Bell, Carter highlight FCS players of the week

Philadelphia, PA (SportsNetwork.com) – Albert Einstein defined insanity as doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. If that’s the case, Jacksonville quarterback Kade Bell is absolutely bonkers.

The starting quarterback for the Dolphins has consistently put up ridiculous offensive numbers this season, and has helped his team to an 8-2 record with a 6-1 mark in Pioneer Football League play. Currently in the driver’s seat of the conference title race, the Dolphins are seeking a win this weekend against Campbell to earn the league’s second-ever automatic bid to the FCS playoffs.

Jacksonville would have already wrapped up the league’s automatic bid had it not been for a slip-up earlier this month against Marist. Maybe the one-point loss to the Red Foxes is what set Bell off this past Saturday against PFL rival Davidson in the team’s 56-0 demolition of the Wildcats.

Bell completed 20-of-24 pass attempts for 417 yards and six touchdowns – a PFL single-game best this season. His six touchdown passes rank third-most in the FCS this season (one shy of tying the best mark), and the 313.38 passer efficiency rating he accumulated in the game is the third-highest total this year.

With an arsenal of weapons surrounding him, Bell has thrown for 2,895 yards and 28 touchdowns against 11 interceptions, and has one rushing touchdown to his name in 10 games. He’s the main reason the Dolphins won seven consecutive games before the loss to Marist.

Jacksonville’s offense, which averages 34.4 points per game, centers around Bell and his 289.5 passing yards per game (which ranks sixth in the FCS). If the Dolphins can move past Campbell this weekend, Bell’s offensive prowess will be put to the test on the national playoff stage.

Bell, along with Sacramento State’s DeAndre Carter, Harvard’s Connor Sheehan, Northern Arizona’s Ryan Hawkins, Maine’s Benjamin Davis and Southern Illinois’ Cameron Walter have been named The Sports Network’s National Players of the Week following Week 11 action at the FCS level.

CO-OFFENSIVE PLAYERS OF THE WEEK:

Kade Bell, Jacksonville, QB, Jr., 6-1, 185, Fleming Island, Florida

Bell has been dominant all season long, leading the Dolphins to an 8-2 record and a 6-1 mark in Pioneer Football League play. He dominated Davidson Saturday for 417 passing yards and six touchdowns, connecting on all but four of his 24 pass attempts. The son of Jacksonville head coach Kerwin Bell threw touchdown passes to five different receivers in the win over Davidson, with four of them going for 50 yards or more. With one more win, the Dolphins will be the second PFL team to make the FCS playoffs with the league’s automatic bid, which was instated last season.

DeAndre Carter, Sacramento State, WR, Sr., 5-10, 185, San Jose, California

Carter is used to being a big-play machine and, despite his average size, is one of the more dangerous red-zone targets in the FCS. He was just that on Saturday, hauling in 16 receptions for 273 yards and four touchdowns in his team’s 42-21 win over Big Sky Conference foe Southern Utah. His 16 catches and 273 yards set school single-game records, and the four touchdown receptions were one shy of the Sacramento State school record. Three of his four TD catches came from within the opponent’s 20-yard line, while his fourth and final scoring grab went for 40 yards. He leads the nation in touchdown catches with 15 this season.

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK:

Connor Sheehan, Harvard, LB, Sr., 5-10, 205, Austin, Texas

The Crimson remained one of two unbeaten teams in the FCS on Saturday with a 45-0 thumping of Ivy League foe Columbia. Sheehan provided just as much offense for Harvard in the contest as he did defense, racking up four tackles, a tackle for loss and two interceptions, which he returned for touchdowns. Sheehan opened the game not even five minutes in with a 48-yard pick-six, then followed that effort up with a 49-yard interception return for a touchdown early in the third quarter. The two interceptions for touchdowns in a single game tied a school record, set during the 2000 season.

CO-SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYERS OF THE WEEK:

Ryan Hawkins, Northern Arizona, PK, Jr., 5-11, 185, Peoria, Arizona

Talk about a well-rounded stat sheet. Hawkins handled it all on Saturday in Northern Arizona’s 23-21 Big Sky Conference win over UC Davis. The junior was responsible for 11 points, connecting on all three of his field goal attempts (with a long of 41 yards) and he was 2-for-2 on PAT tries. Hawkins handled the punting duties for the Lumberjacks as well, sending five kicks flying for an average of 51.8 yards per punt with a long of 60 yards. Finally, he was the point man on kickoff duty, sending six kickoffs for an average of 60.2 yards with five touchbacks. Whew.

Benjamin Davis, Maine, LB, R-Fr., 6-2, 195, Harrington Park, New Jersey

Special teams coverage men are always working hard to make sure an opponent doesn’t set up with strong field position, and are almost always under appreciated. Not this week. Maine’s Davis proved to be of vital importance in the Black Bears’ 33-20 upset win over previously Top 10-ranked and CAA rival Richmond in Orono. Davis blocked a Spiders punt late in the second quarter and recovered the ball himself in the end zone for a Maine touchdown, giving his team a 10-point lead. Later on, Davis recovered another fumble on kickoff coverage, handing the ball back to his offense. Who says special teams aren’t important?

FRESHMAN PLAYER OF THE WEEK:

Cameron Walter, Southern Illinois, RB, R-Fr., 5-9, 210, Greenville, Illinois

Don’t you love a feel-good story? Redshirt freshman running back Cameron Walter was buried on the Southern Illinois depth chart behind starter Malcolm Agnew and reserve back Mika’il McCall, who both missed Saturday’s Missouri Valley Conference contest against Missouri State. It didn’t matter. Walter exploded for 210 rushing yards on 37 carries in SIU’s 32-22 victory after coming into the game with just 66 total yards on the season. Not only did Walter become the first Salukis running back to gain 200 rushing yards since Deji Karim in 2009, but his 37 carries tied for the 10th-most in a single game in school history. Oh, and Walter was a program walk-on. That’s a way to get your name out there.

Categorized in: NCAA Football