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.
Portland State’s Dante Chachere, Norfolk State’s AJ Richardson, Dayton’s Gideon Lampron and Indiana State’s Elijah Owens were selected Monday as the Stats Perform FCS National Players of the Week for Week 7 college football games ending on Oct. 12.
In addition, the North Alabama Lions were named the Stats Perform FCS National Team of the Week.
The FCS National Awards are presented by FedEx.
FCS National Awards (Week 7)
Stats Perform FCS National Offensive Player of the Week
Dante Chachere, Portland State, QB, Sr., 6-3, 200, Fresno, California
The dual-threat QB passed for 216 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for 202 yards and three more scores in the Vikings’ first win of the season, 42-38 at Idaho State. It was the first 200/200 double in the Big Sky program’s history and just the second in the FCS since 2018 (also Montana State’s Sean Chambers in 2022). Chachere’s big plays included runs of 62, 48 and 53 yards, and a pass completion of 50 yards.
Honorable Mention: Zack Calzada, QB, UIW; Jacob Clark, QB, Missouri State; Paxton DeLaurent, QB, Southeast Missouri; Dylan Gary, WR, West Georgia; Mason Hackett, RB, Dayton; Miles Hastings, QB, UC Davis; Grant Jordan, QB, Yale; Targhee Lambson, RB, Southern Utah; Grayson Saunier, QB, Dartmouth
Stats Perform FCS National Defensive Player of the Week
AJ Richardson, Norfolk State, LB, So., 6-1, 245, Kings Mountain, North Carolina
Richardson established a handful of personal highs for his standout career, nearly helping Norfolk State to an upset of Towson before falling 28-23. He racked up 18 tackles, including seven solos, with 5.5 tackles going for 20 yards in losses and two sacks. He also had his first interception and returned it 32 yards into Towson territory to set up a Spartans’ offensive touchdown.
Honorable Mention: Donte’ Daniels, SS, Southeastern Louisiana; John Lista, LB, Penn; Jalen Marshall, LB, Wofford; TJ Moore, CB, Mercer; Josiah Silver, DE, New Hampshire; Brandan Stearman, DL, Morehead State; DQ Watkins, OLB, LIU; Tavier Williams, S, Missouri State
Stats Perform FCS National Special Teams Player of the Week
Gideon Lampron, Dayton, LB, R-So., 5-11, 215, LaGrange, Ohio
The National Defensive Player of the Week to open the season added the Week 7 Special Teams honor by blocking two field goal attempts in Dayton’s 16-14 win over Davidson in the Pioneer Football League. The first one came shortly before halftime and the second was per clutch with four minutes left, preserving the lead. Lampron, whose middle name is ESPN, had 11 tackles – the third time he’s been in double figures in a 4-1 season.
Honorable Mention: Ross Bolger, P, Idaho State; Lliam Davis, PK, Merrimack; Guillermo Garcia Rodriguez, PK, Prairie View A&M; Logan Seibert, PK, Lindenwood; Brayden Smith, WR/Returns, Mercer
Stats Perform FCS National Freshman Player of the Week
Elijah Owens, Indiana State, QB, R-Fr., 6-2, 225, Jacksonville, Illinois
Owens accounted for 264 yards of total offense and two touchdowns in the Sycamores’ 31-27 victory over Murray State in the Missouri Valley Football Conference. He completed 25 of 34 passes for 218 yards and a touchdown, adding 46 yards and a TD on the ground. The Sycamores scored the game-winning touchdown with 11 seconds left, and Owens directed the drive with passes or runs on seven of the nine plays.
Honorable Mention: Cam Chapa, DB, Northern Colorado; Eric Denham, WR/RB, Portland State; Jalen Fletcher, RB, North Alabama; Bennett Henderson, PK, Fordham; Kareem Keye, QB, Alabama State; Cole Nilles, LB, Bryant
Stats Perform FCS National Team of the Week
North Alabama (47-34 win over then-No. 10 Abilene Christian)
The Lions scored the final 21 points to secure their program’s first win over an FCS ranked team and a three-game conference winning streak for the first time since 2016. Quarterback TJ Smith treated the Homecoming Day crowd with 314 yards of total offense and six total touchdowns. Defensive back Gregory Reddick had a game-high 12 tackles and an interception for coach Brent Dearmon’s United Athletic Conference squad.
Honorable Mention: Georgetown (17-0 win at Lafayette); Missouri State (41-7 win at then-No. 16 Illinois State); Northern Colorado (21-17 win at then-No. 20 Weber State)
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