USF juniors selected MSFA MEL POTW
FINDLAY, Ohio – University of Saint Francis running back Justin Green and linebacker Eric Dunten have been named Mid-States Football Association Mideast League Players of the Week after helping the top-ranked Cougars finish the 2017 regular season undefeated.
Green (Jr., RB, Griffith, IN/Griffith H.S.) was named Offensive POTW for the third time this season after scoring three rushing touchdowns and a fourth TD on a 96-yard kickoff return to open the 40-20 win over Taylor on Saturday (Nov. 4). Green averaged 8.2 yards per carry while scoring on runs of 27, 10 and 10 yards to set a USF single-season record for rushing TDs with 22. Green finished with 159 yards rushing, 259 all-purpose yards, and is tied for the NAIA scoring lead with 144 points, 14.4 points per game. He has scored 24 TDs – 22 rushing, 1 receiving and 1 KO return.
JD Woods (Fr., Baker, Kan.) and Bubba Jenkins (Sr., Morningside, Iowa) are tied with Green, have played 10 games, and both teams have games this Saturday (Nov. 11).
Green’s three rushing TDs moved him up to a tie for second on the USF career rushing TD list with 44. He is tied with Luther Stroder (2000-03) and passed Cory Jacquay (2002-05), who finished with 43. Green also registered his USF record 15th 100-yard plus rushing game against TU.
Green’s seventh rushing game this season tied him with Daniel Carter for most 100-yard plus rushing games in a USF season. Carter had seven his senior year (2009) before a hamstring injury ended his season early. Green has vaulted into the MSFA career top 10 on two different lists — from No. 14 to No. 8 on the MSFA career rushing list (3,711) and from No. 13 to No. 10 on the MSFA career all-purpose yards list (5,091).
Green is the first USF running back to be selected three times in the same season since Cory Jacquay in 2004.
This is the second time this season Dunten (Jr., LB, Fort Wayne, IN/Carroll H.S.) has been named MSFA MEL Defensive Player of the Week. Dunten finished with 13 tackles, his fourth double-figure tackles game in USF’s last five games. He finished with six solo tackles, seven assists, and had half a tackle for loss. Dunten has 33 solo tackles in USF’s last five games.
Dunten is the first USF linebacker to be named twice in the same season since Brian Kurtz was chosen four times in 2006.
This is the sixth consecutive week USF has had at least one player selected for the MSFA MEL weekly honor, which is a program record.
USF MSFA Players-of-the-Week 2017 (12)
Sept. 11 — Ryan Johnson (Xenia, Ohio) So. CB Special Teams
Sept. 18 — Nick Ferrer (Westfield, Ind.) Sr. QB Offensive
— Piercen Harnish (Ossian, Ind.) Jr. LB Defensive
Oct. 2 — Nick Ferrer (Westfield, Ind.) Sr. QB Offensive
Oct. 9 — Eric Dunten (ILB, Fort Wayne, Ind.) Jr. LB Defensive
Justin Green (Griffith, IN) Jr. RB Offensive
Gavin Gardner (Van Wert, OH / Van Wert H.S.) K Special Teams
Oct. 16 — Justin Green (Griffith, IN) Jr. RB Offensive
Oct. 23 — Nick Ferrer (Westfield, Ind.) Sr. QB Offensive
Oct. 30 — Matt Kominkiewicz (Mishawaka, Ind.) Fr. KRet Special Teams
Nov. 4 — Justin Green (Griffith, IN) Jr. RB Offensive
Eric Dunten (ILB, Fort Wayne, Ind.) Jr. LB Defensive
USF MSFA Players-of-the-Week
As of 11 / 8 / 17
Offense: 22 different players 56 times
Defense: 24 different players 39 times
Special Teams: 8 players 15 times
Total: 54 different players 110 times
Justin Green rankings in NAIA Top 50 stats
- Ranks No. 1 in Total Scoring (TDs) (144)
- Ranks No. 1 in Scoring (TDs) per Game (14.400)
- Ranks No. 1 in Total Scoring (144)
- Ranks No. 1 in Scoring per Game (14.400)
- Ranks No. 2 in All Purpose Yards (1702)
- Ranks No. 4 in All Purpose per Game (170.200)
- Ranks No. 5 in Total Rushing (1282)
- Ranks No. 7 in Kick Off Return Yds per Att (30.100)
- Ranks No. 9 in Rushing Yds per Game (128.200)
10.Ranks No. 42 in Total Kick Off Returns (361)
2 or more 100+ Yds Rushing Games
Through 11/4/17
Player (Years played)……………………. Hi Gm Yds…………… 100
Yd Gms
- Justin Green (2015- 10/8/17)……….. 25-296-1 (12/17/16).. 15
- Daniel Carter, RB (2006-09)………….. 25-239-3 (2008)……… 13
- Antoin Campbell, RB (2011-14)………. 37-190-4 (2013)……… 13
- Michael Ledo, FB (2002-05)…………… 18-209-1 (2005)……… 12