the Week: Emmett Brown, UIW – QB – Sr. – San Marcos, Calif. (San Marcos High School)
Brown had his most complete game of the season, accumulating 283 yards passing, a game-high 79 yards rushing and five total touchdowns in UIW's 38-6 win over McNeese. The SLC's leading passer led three scoring drives in a two-minute stretch in the second quarter, all of which ended with touchdown passes.
Defensive Player of the Week: Jaiden Haygood, UTRGV – LB – Jr. – Converse, Texas (Judson High School)
Haygood recorded the second-most tackles in a game of any FCS player this season (most for any SLC player) as he set a program and personal record with 20 tackles at Central Arkansas. He spearheaded a defensive effort that led to UTRGV's first overtime win in program history and first road win of the season. 10 his those tackles were solo, which is also a program and personal best. He had two tackles for loss, two pass breakups and one QB hurry.
Special Teams Player of the Week: Kylon Harris, SFA – K – 5th – Reserve, La. (East St. John's High School)
Harris delivered three kickoff returns for 83 yards including a long of 38 which set the Jacks up at the SFA 40 on the first drive of the game and a return of 36 that put SFA at their own 42. The Jacks scored touchdowns on both drives.
2026 Southland Football Players of the Week
| Date |
Offensive |
Defensive |
Special Teams |
| Aug. 31 |
Cutter Stewart, HCU |
Jayven Anderson, HCU |
Lukasz Smolen, HCU |
| Sept. 7 |
Devin Lippold, McNeese |
Lowote Jurkin, SFA |
Carlos Alvarado, SFA |
| Sept. 14 |
Jackson Dufrene, Nicholls |
Kennon Loftin, Nicholls |
Andres Sandoval, Lamar |
| Sept. 21 |
Aiden Jakobsohn, UTRGV |
Jaiden Haygood, UTRGV |
Dkhai Joseph, Southeastern |
| Sept. 28 |
Chad Elzy Jr., Southeastern |
Landon Barrett, McNeese |
Caleb Holmes, Lamar |
| Oct. 5 |
Gavin Rutherford, SFA |
Mike Sylvalie, HCU |
Ozlo Rigby, East Texas A&M |
| Oct. 12 |
Jojo Uga, Lamar |
TJ Neal, UTRGV |
Mason Stallons, Lamar |
| Oct. 19 |
Cutter Stewart, HCU |
Javon Bejarano, HCU |
Drew Talley, Southeastern |
| Oct. 26 |
Emmett Brown, UIW |
Jaiden Haygood, UTRGV |
Kylon Harris, SFA |