Special Teams Player of the Week
PK Colt McFadden, Youngstown State
6-0, 194, Sr., Poland, Ohio (Poland/Kent State)
McFadden connected on a 42-yard field goal as time expired to help the Penguins rally for a 28-27 win at Western Illinois on Saturday. With the wind at his back, McFadden came on four seconds remaining to convert a 42-yard try as YSU overcame a 10-point deficit in the final three minutes to earn the win. McFadden kicked a 25-yard field goal earlier in the contest. He has made nine of his last 10 attempts all of which have come in MVFC play.
Co-Offensive Player of the Week
QB Mark Gronowski, South Dakota State
6-3, 220, So., Naperville, Ill. (Neuqua Valley HS)
Gronowski accounted for a career-high five touchdowns — three passing and two rushing — in South Dakota State’s 49-35 road victory at No. 20 North Dakota on Oct. 22. He completed 15-of-20 passes for 197 yards, including a 32-yard touchdown pass to Tucker Kraft late in the first half, followed by scoring tosses of 10 yards to Jaxon Janke and 2 yards to Zach Heins in the third quarter. Gronowski capped a 21-point third quarter on a 1-yard touchdown run, then added a 10-yard rushing TD in the fourth quarter. Gronowski added a 16-yard reception that set up his first rushing touchdown.
Co-Offensive Player of the Week
RB Dom Williams, UNI
5-10, 200, R-Sr., McKinney, Texas (Independence HS)
Williams notched a record-breaking performance for UNI against Missouri State tying the program’s single game record with four rushing touchdowns. Williams is the tenth player in UNI history to run for four touchdowns, and first since Aaron Bailey to do so in 2015, also against Missouri State. Aided by dominant offensive line play, Williams notched his second game of 100+ rushing yards this season and fourth of his career. Williams leads the MVFC in rushing touchdowns this season (9) and ninth in the nation while averaging 6.1 yards per carry.
Defensive Player of the Week
CB Cameron Tisdale, South Dakota
5-10, 180, Sr., Clearwater, Fla. (Largo HS)
Tisdale forced two turnovers and both led to Coyote touchdowns in a 27-24 upset of No. 14 Southern Illinois Saturday on Dakota Days. He forced a fumble in the first quarter that was recovered and returned to the SIU 6 for a short touchdown drive. He picked off Nic Baker for his first collegiate interception with five minutes to go in the fourth quarter and USD drove down and kicked the game-winning field goal. Tisdale added three tackles and a pass breakup.
Newcomer of the Week
QB Zack Annexstad, Illinois State
6-2, 220, Jr., Norseland, Minnesota (IMG Academy/Minnesota)
Annexstad put together his best day as a Redbird and led his team to a gritty 27-21 road win at Indiana State. The transfer from Minnesota completed 24-of-38 pass attempts for a career-best 274 yards and accounted for four touchdowns for the Redbirds in their victory over the Sycamores. Annexstad scored twice on the ground on runs of nine and three yards, respectively, and threw a pair of touchdowns passes in the win for Illinois State. His first TD pass of the day was a 56-yarder to Jalen Carr and his second was an 18-yarder to his older brother, Brock. Annexstad and the Redbirds scored on each of the team’s first three possessions of the game and never looked back to improve to 5-2 on the year and 3-1 in league play.
