FARMINGTON, Utah (Sept. 12, 2022) - Rex Connors (UC Davis) and Desmond Williams (Weber State) were named Big Sky Football Co-Defensive Players of the Week to highlight an exhilarating Week 2 of play around the league, while Jaden Jones (Cal Poly) and Taco Dowler (Montana State) rounded out the weekly award winners for the conference.
Offensive Player of the Week - Jaden Jones (Cal Poly)
Cal Poly's Jaden Jones was named the Big Sky Football Offensive Player of the Week, after the redshirt freshman helped lead the Mustangs to a come-from-behind 28-27 win over San Diego. Jones threw for 393 yards and four touchdowns, becoming the first Mustang to throw for four scores in a game since 2017. With Cal Poly trailing 27-14 late in the fourth quarter, Jones orchestrated two scoring drives and capped the comeback with a 35-yard strike to Chris Coleman with 2:20 left to secure the 28-27 victory.
Co-Defensive Player of the Week - Rex Connors (UC Davis)/Desmond Williams (Weber State)
Rex Conners of UC Davis and Desmond Williams of Weber State were named Big Sky Football Co-Defensive Players of the Week after the pair posted impressive games this past Saturday.
Connors racked up 17 total tackles, with 10 being solos, and picked off two passes for UC Davis as the Aggies dropped a hard-fought 24-22 contest at second-ranked South Dakota State. The 17 tackles were the most for UC Davis in a game since at least 2007, while the total ranks as the fourth-highest in the FCS this season. Connors was also named the FedEx Ground FCS National Freshman Player of the Week for his efforts.
Williams led a Weber State defense that dominated FBS foe Utah State on the road for a 35-7 victory, as the secondary picked off the Aggies four times to earn the program's first win over an FBS foe since 1993. The defensive back finished the game with six tackles, a pass breakup and a timely interception that he returned for a touchdown to officially kill off all hopes of an Aggie comeback.
Special Teams Player of the Week - Taco Dowler (Montana State)
Taco Dowler won Big Sky Football Special Teams Player of the Week honors, after the freshman returned a punt 67 yards for a touchdown to highlight his day. The punt return touchdown was the first for Montana State in nine seasons, with the last coming in 2013 for the Bobcats. The punt return touchdown came on the final play of the first quarter, which gave Montana State a 28-0 lead over Morehead State at the time.
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Others Nominated
Off: Tommy Mellott (MSU), Hendrix Johnson (NAU), Roshaun Johnson (Idaho), Ty MacPherson (Weber State), Lucas Johnson (Montana)
Def: Cosmas Kwete (NAU), Jay'Vion Cole (Cal Poly), Tommy McCormick (Idaho), Elijah Anderson-Taylor (UNC), Patrick O'Connell (Montana)
ST: Jermaine Jackson (Idaho), Jack Burgess (Weber State), George Triplett (Portland State), Pat Rohrbach (Montana)
Past Big Sky Football Players of the Week
9/5 - Off: Gunner Talkington (EWU); Def: Braxton Hill (UM); ST: Cameron Skattebo (Sac State)
9/12 - Off: Jaden Jones (CP); Co-Def: Rex Connors (UCD)/Desmond Williams (WSU); ST: Taco Dowler (MSU)