September 18, 2011

Just reward: Tooley named OVC Defensive Player of the Week

Tennessee Tech senior cornerback Richmond Tooley was voted the Ohio Valley Conference Defensive Player of the Week Sunday, for his role in the 31-20 Golden Eagle victory at Eastern Illinois.

BRENTWOOD, Tenn. -- Richmond Tooley played a big role Saturday night in limiting Eastern Illinois to minus six yards rushing as Tennessee Tech earned a tough, 31-20 Ohio Valley Conference road victory over the Panthers.

On Sunday, the TTU senior cornerback was voted the league's Defensive Player of the Week for the second time in his career.

At EIU, Tooley broke up three passes and led Tech with 10 total tackles. One of the passes he knocked down was a two-point PAT attempt in the fourth quarter as the Panthers were attempting to forge a comback.

Tooley, a 5-11, 185-pound veteran from Memphis, was joined on the league's honor roll by Murray State quarterback Casey Brockman as Offensive Player of the Week, punter Scott Weatherford of Eastern Illinois as Special Teams Player of the Week, and linebacker Clarence Jackson of Jacksonville State as Newcomer of the Week.

Tooley and the Golden Eagles, winners of their last two games, put their unbeaten OVC record (1-0) on the line Saturday when they host defending OVC champion Southeast Missouri at 7 p.m.

Casey Brockman, QB • Jr., 6-2, 215 • Murray, Ky. • Murray State
Brockman completed 45-of-67 passes for 600 yards and seven touchdowns and also caught a 15-yard touchdown pass as Murray State topped Tennessee State 58-27 on Saturday. The 600 passing yards and seven touchdowns are the most at any level of NCAA football this season (FBS, FCS, Division II, Division III). The 45 completions broke the previous OVC record of 44 (set by UTM’s Brady Wahlberg in 2003) and the 600 yards broke the OVC record of 570 which Brockman set a year ago against Missouri State. The 600 passing yards was just 24 shy of the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) all-time record (held by Weber State’s Jamie Martin). Brockman threw for 422 yards in the first half, which set a new FCS single-game record, breaking the old record of 383 held by Marshall’s Michael Payton. The seven touchdowns (five of which came in the first half) tied the OVC single-game record that Brockman set last year (and which is shared with Morehead State’s Chris Swartz).

Others Nominated: Devin Stark, Austin Peay; Coty Blanchard, Jacksonville State; Tim Benford, Tennessee Tech; Jason McNair, UT Martin.

DEFENSIVE
Richmond Tooley, CB • Sr., 5-11, 185 • Memphis, Tenn. • Tennessee Tech
Tooley had 10 tackles (5 solo) and three pass breakups in Tennessee Tech’s 31-20 road victory over Eastern Illinois on Saturday. The senior helped key a Golden Eagle defensive effort that held the Panthers to -6 rushing yards, the second-lowest output given up by a TTU team in school history. Tooley currently leads the OVC in passes defended (1.33/game).

Others Nominated: Clarence Jackson, Jacksonville State; Darrian Skinner, Murray State; Darrin Nalls, UT Martin.

SPECIALIST
Scott Weatherford, P • So., 6-1, 180 • Terre Haute, Ind. • Eastern Illinois
Weatherford punted six times for an average of 44.8 yards in Eastern Illinois’ game with Tennessee Tech on Saturday. The sophomore had a long punt of 60 yards and downed two punts inside the TTU 20-yard line as the Panthers were able to limit the Golden Eagles to just eight yards per punt return. Weatherford is averaging 41.0 yards/punt on the season.

Others Nominated: CJ Estelle, UT Martin.

NEWCOMER
Clarence Jackson, LB • So., 6-2, 220 • Atlanta, Ga. • Jacksonville State
Jackson, a transfer from Ole Miss, made an immediate impact in his debut with Jacksonville State on Saturday. The linebacker led the Gamecocks in tackles and also returned a blocked punt 34 yards for a touchdown in the second quarter to put his team on top 14-7. It was the first blocked punt Jax State had returned for a score since the 2007 season. Jackson finished the game with seven tackles (3 solo), including one on the opening kickoff of the game.

Others Nominated: Ricky Mitchell, Murray State; Zach Sharp, Tennessee Tech; Matt Hewett, UT Martin.