Riley Nelson receives fourth FBS Independent Player of the Week honor

FOOTBALL BOWL SUBDIVISION INDEPENDENT PLAYERS OF THE WEEK NAMED

 

BYU quarterback Riley Nelson, Navy linebacker Matt Warrick and Navy placekicker Jon Teague have been named FBS Independent Players of the Week, for games from Nov. 26 through Dec. 10.

 

Nelson is honored on Offense, Warrick gets the nod on Defense, while Teague is cited on Special Teams.  Nelson is a four-time honoree, while Teague receives the award for a third time, and Warrick is recognized for a second time.

 

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK

 

BYU QB Riley Nelson

A junior from Logan, Utah, Nelson made a winning return from injury and led BYU to a 41-20 win at Hawaii on Dec. 3.  Three weeks after suffering damaged rib cartilage and a partially collapsed lung, Nelson set career highs in completing 25 of 37 passes for 363 yards, while his three touchdown passes tied a career high.   

 

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK

 

Navy LB Matt Warrick

A junior from Chesterfield, Mo., Warrick’s defensive imprint featured a game-sealing stop as Navy recorded a tenth straight win over Army, 27-21 at Landover, Md. on Dec. 10.  Late in the fourth quarter, with Army trailing by six and driving in Midshipmen territory, Warrick followed up a second-down sack with a tackle for loss on 4th-and-7 from the Navy 25-yard line, effectively ending the Black Knights’ hopes of a comeback.  Warrick ended the day with a team-high nine tackles.

 

SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK

 

Navy PK Jon Teague

A senior from Hickory, N.C., Teague accounted for the game’s decisive points in Navy’s tenth consecutive win over Army, 27-21 at Landover, Md.  With the game tied at 21 early in the fourth quarter, Teague kicked a 23-yard field goal, then after an Army fumble on the ensuing kickoff return, Teague was called on again and hit from 44 yards, providing the game’s final margin.  Teague was also 3-for-3 on his PAT attempts.

 

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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.