UNI picks up three of four
Posted: Sun Sep 11, 2011 9:29 pm
UNI picked up three of the four player of week honors in the MVFC in week two....this comes after UNI had two of the four last week.
This week's Missouri Valley Football Conference Players of the Week are QB Tirrell Rennie of UNI; LB Jordan Smith of UNI; RS Leonard Riston of Indiana State; and RB David Johnson of UNI.
Offensive Player of the Week
QB Tirrell Rennie, UNI
6-0, 201, Sr., North Lauderdale (Fla.) Coconut Creek High/Ellsworth CC
Rennie led the Panthers to a 34-23 road victory at No. 16 ranked Stephen F. Austin, leading UNI both on the ground and through the air. He rushed for 126 yards on 19 carries, marking his eighth 100-plus rushing performance in 14 career games as a Panther. Rennie also found the endzone twice, moving him into a tie for 10th place all-time at UNI with 17 career rushing touchdowns. He passed for 151 yards on nine completions against SFA – an average of 16.8 yards per completion.
Defensive Player of the Week
LB Jordan Smith, UNI,
6-2, 223, Sr., Humboldt (Iowa) High
Smith racked up 16 tackles and an interception in the Panthers’ 34-23 road victory over No. 16 ranked Stephen F. Austin. Trailing 7-0, Smith intercepted SFA quarterback Brady Attaway at the UNI 29-yard line on the Lumberjacks’ second offensive drive of the game.
Newcomer of the Week
RB David Johnson, UNI
6-3, 214, R-Fr., Clinton (Iowa) High
Johnson served as the workhorse of the Panther offense in a 34-23 triumph at No. 16 Stephen F. Austin, carrying 31 times for 87 yards and two touchdowns. Johnson scored on a one-yard run with 22 seconds remaining before halftime to give UNI its first lead at 13-10. He found the endzone from one yard out again on the opening play of the fourth quarter, putting the Panthers ahead 27-16. Second straight NOTW for David Johnson.
Special Teams Player of the Week
KR Leonard Riston, Indiana State
5-11, 180, So., Cincinnati (Ohio) Withrow High
Riston returned three kickoffs for a total of 156 yards, including a 92-yard touchdown in the second quarter as the Sycamores downed Butler at Memorial Stadium. Riston’s 92-yard kickoff return for a touchdown was the Sycamores’ first since the 2005 campaign when Cornell Johnson had a 97-yarder against Western Illinois.
The award will now be now be named the "University of Northern Iowa Player of Excellence Award". Indiana State KR is the first non-UNI player to receive the award. Congrats to him.
This week's Missouri Valley Football Conference Players of the Week are QB Tirrell Rennie of UNI; LB Jordan Smith of UNI; RS Leonard Riston of Indiana State; and RB David Johnson of UNI.
Offensive Player of the Week
QB Tirrell Rennie, UNI
6-0, 201, Sr., North Lauderdale (Fla.) Coconut Creek High/Ellsworth CC
Rennie led the Panthers to a 34-23 road victory at No. 16 ranked Stephen F. Austin, leading UNI both on the ground and through the air. He rushed for 126 yards on 19 carries, marking his eighth 100-plus rushing performance in 14 career games as a Panther. Rennie also found the endzone twice, moving him into a tie for 10th place all-time at UNI with 17 career rushing touchdowns. He passed for 151 yards on nine completions against SFA – an average of 16.8 yards per completion.
Defensive Player of the Week
LB Jordan Smith, UNI,
6-2, 223, Sr., Humboldt (Iowa) High
Smith racked up 16 tackles and an interception in the Panthers’ 34-23 road victory over No. 16 ranked Stephen F. Austin. Trailing 7-0, Smith intercepted SFA quarterback Brady Attaway at the UNI 29-yard line on the Lumberjacks’ second offensive drive of the game.
Newcomer of the Week
RB David Johnson, UNI
6-3, 214, R-Fr., Clinton (Iowa) High
Johnson served as the workhorse of the Panther offense in a 34-23 triumph at No. 16 Stephen F. Austin, carrying 31 times for 87 yards and two touchdowns. Johnson scored on a one-yard run with 22 seconds remaining before halftime to give UNI its first lead at 13-10. He found the endzone from one yard out again on the opening play of the fourth quarter, putting the Panthers ahead 27-16. Second straight NOTW for David Johnson.
Special Teams Player of the Week
KR Leonard Riston, Indiana State
5-11, 180, So., Cincinnati (Ohio) Withrow High
Riston returned three kickoffs for a total of 156 yards, including a 92-yard touchdown in the second quarter as the Sycamores downed Butler at Memorial Stadium. Riston’s 92-yard kickoff return for a touchdown was the Sycamores’ first since the 2005 campaign when Cornell Johnson had a 97-yarder against Western Illinois.
The award will now be now be named the "University of Northern Iowa Player of Excellence Award". Indiana State KR is the first non-UNI player to receive the award. Congrats to him.