Tusculum’s Russell, Gregory, Newberry’s Newell Named Football Players Of The Week

Rock Hill, S.C.----The South Atlantic Conference announces its football Players of the Week for the week ending October 20, 2007. Tusculum College claims two of the three awards this week. The Pioneers defeated number seven Catawba College 31-28 Saturday to gain sole possession of first place in the league standings. Tusculum is 5-3 overall and 3-0 in the league.

This week's recipients include Tusculum junior quarterback Corey Russell (Speedwell, Tenn.), Newberry junior linebacker Will Newell (Irmo, S.C.) and Tusculum sophomore punter John Gregory (Oeltewah, Tenn.).

Corey Russell

Will Newell

John Gregory

Both Russell (offense) and Newell (defense) have earned SAC Player of the Week laurels three times each during their careers. Gregory earns SAC Special Teams Player of the Week honors for the third time this season and the sixth time in his Pioneer career. The SAC football Player of the Week awards are selected by a vote of the league's seven football sports information directors.

Corey Russell accounted for all four touchdowns in the Pioneers' upset win over seventh-ranked Catawba. Russell passed for three touchdowns and rushed for another score. A 6-4, 185-pound native of Speedwell, Tenn., Russell went 25-for-39 for 282 passing yards and three touchdowns. He also rushed for 69 yards on 23 carries, including a three-yard TD jaunt in the second quarter.

Russell established new single-season and career records for touchdown tosses Saturday. His 19 TD passes this year are a new school record, while his 40 career touchdown completions are also a new Pioneer standard.

On the 2007 season, Russell leads the Pioneers in passing yards (2108), rushing yards (252) and total offense (2360). Russell is a graduate of Cumberland Gap High School.

Will Newell led Newberry with 11 tackles in the Indians' 31-23 win over number 18 Wingate on Saturday. A preseason All-American, Newell recorded one sack and 1.5 tackles for loss as well as a quarterback hurry.

The Indian defense forced two turnovers and held the Wingate offense late to preserve the win. An Irmo High School product, Newell tops the Newberry charts with 50 tackles this season (19 solo, 31 assists). In 2007, he has recorded five tackles for loss, four QB hurries, two sacks and two forced fumbles.

John Gregory averaged 41 yards on his six punts in the Pioneers' upset win over seventh-ranked Catawba. A 6-2, 220-pound native of Ooltewah, Tenn., Gregory booted four punts inside the 20-yard line. One of his punts landed inside the Catawba one-yard line. The aforementioned punt set up a Tusculum touchdown early in the second half to give the Pioneers a 24-0 advantage.

A preseason All-American, Gregory is averaging 41.1 yards per punt this season. Gregory leads the SAC in punting average. In addition, his 76-yard punt against Lenoir-Rhyne (Oct. 6) is the longest boot in the league this year. The Ooltewah High School graduate was an All-SAC first team selection in 2006.