Tusculum’s Russell, Thompson, Catawba’s Temple Named Football Players Of The Week

ROCK HILL, S.C. -- The South Atlantic Conference has announced its football Players of the Week for the week ending September 29, 2007. Tusculum College claimed two of the three awards after a thrilling 31-28 victory over No. 18 Wingate Saturday. Catawba College senior place-kicker Jared Temple nabbed the Special Teams Player of the Week award.

In addition to Temple, this week's recipients include Tusculum junior quarterback Corey Russell (Speedwell, Tenn.) and Tusculum junior defensive back Jeremy Thompson (Rome, Ga.). Russell earned Offensive Player of the Week laurels for the second time in his career. Thompson was named Defensive Player of the Week, joining Catawba's Temple as a first-time honoree.

Corey Russell

Jeremy Thompson

Jared Temple

Russell passed for a school-record 438 yards in the Pioneers' 31-28 win over number 18 Wingate Saturday. The Speedwell, Tenn. native completed 26-of-40 passes and notched four touchdown passes. Russell's 438 passing yards are also the eighth-most in league history.

Trailing 14-7 heading into the final moments of the second quarter, Russell threw a pair of touchdowns in the last 88 seconds of the first half to give TC a 21-14 edge heading into intermission. Russell completed a 29-yard scoring strike to sophomore wide receiver Ryan Tallent with 1:28 left before halftime and a 57-yard bomb to freshman wide receiver Calvin Britt with 13 seconds on the clock. The 6-4, 185-pound Cumberland Gap High School product has passed for 1,193 yards this season. Russell leads the conference in total offense, averaging 267.2 yards per game.

A 6-0, 200-pound native of Rome, Ga., Jeremy Thompson picked off two passes to stop Wingate drives, including one in the end zone in the fourth quarter. It was the first of two picks in the end zone on the day for the Tusculum secondary. In addition to his interception theatrics, Thompson accumulated six tackles on the day. Thompson's first interception came in the second quarter. Wingate had a 14-7 lead and was driving for a potential score. The Rome High School graduate posted the interception, which the TC offense converted into the tying score. Thompson's second interception was a fourth quarter grab in the end zone, as the Pioneers clinged to a three-point advantage.

Jared Temple (Durham, N.C.) joined the Catawba Indian team two weeks into the season due to the suspension of the team's regular kicker. Temple had a big game, converting six-of-six extra point tries and his first career field goal attempt as the hosts defeated No. 23 Mars Hill 45-21 Thursday night.

Temple's 26-yard boot to open the fourth quarter gave Catawba a 38-14 lead. A 5-10, 155-pound Northern Durham High School product, Temple had converted only four-of-seven PAT in each of his first two games. In front of a national television audience Thursday, Temple did not miss a kick and accounted for nine total points.

The SAC Football Players of the Week are selected by a vote of the league's sports information directors.