Albany State’s Isaiah Knowles, Aaron Dawson earn SIAC honors

ATLANTA — The Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference announced its SIAC Football Players of the Week on Tuesday, Oct. 8, honoring student-athletes for impressive performances in games played last week. Brandon Marshall (Fort Valley State), Isaiah Knowles (Albany State), Kaquan Kimber (Tuskegee), DeJuan Bell (Fort Valley State) and Aaron Dawson Jr. (Albany State) were recognized.

CO-OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – BRANDON MARSHALL, FORT VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY

Running Back | Graduate | Philadelphia, Pa.

Marshall led the FVSU offense to score 34 points of the 48 in the win at Edward Waters. He produced 205 all-purpose yards on 28 touches of the ball with 4 touchdowns. Marshall set his new FVSU standard with his best game as a Wildcat with 160 yards rushing on 25 carries with 3 touchdowns for a 6.4 yard per carry average and touchdown runs of 21, 6 and 14 yards. He caught 3 passes for 45 yards with a 27-yard touchdown. After FVSU blocked EWU’s punt late in the first quarter, he ran the first offensive play in from 21 yards and scored the third touchdown in the later part of the second quarter. Marshall scored a touchdown in each of the four quarters.

CO-OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – ISAIAH KNOWLES, ALBANY STATE UNIVERSITY

Quarterback | R-Sophomore | Tampa, Fla.

Knowles recorded a season-high 372 passing yards, which resulted in 6 passing touchdowns. He also completed 15 of 20 passes to help push the Golden Rams to victory over Allen University.

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – KAQUAN KIMBER, TUSKEGEE UNIVERSITY

Linebacker | Sophomore | Fairburn, Ga.

Kimber was a standout on the defensive side, leading the Golden Tigers with 8 total tackles, including 7 solo stops. Kimber was a consistent presence in the backfield, recording 2 tackles for loss and 1 sack, helping to stifle the Morehouse offense all game long. His ability to pressure the quarterback and make key plays was instrumental in holding Morehouse to just 144 total yards.

SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK – DEJUAN BELL, FORT VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY

Wide Receiver | Graduate | North Augusta, S.C.

Bell produced one of the biggest punt return days in FVSU history. After the FVSU defense forced a punt in the opening moments of the second quarter, Bell returned the punt 63 yards for a touchdown. He equaled the task with 10:10 left in the game from 70 yards for another touchdown. Bell caught one pass for 8 yards on offense. He returned 3 punts for 162 yards (54.0 yds. per return) with touchdowns of 63, 70 and 29. He also returned 3 kick-offs for 69 yards of 29, 23 and 17 yards. Bell totaled 239 all-purpose yards on only 7 touches with 2 touchdowns.

NEWCOMER OF THE WEEK – AARON DAWSON JR., ALBANY STATE UNIVERSITY

Defensive Back | R-Senior | Cross City, Fla.

Dawson showcased an outstanding defensive performance this past week, proving his impact on the field. He led the team with an impressive 5 solo tackles and 4 assisted tackles, showcasing his relentless pursuit and tackling ability. Dawson’s also made 2 critical tackles for losses, pushing the opposition back 9 yards.