SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Southern Conference named its football players of the week today for all games played Nov. 8. The Citadel’s Aaron Miller and Samford’s Justin Cooper were named the Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week, respectively. Furman’s P.J. Blazejowski garnered Freshman of the Week honors, while UTC’s Nick Pollard was named the Special Teams Player of the Week. The players of the week are selected by the league office.
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Aaron Miller, The Citadel, Sr., QB, Clover, S.C.
Aaron Miller accounted for 233 yards of total offense and four touchdowns as The Citadel topped Furman in overtime Saturday, 42-35. Miller’s 2-yard plunge in overtime was the difference as the Bulldogs came away with the win. The senior signal caller rushed 19 times for 91 yards and two TDs in the win. He also completed 8-of-13 passes for 142 yards and two scores. Miller engineered a seven-play, 80-yard scoring drive that tied the game at 35 with 1:34 left in the fourth quarter. That drive included a key 45-yard completion to Jonathan Dorogy, which set the Bulldogs up at the Paladins’ 8-yard line.
Other Nominees: Denzel Williams (Samford), Faysal Shafaat (Chattanooga) and Ray Smith (Wofford).
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Justin Cooper, Samford, Jr., LB, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Junior Justin Cooper recorded a game-high 14 tackles as Samford topped Western Carolina, 34-20, Saturday. Cooper was credited with 13 solo stops and one assist. The Fort Lauderdale, Fla., native also recorded to tackles for loss that resulted in minus-2 yards in the win. The Bulldogs defense forced WCU into three punts and an interception on its first four possessions, which allowed Samford to jump out to a 21-0 lead en route to the win.
Other Nominees: Muhasibi Wakeel (Chattanooga), Trey Morgan (Western Carolina) and Tyler Vaughn (Wofford).
FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK: P.J. Blazejowski, Furman, Fr., QB, St. Augustine, Fla.
Quarterback P.J. Blazejowski established a new Furman record with 382 yards of total offense in the Paladins’ overtime loss at The Citadel. He eclipsed the old mark of 380 yards set by Chris Forcier in 2011. Blazejowski rushed nine times for a team-high 75 yards and a touchdown. The St. Augustine, Fla., native completed 20-of-29 passes for 307 yards and three touchdowns in his fifth start for the Paladins. Blazejowski’s 307 yards passing was the 15th-highest single-game total in school history and just the 17th 300-yard passing performance by a Furman quarterback.
Other Nominees: Jonathan Dorogy (The Citadel), Reece Everett (Samford), Lucas Webb (Chattanooga), Detrez Newsome (Western Carolina) and Tyler Vaughn (Wofford).
SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Nick Pollard, Chattanooga, Sr., K, Smyrna, Tenn.
Nick Pollard averaged 53.0 yards on five punts in Chattanooga’s 31-13 win over Wofford. The win Saturday lifted the Mocs to the 2014 Southern Conference championship. Pollard’s 53-yard average tied for the seventh-highest mark in a single game in leaugue history. The senior booted three kicks over 50 yards and also placed three inside the Wofford 20-yard line. Pollard, who also handles the kickoff duties for UTC, averaged 58.3 yards and recorded to touchbacks on six kickoffs.
Other Nominees: Reece Everett (Samford), Destry Barnwell (Western Carolina) and Brian Sanders (Wofford).