GLIAC -- The Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) has announced its weekly awards following week three of the 2019 football season. Saginaw Valley State junior running back Nate McCrary earned GLIAC Offensive Player of the Week honors, while Ferris State junior cornerback James Ceasar captured GLIAC Defensive Player of the Week recognition along with Saginaw Valley State sophomore kicker Connor Luksic who claimed GLIAC Special Teams Player of the Week accolades.
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Nate McCrary - Saginaw Valley
Junior running back Nate McCrary had a stellar game in SVSU's 23-7 home victory over the undefeated Michigan Tech Huskies on Saturday afternoon. He carried the ball 16 times for a career-high 131 yards and a touchdown. McCrary leads the GLIAC with a 6.8 yards per rush average in 2019. The Cardinals rushed for 173 yards in the victory against the Huskies, who rank third in the league in rushing defense.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: James Ceasar - Ferris State
Ferris State University senior cornerback James Ceasar had a big night as the second-ranked Bulldogs beat Ashland 28-13 in the GLIAC opener on Saturday night before a large crowd in Ashland, Ohio. The senior transfer picked off two passes in the fourth quarter and totaled two pass breakups, a sack and a tackle for loss in addition to four solo hits for the FSU defense. Ceasar's interceptions thwarted two potential Ashland scoring drives with the game still in doubt, including one with only four minutes remaining that set up the Bulldogs' final score inside the Ashland seven-yard line to put the game away. His first pick came early in the fourth with FSU holding onto a slim lead and the Eagles driving inside the Bulldog 25-yard line. Ceasar's play helped the Ferris State limit Ashland to 276 yards of total offense and the defensive unit forced three turnovers while coming up with four sacks and five tackles for loss while holding AU to three-of-17 (18%) on third down in the win.
SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Connor Luksic - Saginaw Valley
Sophomore kicker Connor Luksic had a huge game in SVSU's 23-7 home victory over undefeated Michigan Tech on Saturday afternoon. Luksic booted three field goals, connecting on kicks of 47, 43 and 26 yards. He punted the ball five times as well, pinning the Huskies inside the 15 on all of those kicks. Three of the kicks were inside the 10, including one at the four yard line and another at the one yard line.
HONORABLE MENTION
OFFENSE: Michael Catching (DU), Bryant Kieft (NU), Jacob Wenzlick (MTU), Jayru Campbell (FSU), Dakota Hobbs (AU), Tyshon King (NMU), Daevon Anderson (GVSU), Darece Roberson (WSU)
DEFENSE: Robert Clanton (DU), Dimitri Abro (NU), Nate LaJoie (MTU), Nick Powers (AU), Antonio Howard Jr. (NMU), Nick Whiteside (SVSU), Brendann Brown (GVSU)
SPECIAL TEAMS: Parker Blust (NU), Will Ark (MTU), Jackson Dieterle (FSU), Storm Elsesser (AU), John Kwiecinski (NMU), Josh Gorball (GVSU), Jalen Lewis (WSU)
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