Hill earns back-to-back Offensive Player of the Week honors

FOOTBALL BOWL SUBDIVISION INDEPENDENT PLAYERS OF THE WEEK NAMED

BYU quarterback Taysom Hill, Notre Dame safety Elijah Shumate and Notre Dame placekicker/punter Kyle Brindza have been named FBS Independent Players of the Week for games played through Saturday, Sept. 6.

Hill is honored on Offense, Shumate is recognized on Defense, and Brindza is cited on Special Teams. Brindza’s honor is his second in as many weeks and seventh of his career, while Hill’s recognition is his second consecutive and sixth of his career. Shumate is honored for the first time.

The FBS Independent Players of the Week are selected by members of a nationwide media panel, which includes equal representation from each of the independent institutions’ coverage markets.

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK

BYU QB Taysom Hill

A junior from Pocatello, Idaho, Hill accounted for 280 yards of total offense and three touchdowns in BYU’s 41-7 win at No. 25 Texas. Hill completed 18 of 27 passes for 181 yards, and carried the ball 24 times for 99 yards and three scores. With five rushing touchdowns through two weeks, Hill leads all FBS quarterbacks in touchdowns scored and is second among all players in that category.

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Notre Dame S Elijah Shumate

A junior from East Orange, N.J., Shumate registered a career-high 10 tackles, one pass breakup, one quarterback hurry and an interception in leading the No. 16 Irish to a 31-0 victory over Michigan. The shutout snapped the Wolverines' FBS record 365-game scoring streak that extended back to 1984; it was also Notre Dame's first shutout of Michigan in series history. The Wolverines had not been shut out by a non-conference opponent since 1926.

SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Notre Dame PK/P Kyle Brindza

A senior from Canton, Mich., Brindza played a major role in No. 16 Notre Dame’s 31-0 blanking of Michigan. Brindza punted six times for a 38.3-yard average--with a long kick of 47 yards--and twice pinned Michigan inside its 20-yard line. He also had five touchbacks on six kickoffs, and drilled a 43-yard field goal in his lone attempt, moving him into a tie for second place in career field goals made at Notre Dame.