Nelson Among FBS Independent Players of the Week honored

FOOTBALL BOWL SUBDIVISION INDEPENDENT PLAYERS OF THE WEEK NAMED

BYU quarterback Riley Nelson, Notre Dame running back Cierre Wood, Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te’o and Army placekicker Alex Carlton have been named FBS Independent Players of the Week, for games through Oct. 1.  Nelson and Wood share the weekly honors on Offense, while Te’o is cited on Defense, and Carlton is the Special Teams honoree.  

Nelson was also named the Independents Player of the Week by Rivals.com.

CO-OFFENSIVE PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

BYU QB Riley Nelson

A junior from Logan, Utah, Nelson was the catalyst in BYU’s 27-24 comeback win over Utah State.  Playing against the team with which he began his college playing career, Nelson entered the game with 5:06 remaining in the third quarter and accounted for 206 yards of total offense in only four drives as BYU rallied from a 24-13 fourth-quarter deficit.  Nelson was 10-of-14 passing for 144 yards and two touchdowns, adding 62 rushing yards on 11 carries; his game-winning TD pass to TE Marcus Mathews with 11 seconds remaining capped a 96-yard drive that began with 2:36 on the clock.

Notre Dame RB Cierre Wood

A junior from Oxnard, Calif., Wood established a pair of career-best marks as Notre Dame won 38-10 at Purdue.  Wood ran 20 times for a career-high 191 yards and a touchdown; his 55-yard scoring scamper was also a career-long run.  Wood has hit the rushing-yard century mark three times in five games--the first three 100-yard games of his Notre Dame career; his 191 rushing yards are the most by a Fighting Irish running back since Julius Jones accounted for 218 ground yards on Nov. 29, 2003. 

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Notre Dame LB Manti Te’o

A junior from Laie, Hawaii, Te’o was a defensive force as Notre Dame stifled Purdue in a 38-10 road victory.  All of Te’o’s team-high eight tackles were unassisted, and a sack was included among his three tackles for loss.  Te’o remains Notre Dame’s defensive pace-setter, topping the Irish season tally in tackles (49), solo tackles (29), tackles for loss (six) and sacks (three).

SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Army PK Alex Carlton

A senior from Wilmington, Del., Carlton’s busy day was a perfect one as Army rolled over Tulane in a 45-6 home win.   Carlton made all of his placement kicks, recording his first field goal of the season and going 6-for-6 on PATs as the Black Knights triumphed in their Homecoming game.  Carlton’s six conversions moved him into sixth place on the Army career PAT made list.

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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.