The Mid-American Conference announced yesterday that Ohio running back Kalvin McRae, outside linebacker Tyler Russ and punt returner Chris Garrett were named the MAC East Division's Offensive, Defensive and Special Teams Players of the Week, respectively.
It is the first time Ohio has swept the divisional honors and only the 11th instance of a team doing so since the MAC added a special teams award to its weekly offensive and defensive accolades in 1999.
Toledo has swept the awards three times; Bowling Green, twice; Northern Illinois, twice; Miami and Akron ' the most recent to do so before Ohio ' have all swept the honors.
With Ohio forcing the Broncos to punt after their first possession, Garrett scored his first touchdown off a return this season, with an 88-yard run, which is a school record and the longest run in the nation thus far this season.
Garrett finished the day with 97 yards on two returns and reclaimed the top spot in the NCAA punt return rankings, averaging 25.9 yards per return.
It was big for a lot of reasons
Ohio coach Frank Solich said after the game Saturday. To come out and show some life and show some energy and put some points on the board quick ' that was something on the back of our mind G? It was huge to get that first touchdown on the board
and give us some life on the sideline.
Russ snagged his first interception of the season and fifth of his career when he picked off Western Michigan quarterback Ryan Cubit in the first quarter of Saturday's game. His 27-yard run after the pick was the best by a Bobcat this year. Russ also led all Bobcats with 12 tackles on the day.
McRae recorded his best performance of the season with 120 yards on 16 carries and two touchdowns against the Broncos. It was the eighth 100-yard rushing game of his career, and McRae now sits with 2,074 total yards for his career.
Kalvin came out and started to find creases
and make big plays for us in the running game
which is something we needed to have happen to be successful
Solich said during his weekly news conference yesterday.
While Ohio took two of the three MAC honors twice last season - kicker Matt Miller and linebacker Matt Muncy did so after the season opener against Northwestern, and Muncy and McRae after the Ball State game Oct. 22 - this is the first time the Bobcats have swept the accolades since 1978.
Ohio had swept the awards three times prior to 1978.Throwing the body around
Part of the reason McRae was so effective running the football against the Broncos Saturday had to do with quarterback Austen Everson getting downfield to throw timely blocks on defenders.
Sometimes for a quarterback
to get down and dirty and throw blocks
it's fun
Everson said after the game Saturday. The linemen respect it and Kalvin respects it. You don't get a chance to do much of that and hit people
so it's really a good time.
Regardless of how much enjoyment Everson gets out of throwing the body around, McRae appreciates the work his quarterback is doing to help him make big plays.
His instincts as a football player kick in
