Opta Analyst’s FCS football coverage includes weekly national player and team honors throughout the regular season and will lead toward the annual season-ending FCS National Awards Banquet, scheduled for Jan. 4 in Frisco, Texas.
Monmouth’s Derek Robertson, Tennessee Tech’s Daniel Rickert, Southeast Missouri’s DC Pippen and Furman’s Billy Lewis have been selected as the Stats Perform FCS National Players of the Week for Week 12 college football games ending on Nov. 16.
In addition, the Abilene Christian Wildcats are the Stats Perform FCS National Team of the Week.
The FCS National Awards are presented by FedEx.
FCS National Awards (Week 12)
Stats Perform FCS National Offensive Player of the Week
Derek Robertson, Monmouth, QB, Sr., 6-2, 200, Hartsdale, New York
Robertson was nearly perfect in completing 22 of 23 (95.6%) pass attempts for 358 yards and three touchdowns as Monmouth upset No. 9 Villanova 40-33 in CAA Football. He connected on 6-, 32- and 19-yard scores in the first half, and set up two third-quarter TDs with 59- and 36-yard completions. His passes accounted for 12 of the Hawks’ 18 first downs, and he had a 269.4 passer rating.
Honorable Mention: Beau Brungard, QB, Youngstown State; Bryson Canty, WR, Columbia; Quincy Crittendon, QB, Samford; Jalen Madison, RB, Sacred Heart; Nick Minicucci, QB, Delaware; Zach Palmer-Smith, RB, Richmond; Darius Perrantes, RB, Duquesne; Charles Pierre Jr., RB, South Dakota; Grant Sergent, QB, San Diego; J’Mari Taylor, RB, North Carolina Central; AJ Wilson, WR, HCU
Stats Perform FCS National Defensive Player of the Week
Daniel Rickert, Tennessee Tech, DE, Jr. 6-2, 232, Nolensville, Tennessee
Rickert had an all-around game as Tennessee Tech posted a 10-9 win at No. 18 UT Martin, its first over a ranked opponent since 2014 and snapping an 11-game losing streak in the series. He collected nine tackles, including four for 21 yards in losses with 3.5 sacks. He also had three quarterback hurries, a forced fumble and a pass breakup. TTU (6-5) is tied for second place in the Big South-OVC.
Honorable Mention: Luke Banbury, LB, Cornell; Marcus Barnes, S, William & Mary; Evan DiMaggio, ILB, Furman; Dontae Lunan, LB, UAlbany; Jace Klucewich, S, Montana; Noah Martin, LB, Samford; Robert McDaniel, DB, Jackson State; Eric Rankin, LB, VMI; Mason Rivera, DB, Cal Poly; Darius Sanders, DB, UIW; Ryan Toscano, LB, New Hampshire
Stats Perform FCS National Special Teams Player of the Week
DC Pippin, Southeast Missouri, PK, Sr., 6-0, 195, Springfield, Illinois
Pippin was perfect on kicks while contributing 18 points to No. 12 Southeast Missouri’s 54-45 win over Western Illinois, which clinched at least a share of the Big South-OVC title. He was 4-for-4 on field goals and 6-for-6 on extra points, adding 11 kickoffs. This season, he’s 26-for-34 on field goals, one shy of the FCS single-season record for attempts and three shy of the mark for made field goals.
Honorable Mention: Victor Barbosa, PK, Alabama A&M; Jermaine Corbett, KR/RB, Merrimack; Carson Jenkins, PR, William & Mary; Christian Lowery, PK, Western Carolina; Cameron Poppe, PK, Idaho; DJ Rias, KR/WR, Samford; Franklin Rogers, P, Alcorn State; Javin Whatley, KR/WR, Chattanooga; Jeff Yurk, P, Elon; Alan Zhao, PK, Cornell
Stats Perform FCS National Freshman Player of the Week
Billy Lewis, Furman, S, R-Fr., 6-0, 180, Athens, Georgia
Lewis got in the way of No. 21 ETSU’s bid for an FCS playoff spot – literally – as Furman pulled a 24-21 road upset in the Southern Conference. He had career highs in total tackles (nine) and solo stops (seven), intercepted a pass and returned it 16 yards when the game was tied in the fourth quarter, forced a fumble and had a third-down pass breakup to force a punt.
Honorable Mention: Taron Dickens, QB, Western Carolina; Mark Hamper, WR, Idaho; DJ Harris, LB, HCU; Collin Hurst, QB, Presbyterian; Christopher Jean, DB, Central Connecticut State; Hayden Johnson, QB, Lehigh; Caleb Koger, QB, Central Arkansas; Carter McCray, DB, Columbia; Van Weber, QB, UAlbany
Stats Perform FCS National Team of the Week
No. 14 Abilene Christian (35-31 win at No. 13 Tarleton State)
The Wildcats clinched their first-ever FCS playoff bid via the United Athletic Conference championship, so it’s fitting quarterback Maverick McIvor and linebacker Will Shaffer both wear jersey No. 1. McIvor went 35-for-55 for 391 yards and three touchdowns, lifting coach Keith Patterson’s team on a 1-yard scoring pass to Sam Hicks with 19 seconds left. Shaffer had a game-high 13 tackles, including nine solos.
Honorable Mention: Morehead State (29-20 win at Drake); No. 11 Richmond (24-21 win at Hampton); Tennessee Tech (10-9 win at No. 18 UT Martin)
Top photo of Abilene Christian celebrating the 2024 UAC championship. (ACU Athletics)
Like this week’s Stats Perform FCS National Awards? Follow all of our FCS football coverage, including on X, Facebook and Instagram.
