SPARTANBURG, SC -- The Southern Conference today announced the first football Players of the Week for the 2005 season. Georgia Southern’s Jermaine Austin earned the Offensive Player of the Week honor, Chattanooga’s Jeff Phillips was named the Defensive Player of the Week and Elon’s Zach McAlister was selected as the Freshman of the Week.

A senior from Darien, GA, Austin rushed for 199 yards in Georgia Southern’s 41-38 overtime win over Northeastern on Saturday.  He averaged 10 yards per carry on 20 attempts, including a 60-yard touchdown run just two minutes in the second half to tie the game at 24.  Austin broke Georgia Southern’s record for most yards in a season opener, which was previously held by Adrian Peterson with 192 yards. The performance was his second-highest single game rushing total and the 24th time in his career that he has run for 100-plus yardage. He was one yard shy of being the first SoCon player since 2003 to rush for 200 yards. Ironically, he was one of the last to do it with 207 yards against Florida International during the 2003 season. Appalachian State’s Allen Atwater also rushed for 207 yards against Chattanooga in 2003.

Phillips, a redshirt freshman from Knoxville, TN, led the Mocs defense in a 30-23 Chattanooga overtime win over Tennessee Tech. Phillips picked off a pass late in the third quarter and ran it back 35 yards for a touchdown to tie the game at 20. He also compiled 10 tackles, seven solo and one for a nine-yard loss, one sack and two pass breakups, leading Chattanooga to its first season-opening win since 2001. Phillips did not play in the 2004 season due to two broken ankles.

A free safety from Anderson, SC, McAlister led the Phoenix defense with 11 tackles, including four solo stops, in Elon’s 17-10 loss to Coastal Carolina. He was second on the team in tackles behind all-conference linebacker Chad Nkang.

SoCon football continues this week with six non-conference games and the conference opener as Furman visits Western Carolina at 6:00 on Saturday, September 10.