Week 2 Stats: 1 blocked punt, 1 punt recovery, 15-yard punt return
Howe, a redshirt freshman running back, was a key contributor to a 16-0 run that saw Central Connecticut claw back from a 23-7 deficit in the fourth quarter and knot up the score at 23-23, all within a span of 76 seconds. The Uxbridge, MA native got his hand on a Stonehill punt, scooped up the loose ball and returned it 15 yards for the score. The Blue Devils would pull even when Davion Johnson caught the two-point conversion with 8:10 left to play. Howe’s efforts were not enough for Central Connecticut to earn the win in the league opener, though, as Stonehill went on to spoil the comeback with a last-second field goal. The NEC Rookie of the Week award is the first for a Central Connecticut player since safety Jonathan Cabral-Martin earned the honor on Nov. 1, 2021.