NEC OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
DENZEL KNIGHT, WAGNER
QB, Jr., 6-2, 220 lbs, Rochester, NY/Salisbury School
STAT LINE: 199 scrimmage yards, 2 rush TD, 10.9 ypc, 3 receptions, 47 receiving yards
Wagner produced its highest offensive output of the season against Lehigh and Knight was a key culprit behind the effort. The veteran tailback needed only 17 touches to gain 199 yards from scrimmage. Knight, who averaged 10.9 yards per carry, ran for 152 yards and two touchdowns on 14 attempts. The 6-foot-2 ball carrier also logged 47 yards on three receptions out of the backfield. After only 20 yards on four carries over the first 30:00, Knight erupted in the second half. Two snaps after the second-half kickoff, Knight took a screen pass 39 yards into Lehigh territory and the Seahawks found pay dirt two plays later. He opened Wagner’s next possession with a 16-yard burst and later finished off the drive with a 24-yard touchdown run that bumped Wagner’s lead to 31-14. Helping the Seahawks salt away the win, Knight picked up a first down with under 5:00 remaining before breaking free for a 60-yard scoring scamper one play later. In addition to the two scores, Knight recorded six first downs in the 37-20 triumph.
NEC CO-DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
DA’JON LEE, SAINT FRANCIS
LB, So., 6-2, 220 lbs, Fairfax, VA/Robinson
STAT LINE: 12 total tackles (9 solo), 3.0 TFL, 2.0 sack, FF, 2 QBH
Lee led a defensive effort that kept Liberty off the scoreboard for nearly 58:00 and limited the nation’s No. 22 team to seven points at home. The sophomore linebacker made a game-high 12 tackles, including a victory-clinching strip sack. On all 12 hits, Lee dropped the offensive player short of the first-down marker. In the 13-7 win, the second-year Red flash defender was credited with 3.0 tackles-for-loss, one forced fumble and two quarterback hurries. His first memorable moment came early in the second quarter of a scoreless game when he stuffed the ball carrier on a 4th-and-2 play from the SFU 41-yard line. With SFU protecting a 6-0 lead late in the opening half, Lee sacked the opposing passer for a 10-yard loss on 3rd-and-4. The sophomore’s most-impactful hit came in the game’s final minute with Liberty facing a 1st-and-10 from the SFU 49. Lee, who spent a good portion of his day harassing the passer, forced his way into the pocket and knocked the ball free for the game-sealing takeaway.
NEC CO-DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
DAVID THOMAS, WAGNER
S, So., 6-0, 180 lbs, Buffalo, NY/South Park
STAT LINE: 4 total tackles (3 solo), 3 INT
Thomas and the Seahawks kept Lehigh’s high-powered passing attack in check during a 37-20 victory on Grymes Hill. Going up against the second-ranked passing offense in the FCS, Thomas corralled three interceptions as Wagner held opposing signal caller Brad Mayes to his lowest completion percentage (40.0) of the season. In addition to the record-tying three picks, the Seahawks’ sophomore strong safety made four tackles, including three of the solo variety. Thomas, who is one of five players in the FCS to record three interceptions in a game this season, tied the NEC single-game record that was originally set by CCSU’s Chris Blackshear in 2002. He made his first pick late in the first quarter of a 7-7 game, setting Wagner up at the 50-yard line. With Lehigh running the 2:00 drill late in the opening half, Thomas made tackled the ball carrier for a modest two-yard gain on a 2nd-and-10 play before picking off another pass at Wagner’s 2-yard line two snaps later. Thomas struck for the third time on the first play of the fourth quarter. With Wagner protecting a 31-20 edge, Thomas intercepted a third-down pass from Mayes at the Seahawks’ 26.
NEC SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK
ANDREW ZECCA, SAINT FRANCIS
P, Jr., 6-2, 190 lbs, Berkeley Heights, NJ/Governor Livingston
STAT LINE: 12 punts, 480 yards, 40.0 avg., 5 Inside 20
Contributing to Saint Francis’ stellar defensive showing at nationally-ranked Liberty, Zecca pinned the opponent deep in its own territory with a number of his 12 punts during the 13-7 road win. The junior punted 12 times for 480 yards, a 40.0 yards per kick average. The Flames, who are transitioning up to the FBS level, returned only two punts for a total of two yards and fair caught five of the kicks. Five of the punts gave Liberty a drive start position inside of its own 20-yardline. After his first punt was fair caught, Zecca’s second attempt rolled out of bounds at the Liberty 15-yard line. Early in the second quarter, his 46-yard boot pinned Liberty at its own 9-yard line. Later in the period, he flipped the field by blasting a 62-yard kick that was downed at the Flames’ 15. On his next attempt, Zecca dropped a pooch punt that fell at the Liberty 6. The Garden State product’s first punt of the second half travelled 48 yards to the opponent’s 7-yard line.
NEC ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
ISAAC McCRAY, BRYANT
RB, Fr., 5-11, 195 lbs, Middletown, RI/St. Georges School
STAT LINE: 121 scrimmage yards, four receptions, 73 receiving yards, nine carries, 48 rushing yards
McCray went over 100 yards from scrimmage for the second week in a row. This time, the rookie running back totaled 121 yards on only 13 touches against No. 15 New Hampshire. McCray, the younger brother of former NEC Offensive Player of the Year Ricardo McCray, made four receptions for 73 yards and gained 48 yards on nine rushes. He recorded four first downs on run plays and moved the chains twice more through the air. McCray accounted for three gains of at least 22 yards, two of which came during Bryant’s first scoring drive. After his 22-yard carry moved the Bulldogs to midfield, McCray converted a 3rd-and-10 situation with a 24-yard reception. He brought the Bulldogs into New Hampshire territory again later in the second quarter, taking a pass 40 yards down to the opponent’s 20
PRIME PERFORMERS (WEEK 5)
The following athletes earned #NECPrimePerformer status for their effort this past week...
KAMRON LEWIS (SAINT FRANCIS)
The junior made 10 catches and scored the eventual game-winning touchdown in the Flash’s road win over No. 22 Liberty.
CAMERON NASH (CCSU)
The veteran tailback was a workhorse in the Blue Devils’ triumphant NEC opener, carrying 21 times for 157 yards at Sacred Heart.
DENZEL KNIGHT (WAGNER)
The 6-foot-2 running back piled up 199 scrimmage yards and two touchdowns on only 17 touches in a 37-20 home win over Lehigh.
TOMMY STUART (DUQUESNE)
The transfer quarterback completed 83 percent of his passes and tossed four touchdowns in the Dukes’ runaway win over WVW.
DAVID THOMAS (WAGNER)
Going up against the second-ranked pass offense in the FCS, the sophomore safety made a NEC record-tying three interceptions.
JARROD CANN (CCSU)
The safety recorded two interceptions, including a late PICK-6, in the 26-15 road win over NEC rival Sacred Heart.
DA’JON LEE (SAINT FRANCIS)
The sophomore linebacker logged 3.0 tackles for a loss, including the victory-clinching strip sack, and two QB hurries in SFU’s road win.
QUINTIN HAMPTON (WAGNER)
The Seahawks’ linebacker made a game-high 11 tackles, including 2.0 sacks, and logged two quarterback hurries in a win over Lehigh.
DREW JEAN-GUILLAUME (CCSU)
The running back gained 84 yards and scored twice on only seven touches in the conference opener at SHU.
ANDREW ZECCA (SAINT FRANCIS)
The Garden State product averaged 40.0 yards per punt and dropped five kicks inside of Liberty’s 20-yard line in a 13-7 road win.
TWEET SHEET
@TheWizOfOz11
(Oct 2) Liberty cancelled classes the Monday after defeating Baylor. After topping Liberty, Saint Francis heads back to class today.
@Wagner_Football
(Oct 1) Great job former Seahawk @Mr_NxtLvl with the @nyjets in their overtime win over the Jaguars, three tackles on the day! #Wagner to #NFL
@NewBritHerald
(Oct 1) CCSU football wins conference opener as Nash nets 157 yards rushing
@EdGroth38
(Sep 30) Huge win for @CCSUfootball to start conference play...wish I can make it to homecoming next weekend, but keep the train rolling #BeatUPenn
@TheWizOfOz11
(Sep 30) Liberty scored 48 points against Baylor. Saint Francis held the Flames to just 7 points. SFU’s entire program is built on physicality.
@DamienSordelett
(Sep 30) Bear Fenimore to Kamron Lewis for a 23-yard TD pass. Lewis went up over Chris Turner for the reception. St. Francis 13, LU 0, 4:39 3Q
@DraftDiamonds
(Sep 30) Next year remember the name Kamron Lewis. The St. Francis PA wide out will be a draft pick. He is tearing up the FCS. It is not fair
@theduquesneduke
(Sep 30) Football is back on the bluff! @Duqfb takes down West Virginia Wesleyan 38-13 in Duquesne’s first home game of the season.
@LFN
(Sep 30) Wagner: 4 rushing TDs against the Lehigh defense.
@LehighFootball
(Sep 30) Mayes intercepted by David Thomas. Mayes’ 4th, Thomas’ 3rd.
@LFN
(Sep 30) Wagner’s punt game is strong. This time, they down it at the LU 4.
@AlexKHall
(Sep 30) Price Wilson hits Aaron Aryee for a 13-yard Bulldogs TD with :16 left in the half. It’s 31-17 UNH.
@AlexKHall
(Sep 30) Bryant WR Tom Kennedy takes a direct snap and rushes 5 yards into the end zone with 10:01 left in the half. It’s 17-10 UNH.
AROUND THE NEC IN 7 SENTENCES
BRYANT, which enjoys a Week 6 bye before kicking off its NEC slate, passed for at least 340 yards in four of its five non-conference contests and boasts four different players (Matt Sewall, Jean Constant, Aaron Aryee, Tom Kennedy) with at least one 100-yard receiving game apiece.
CENTRAL CONNECTICUT, which defeated rival Sacred Heart for the third year in a row, has won back-to-back contests for the first time since October 2015 when the Blue Devils defeated SHU and Robert Morris in consecutive weeks.
DUQUESNE, which will put its three-game win streak on the line when it opens its 2017 NEC schedule on The Bluff against Wagner in Week 6, posted a victory in its home opener for the 10th year in a row as the Dukes handled Division II member West Virginia Wesleyan for the program’s 100th victory on Rooney Field, which has housed the team since 1993.
ROBERT MORRIS, which looks to snap a 10-game road losing streak, closes out its non-conference schedule at SoCon member East Tennessee State in what will be the second-ever meeting between the two programs (RMU won, 21-9, on Nov. 7, 2015 in Moon Township).
SACRED HEART, which is limiting opponents to a league-low 3.5 yards per carry average, allowed a 100-yard rusher for only the fourth time in four seasons when CCSU’s Cameron Nash totaled 157 yards on the ground in Week 5.
SAINT FRANCIS, which owns the nation’s second-ranked scoring defense after defeating a Top 25 opponent for the second time in its history, became the first team this season to keep Liberty off the scoreboard for the first half of a game.
WAGNER, which made five interceptions in its first-ever meeting with Patriot League member Lehigh, limited the nation’s second-ranked passing attack to 6.8 yards per attempt and a season-low 40.0 percent completion rate.