Williams named FBS Offensive Independent Player of the Week

FOOTBALL BOWL SUBDIVISION INDEPENDENT PLAYERS OF THE WEEK NAMED

BYU running back Jamaal Williams, Notre Dame linebacker Dan Fox and Idaho placekicker/punter Austin Rehkow have been named FBS Independent Players of the Week, for games played through Saturday, Nov. 30. 

Williams is cited on Offense, Fox is honored on Defense, and Rehkow is recognized on Special Teams.  Rehkow’s recognition is his third of the season, while Williams is honored for a second time this year.  Fox is a first-time honoree.

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 RB Jamaal Williams

A sophomore from Fontana, Calif., Williams ran 15 times for a career-high 219 yards and a touchdown in BYU’s 28-23 comeback win at Nevada; he added a single reception for seven yards.  With the Cougars trailing 7-0 in the third quarter, Williams broke free for a 66-yard scoring run that squared the game and put him over a hundred yards for the fifth time this season and eighth time in his career.  With his big day in Reno, Williams surpassed the thousand-yard season rushing mark for the first time in his career.  Having rushed for 1,202 yards on the year, Williams joins QB Taysom Hill (1,211 yards) in forming BYU’s first-ever duo with 1,000-plus rushing yards in a single season.

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Notre Dame LB Dan Fox

A senior from Rocky River, Ohio, Fox registered a career-high 15 tackles, including a game-high seven solo stops, in Notre Dame’s 27-20 loss at No. 8 Stanford.  A starter in 31 consecutive games, Fox bested his previous best tackle tally of 10 takedowns, set twice earlier this season--against Temple and Michigan.

SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Idaho PK/P Austin Rehkow
A freshman from Spokane, Wash., Rehkow converted all three of his field goal attempts (25, 25 and 27 yards) and his lone PAT attempt in Idaho’s 24-16 setback at New Mexico State.  Rehkow also punted four times for a 48.2-yard average, including a long of 65 yards; three of his punts were downed inside the 20-yard line, with only one punt returned.  He added two touchbacks on five kickoffs.