FRISCO, Texas — Lamar's Parker Jenkins, McNeese's RJ Staten and Southeastern's Blake Smith have earned this week's Southland Football awards, the Conference office announced Monday morning. All three players are first-time winners this season.
Offensive Player of the Week: Parker Jenkins, Lamar – RB – Sr. – Houston, Texas (Klein Forest High School)
Jenkins was a workhorse for Lamar, posting a career night with 30 carries for a 138 yards and three touchdowns. All three marked career highs in the Cardinals' 17-point victory over the nation's second-ranked squad in SFA. His touchdowns came on runs were for 3, 13 and 4 yards. Jenkins' three scores ties for the best single-game mark in the conference this season.
Defensive Player of the Week: RJ Staten, McNeese – DE – So. – Missouri City, Texas
Staten had a career game against HCU, recording a career-best three sacks to go along with a team-high seven tackles and forced a fumble in helping McNeese shutout HCU, 10-0. It was the second straight game for the Cowboys' defense to not allow a touchdown, the first instance of this happening since 1998. Staten and the defense held HCU to a season-low 70 yards rushing, recorded a total of five sacks, also a season-high, along with nine tackles for a loss.
Special Teams Player of the Week: Blake Smith, Southeastern – WR/KR – Fr. – Austin, Texas (Regents School of Austin)
Smith returned the opening kickoff of the second half 97 yards for a touchdown Saturday versus UIW. In just his third game as the Lions' returner, Smith is averaging 34.0 yards per kickoff return. The Austin, Texas, native's score marked SLU's fourth return touchdown of the season.
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 |
| Nov. 2 |
Clayton Wayland, SFA |
Colin Douglas, East Texas A&M |
Blake Thomas, Lamar |
| Nov. 9 |
Parker Jenkins, Lamar |
RJ Staten, McNeese |
Blake Smith, Southeastern |