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NEC Offensive Player of the Week: Taj Butts, Duquesne
NEC Defensive Player of the Week: Carter Glassmyer, Saint Francis U
NEC Special Teams Player of the Week: Jack Barnum, Central Connecticut
NEC Rookie of the Week: Jaylen Bonelli, Wagner
Previous NEC Releases: October 9 | October 2 | September 25 | September 18 | September 11 | September 4 | Preseason Poll Release | TV Package Release

NEC OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Taj Butts, Duquesne
Running Back, R-So., 5-10, 210 lbs., St. Louis, MO/De Smet (Missouri)
Week 7 Stats: 118 rushing yards, 12 carries, 9.83 yards per carry, 2 rushing TD, 1 receiving TD
Butts' career-best outing led Duquesne to a big 44-20 win over visiting Central Connecticut on Saturday and landed him NEC Offensive Player of the Week distinction for the first time this season. The redshirt sophomore and Missouri transfer put together his finest outing in a Dukes uniform to date after he rushed for a season-high 118 yards and two touchdowns on 12 carries. Leading all NEC running backs with 9.83 yards per carry, Butts added a touchdown catch to his stat line to finish with three on the afternoon. The St. Louis product got the scoring going early, as he capped the Dukes' first two drives of the game with a 2-yard touchdown catch and a 15-yard touchdown run. Butts went on to do more damage in the opening half with a career-long 58-yard run that put Duquesne in front, 27-3, with 6:10 left before intermission. With the win, the Dukes are the only remaining undefeated team in conference play with a 2-0 mark. He is averaging 92.5 yards on the ground in Duquesne's two league wins to rank second in the circuit, while his 70.0 rushing yards per game rank fifth overall in the conference. With Butts' weekly award, a Duke has been recognized by the NEC in each of the past three weeks, as running back Edward Robinson earned consecutive NEC Rookie of the Week honors in on Oct. 2 and Oct. 9. 
 
NEC DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Carter Glassmyer, Saint Francis U
Linebacker, R-Fr., 6-1, 210 lbs., Central York, PA/Central York
Week 7 Stats: 11 tackles (7 solo), 1.5 TFL, 1.0 sack
Glassmyer was all over DeGol Field on Thursday night in Saint Francis U's convincing 31-7 win over previously unbeaten Wagner in a nationally televised NEC matchup on CBS Sports Network. The Keystone State native wreaked havoc on the Seahawks' offense, delivered a game-high 11 tackles, including seven solo stops, while adding 1.5 tackles-for-loss. The linebacker also recorded a sack — his second of the season — on a 3rd-and-6 in the fourth quarter, which resulted in a missed 45-yard field goal by Wagner in the fourth quarter. The Red Flash went on to hold the Seahawks scoreless for the remainder of the contest, marking the second time in as many games that they held a team without a score for an entire half. Glassmyer anchors a Saint Francis U defense that is conceding a league-low 18.0 points per game in conference play. The redshirt freshman leads the NEC this season in total tackles (52), solo tackles (31) and tackles per game (8.7). During league play, he is the lone defender averaging double digits in tackles with 13.3 per contest. This is Glassmyer's second NEC Defensive Player of the Week honor.
   
NEC SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Jack Barnum, Central Connecticut
Kicker/Punter, So., 6-2, 200 lbs., Southington, CT/Southington
Week 7 Stats: 2-2 FG (44 yards, 32 yards), 2-2 PAT, 4 kickoffs, 215 kickoff yards, 53.8 yards per kickoff
Barnum put eight points on the scoreboard for Central Connecticut at Duquesne to lead all NEC place kickers this past week. The sophomore drained both of his field goal attempts, including one from 44 yards to cap a 10-drive play in the first quarter. In addition, Barnum went 2-of-2 on PATs to remain perfect on the season at 18-of-18. The Southington, CT native also handled the Blue Devils' kickoff duties in the defeat, averaging 53.8 yards in four attempts. In six games this season, Barnum, who has racked up a league-best 45 points, is averaging an NEC-best 7.5 points per game. His nine made field goals are also a league-best mark, while his 1.50 makes per game are good for sixth in the FCS. This is Barnum's second NEC Special Teams Player of the Week award, as he previously earned the distinction following a 14-point outing in Central Connecticut's season-opening win over AIC.
 
NEC ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Jaylen Bonelli, Wagner
Wide Receiver, Fr., 5-10, 160 lbs., Cooper City, FL/St. Thomas Aquinas
Week 7 Stats: 4 receptions, 104 receiving yards
Bonelli led Wagner with four catches for 104 yards in a Thursday night NEC matchup on CBS Sports Network, a 31-7 defeat at Saint Francis U. The performance was a career-best for the freshman, and the fifth-best outing by an NEC receiver in the circuit this season. In addition, Bonelli became the first Seahawk rookie since 2004 to rack up 100+ receiving yards in a game, as Joe Kinard was the last to accomplish the feat against Sacred Heart on Oct. 2 (105 yards). A native of the Sunshine State and product of St. Thomas Aquinas, Bonelli leads Wagner in receiving yards (265), receiving yards per game (44.17) and yards per catch (17.67). This is his second NEC Rookie of the Week honor this season.


#NECFB PRIME PERFORMERS (Week 7)

Tedy Afful, DUQ (WR, Jr.)
In Duquesne's convincing 44-20 home win over Central Connecticut on Saturday, Afful racked up the most receiving yards by an NEC player this season after he hauled in five catches for 135 yards, marking his first career 100+ receiving yard performance. The junior had an impressive 50-yard catch on the first play of the Dukes' second drive of the game that resulted in a Taj Butts touchdown run on the next snap. 

Taj Butts, DUQ (RB, R-So.)
Butts fueled a Duquesne offense that put up 44 points in a 24-point victory over visiting Central Connecticut on Saturday. The redshirt sophomore averaged a league-best 9.83 yards per rush after he ran for a career-high 118 yards and two touchdowns on 12 carries for the Dukes, who improved to 2-0 in NEC play with the triumph. Adding a touchdown catch to his impressive stat line, Butts was also named the NEC Offensive Player of the Week following his explosive performance.

Darius Perrantes, DUQ (QB, Jr.)
Perrantes led all NEC quarterbacks in Week 7 after he threw for a season-high 265 yards and three touchdowns in Duquesne's 44-20 win over visiting Central Connecticut on Saturday. Recording one interception in 24 attempts, the junior was the league's most efficient passer with a 188.17 rating with 15 completions. 

Carson Primrose, SHU (DL, Sr.)
Primrose registered a team-best seven tackles to lead Sacred Heart's defense in a Nutmeg State non-conference matchup at Yale on Saturday. The senior defensive lineman added a forced fumble, 1.0 tackles-for-loss and 1.0 sack.

Cole Doyle, SFU (QB, R-Jr.)
Doyle orchestrated a Saint Francis U offense that is averaging 26.7 points in three league games by going 13-of-24 for 161 yards, three touchdowns and one interception in a historic Thursday night victory over visiting Wagner. The redshirt junior also posted a career-long 48-yard rush in the fourth quarter that led to a Mac Plummer field goal to finish with 71 rushing yards in the 31-7 win.  

Carter Glassmyer, SFU (LB, R-Fr.)
Glassmyer anchored a stingy defense that conceded just one touchdown to Wagner in a nationally televised Thursday night game by recording 1.5 tackles-for-loss and a game-high 11 tackles, including seven solo stops. The redshirt freshman linebacker also delivered a key sack in the final quarter on a Seahawks' 3rd-and-6 that resulted in a missed field goal in the 31-7 win. Glassmyer was also named the NEC Defensive Player of the Week for the second time in the past three weeks.

Jordan Jackson, SFU (RB, R-So.)
Jackson posted Saint Francis U's first 100+ rushing yard game of the season after he ran for a game- and career-high 128 yards in Thursday night's 31-7 win over visiting Wagner on CBS Sports Network. The redshirt sophomore helped the Red Flash amass a season-best 273 yards on the ground in the triumph.

Dawson Snyder, SFU (WR, R-Jr.)
Snyder caught for a season-high 110 yards on six receptions in Saint Francis U's 31-7 victory over visiting Wagner on Thursday in a game that was televised nationally on CBS Sports Network. The redshirt junior's 21-yard touchdown catch from Cole Doyle in the second quarter capped off a 91-yard drive that put the Red Flash in front, 14-0, with 3:31 to go in the half.

Junior Wily, WC (DB, Sr.)
Wily put together another strong defensive outing in Wagner's first conference defeat at Saint Francis on Thursday night. Pushing the Red Flash back two yards on 1.5 tackles-for-loss, the senior defensive back and two-time NEC Defensive Player of the Week honoree delivered eight tackles, including six solo stops.


AROUND THE NEC IN 8 SENTENCES

CENTRAL CONNECTICUT, which entered the week boasting the league's best rushing offense at 246.2 yards per game, was held to a season-low 74 yards on the ground at Duquesne, marking the fewest by the Blue Devils in nearly two years. 

DUQUESNE, which is averaging 37.5 points against conference opponents, is off to a 2-0 start in NEC play for the fourth time in the past five years. 

LIU's defense, which boasts the NEC's leader in tackles-for-loss in reigning Defensive Rookie of the Year Eric O'Neill (11.0), has held opponents to a league-low 18 touchdowns to rank third in the NEC with 24.3 points per game.

MERRIMACK, which leads the NEC in sacks (18) and interceptions (6), is conceding a league-low 21.2 points per game this season after holding three opponents to 14 points or fewer.

SACRED HEART held a Yale team that is averaging 219.5 passing yards per game well below their season average, as the defense conceded just 123 yards in the air to the Bulldogs in the defeat.

SAINT FRANCIS U, which is coming off back-to-back league wins, registered season-best numbers in rushing yards (273) and total yards (434) in Thursday's prime time win over Wagner on CBS Sports Network.  

STONEHILL returns from a bye week looking for the program's first win against Sacred Heart on Saturday.

WAGNER wide receiver Jaylen Bonelli, who was named the NEC Rookie of the Week, became the first Seahawk rookie since Joe Kinard (2004) to catch for 100+ yards in a single game after totaling 104 yards against Saint Francis U on Thursday.


2023 NEC FOOTBALL WEEKLY AWARD WINNERS:

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Sept. 4: Cole Doyle, Saint Francis U
Sept. 11: Jermaine Corbett, Stonehill
Sept. 18: Jermaine Corbett, Stonehill
Sept. 25: Steven Krajewski, Wagner
Oct. 2: Davon Wells, LIU
Oct. 9: Elijah Howard, Central Connecticut
Oct. 16: Taj Butts, Duquesne
Oct. 23: 

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Sept. 4: Eric O'Neill, LIU
Sept. 11: Micah Brown, Stonehill
Sept. 18: Junior Wily, Wagner
Sept. 25: Junior Wily, Wagner
Oct. 2: Carter Glassmyer, Saint Francis U
Oct. 9: Sam Murphy, Stonehill
Oct. 16: Carter Glassmyer, Saint Francis U
Oct. 23:

SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Sept. 4: Jack Barnum, Central Connecticut
Sept. 11: Perry Shelbred, Stonehill
Sept. 18: Ryan Liszner, Wagner
Sept. 25: Sam Renzi, Sacred Heart
Oct. 2: Brian Bruzdewicz, Duquesne
Oct. 9: Will Lynch, LIU
Oct. 16: Jack Barnum, Central Connecticut
Oct. 23:

ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Sept. 4: Makhai Workman, Saint Francis U
Sept. 11: Trey Howe, Central Connecticut
Sept. 18: Nigel Henderson, Stonehill
Sept. 25: Jaylen Bonelli, Wagner
Oct. 2: Edward Robinson, Duquesne
Oct. 9: Edward Robinson, Duquesne
Oct. 16: Jaylen Bonelli, Wagner
Oct. 23: