Football Southern Conference

SoCon Football Players of the Week, Oct. 21, 2002

SPARTANBURG, SC - The Southern Conference today named its football players of the week for games played on Saturday, October 19. Georgia Southern quarterback Chaz Williams was named the Offensive Player of the Week, linebacker Lamar Beam of East Tennessee State was named the Defensive Player of the Week and VMI running back Sean Mizzer earned Freshman of the Week.

Williams, a 5-10, 210-pound sophomore from Apopka, FL, rushed for 117 yards on 28 carries in Georgia Southern's 36-20 win against third-ranked Appalachian State on Saturday. It marked the fourth straight 100-yard rushing day for Williams who also completed three of six passes for 73 yards including a 62-yard pass to Zzream Walden. Williams led Georgia Southern to 437 yards of total offense including 364 on the ground. Williams also ranks 18th in the nation in rushing this week and fifth nationally in scoring.

Beam, a 6-3, 225-pound sophomore linebacker from Shelby, NC, had an outstanding day as ETSU defeated Elon, 31-15 on Oct. 19. Beam recorded a game-high 11 tackles including six tackles for loss and four quarterback sacks. He contributed mightily on the most important series of the game. After cutting ETSU's lead to 31-15 in the fourth quarter and then recovering an onside kick, the Phoenix were at the ETSU 40-yard line. Beam recorded two sacks of Elon quarterback James Murtaugh on the ensuing series.

Mizzer, a 5-9, 175-pound freshman from Prince Frederick, MD, rushed for a career-high 125 yards and two touchdowns on 19 carries in VMI's 35-31 win at Chattanooga on Oct. 19. Mizzer had a pair of two-yard touchdown runs including the go-ahead score midway through the fourth quarter. He became the first Keydet frosh since 1998b to rush for over 100 yards in a game.

Also receiving strong consideration for Offensive Player of the Week were ETSU quarterback Jatavis Sanders who threw for a career-high 287 yards and four touchdowns in the win over Elon, and Wofford fullback J.R. McNair who had 93 yards rushing and two scores in a win over Western Carolina. On defense, Georgia Southern's Joe Scott received consideration after recording 12 tackles in the win over Appalachian State as did Furman linebacker Cedrick Ritter, who had 14 tackles and an interception in a victory over The Citadel. Among freshman nominees, ETSU's Primus Glover had three tackles and an interception, GSU's Jermaine Austin rushed for 133 yards on 18 carries and Wofford's Aaron Johnson had 81 yards on seven carries against WCU.