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NEC Co-Offensive Player of the Week: Brett Griffis, Central Connecticut
NEC Co-Offensive Player of the Week: Jason Wiley Jr., Wagner
NEC Defensive Player of the Week: Ricky Encarnacion, New Haven
NEC Special Teams Player of the Week: Jason Woods, Mercyhurst
NEC Rookie of the Week: Jason Wiley Jr., Wagner
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NEC/ATLANTIC TOMORROW'S OFFICE CO-OFFENSIVE PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Brett Griffis, Central Connecticut
Quarterback, Fifth-Year, 6-0, 195 lbs., Ashburn, VA/Broad Run (James Madison)
Week 10 Stats: 21-27 completions, 77.8 pass completion percentage, 286 passing yards, 3 passing touchdowns, 0 interceptions, 18 rushing yards, 6 rushes, 1 rushing touchdown
Griffis was in complete command on Saturday, powering first-place Central Connecticut to a statement 31-7 road victory over second-place Stonehill to keep the Blue Devils’ perfect NEC record intact at 5-0. After falling behind 7-0, the fifth-year signal caller took control, accounting for all four touchdowns during a decisive 31-0 Central Connecticut surge with three scoring passes and a touchdown run of his own. Griffis put together a career day, completing 30-of-39 passes for a personal-best 286 yards while posting a stout 203.4 passer efficiency rating. The two-time NEC/Atlantic Tomorrow’s Office Offensive Player of the Week put Central Connecticut in the driver’s seat in the race for NEC regular season crown as a Week 11 victory at LIU will secure the program’s third-straight title. Griffis ranks second in the NEC with 17 touchdown passes and is also tied for second with eight rushing scores.
Jason Wiley Jr., Wagner
Quarterback, Freshman, 6-1, 170 lbs., St. Louis, MO/St. Thomas Moore
Week 10 Stats: 30-39 completions, 76.9 pass completion percentage, 242 passing yards, 3 passing touchdowns, 0 interceptions
Wiley became the first NEC baller this season to pull off the NEC/Atlantic Tomorrow’s Office Offensive Player of the Week and NEC/Atlantic Tomorrow’s Office Rookie of the Week double in the same week. The first-year quarterback earned the double dip after engineering Wagner’s 33-28 road triumph at Mercyhurst on Saturday, turning in an exceptionally efficient performance by completing 30-of-39 passes for a career-high 242 yards and a personal-best three touchdown strikes. The St. Louis, MO product became the first Seahawk this season to garner NEC Offensive Player of the Week distinction, adding another milestone to an impressive breakout performance.
NEC/ATLANTIC TOMORROW'S OFFICE DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Ricky Encarnacion, New Haven
Linebacker, Senior, 6-1, 225 lbs., Leominster, MA/Leominster
Week 10 Stats: 18 tackles (10 solo), 2.5 tackles-for-loss (12 yards), 1.5 sacks (8 yards), 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recovery, 2 pass breakups
Encarnacion was a one-man wrecking crew in New Haven’s 17-10 victory over league rival LIU on Saturday. The senior made his presence felt all over the field, racking up a career-high 18 tackles (10 solo), the most by an NEC player in Week 10, while adding a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and two pass breakups to his impressive stat line. Encarnacion also wreaked havoc behind the line of scrimmage, recording season bests with 2.5 tackles-for-loss and 1.5 sacks while pushing the Sharks back a combined 12 yards. With four double-digit tackle performances this season, the Leominster, MA native ranks second among NEC defenders with 9.8 stops per game. He became the first Charger this season to earn NEC/Atlantic Tomorrow’s Office Defensive Player of the Week honors.
NEC/ATLANTIC TOMORROW'S OFFICE SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Jason Woods, Mercyhurst
Wide Receiver, Junior, Lorton, VA/St. John’s College (Wake Forest)
Week 10 Stats: 99-yard kickoff return for TD, 54-yard punt return for TD, 2 kickoff returns, 116 kickoff return yards
Woods took the return game to another level against Wagner on Saturday, becoming the first FCS player in a game this season to score on both a kickoff and a punt return. The junior wide receiver pulled Mercyhurst even at 21-21 before halftime with a 99-yard kickoff return before finding the end zone again with a 54-yard punt return that put the Lakers ahead, 28-27, early in the fourth quarter. Piling up 170 total return yards on the afternoon, including 116 on two kickoff returns, Woods caught five passes for a career-high 68 receiving yards for 238 all-purpose yards. The Lorton, VA native continues to rank among the NEC’s top return specialists. Leading the league with 496 kickoff return yards, he is sitting second with a 26.1 yard-per-kickoff average.Woods becomes the second Laker to take home NEC/Atlantic Tomorrow’s Office Special Teams Player of the Week honors this season, joining punter Thomas O’Neill.
NEC/ATLANTIC TOMORROW'S OFFICE ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Jason Wiley Jr., Wagner
Quarterback, Freshman, 6-1, 170 lbs., St. Louis, MO/St. Thomas Moore
Week 10 Stats: 30-39 completions, 76.9 pass completion percentage, 242 passing yards, 3 passing touchdowns, 0 interceptions
Wiley stole the show in Erie on Saturday, earning his first-ever NEC/Atlantic Tomorrow’s Office Rookie of the Week honor after powering Wagner past Mercyhurst in an offensive shootout on Saturday. Earning the start, the St. Louis product, who entered the afternoon with 272 yards through the air and two scoring strikes on the season, seized the opportunity by completing 30-of-39 passes for 242 yards and three touchdowns in the Seahawks’ 33-28 victory. Wiley came out of the gates firing, capping a 12-play, 75-yard opening drive with a touchdown strike to senior Teree McDonald before finding Malik Redd for a 10-yard passing score to give Wagner a 14-7 advantage. He connected with McDonald again with 6:55 to go in the third quarter, putting the Seahawks back in front, 27-21. Wiley becomes the second freshman quarterback from Wagner to take home NEC/Atlantic Tomorrow’s Office Rookie of the Week honors, joining two-time recipient Benjamin Newman.
#NECFB PRIME PERFORMERS (Week 10)
Brett Griffis, CCSU (QB, 5th-Yr)
Griffis did not skip a beat for two-time defending champion Central Connecticut at Stonehill, as the fifth-year quarterback turned in a 203.4 passer efficiency rating to help guide his team to a 31-7 win. Completing 21-of-27 passes for 286 yards through the air, the fifth-year signal caller accounted for each of the Blue Devils’ four touchdowns after he passed for three and ran for one more. Griffis also took home NEC/Atlantic Tomorrow’s Office co-Offensive Player of the Week honors.
Davon Smith, Jr., CCSU (RB, So)
The NEC’s top ball carrier added the third 100-yard rushing game to his résumé to propel undefeated Central Connecticut past Stonehill by a 31-7 final on Saturday. Racking up 102 yards on the ground, the sophomore also caught three balls for a total of 40 yards in the pivotal victory.
Ness Davis, DUQ (RB, Sr)
Davis crafted his second 100-yard rushing game of the season after he carried the ball a season-best 24 times for 127 yards against Robert Morris on Saturday. The veteran’s longest run of the afternoon — a 17-yard scamper — helped put three points on the board for the Dukes in their opening drive of the game.
Dashawn Fields, DUQ (DL, Jr)
Fields was the anchor of a Duquesne defense that conceded just 13 points in a narrow three-point defeat to Robert Morris on Saturday. The junior defensive lineman posted a game-best 11 tackles, adding 1.5 tackles-for-loss and a quarterback hurry.
Rafael Fasolino, LIU (LB, R-Sr)
LIU’s leader in tackles and tackles-for-loss posted team-best numbers in both categories in Saturday’s NEC tilt at New Haven. The redshirt senior racked up nine tackles, including seven solo stops, while adding 1.5 tackles-for-loss and one pass break up for a defense that limited the Chargers to just 55 yards on the ground.
Jake Miller, MU (LB, Gr)
Miller turned in a season-high 14 tackles against Wagner on Saturday. Posting five solo stops and nine assisted tackles, the graduate linebacker also contributed 1.0 tackle-for-loss and one pass breakup.
Jason Woods, MU (WR, Jr)
Woods reached uncharted territory against Wagner on Saturday when he became the first FCS player this season to return both a kickoff and a punt for a touchdown. Returning a kickoff 99 yards to the house to tie up the game at 21-21 before halftime, the junior wide receiver earned six more points after he returned a punt 54 yards with 13:21 to go in the fourth. Woods was also named the NEC/Atlantic Tomorrow’s Office Special Teams Player of the Week.
Ricky Encarnacion, NHVN (LB, Sr)
Encarnacion delivered stop after stop in New Haven’s 17-10 win over visiting LIU on Saturday. Racking up a career-high 18 tackles for his fourth double-digit tackle game of the season, the veteran linebacker pushed the Sharks back a total of 12 yards after posting 2.5 tackles-for-loss and 1.5 sack. Encarnacion also took home NEC/Atlantic Tomorrow’s Office Defensive Player of the Week honors.
Galen Combs, RMU (WR, So)
Accounting for more than half of the Colonials’ receiving 217 receiving yards, Combs’ performance helped Robert Morris secure its first road win at Duquesne since 1996. The sophomore wideout averaged a whopping 18.3 yards per catch after hauling in a game-high six receptions for 110 yards.
Amanuel Dickson, RMU (LB, Jr)
Dickson’s presence in the back field helped Robert Morris come out on top in a 13-10 defensive slugfest at crosstown rival Duquesne on Saturday. Posting two tackles-for-loss and one sack, the junior linebacker recorded a team-high eight tackles to become the ninth FCS player this season to eclipse the century mark in the category with 105.
Shawn James, WAG (RB, Fr)
James powered a Wagner ground attack that overwhelmed Mercyhurst for a commanding 220-13 advantage in rushing yards, accounting for more than half of the Seahawks’ total with a career-high 165 yards. The rookie’s first career touchdown proved to be the biggest of the day, as it sealed Wagner’s 33-28 victory with 8:23 remaining in the fourth.
Jason Wiley Jr. WAG (QB, Fr)
Wiley played lights-out ball to guide Wagner to a 33-28 NEC road win at Mercyhurst on Saturday. The first-year signal caller had a career day, racking up 242 yards through the air and three passing scores after completing 76.9 percent of his passes (30-of-39). Wiley was also named the NEC/Atlantic Tomorrow’s Office Co-Offensive Player of the Week and the NEC/Atlantic Tomorrow’s Office Rookie of the Week.
#NECFB SLATE ROUTES (AROUND THE LEAGUE IN 9 SENTENCES):
CENTRAL CONNECTICUT: Central Connecticut is in the driver’s seat in the race for the program’s third-straight NEC regular season crown as a Week 11 win at LIU will secure the title.
CHICAGO STATE: Chicago State was idle in Week 10 but returns to action by welcoming Virginia University of Lynchburg to SeatGeek Stadium on Saturday at 1 p.m.
DUQUESNE: Duquesne’s past two meetings with Robert Morris have been decided by three points as the Dukes walked it off in Moon Township with a last-second field goal in 2025.
LIU: LIU remains in contention for its first-ever league title, but must win out and have first-place Central Connecticut lose each of its remaining two conference games in order to accomplish the feat.
MERCYHURST: Mercyhurst wide receiver Jason Woods is the only FCS player this season to return both a kickoff and a punt for a touchdown in the same game.
NEW HAVEN: New Haven’s defense has recorded a league-leading 21 sacks through 10 games this season (2.1 sacks per game), six more than the 15 sacks its offense has allowed.
ROBERT MORRIS: Robert Morris’ 13-10 win at Duquesne on Saturday marked the Colonials’ first road victory over the Dukes since 1996, snapping a 30-year drought at Rooney Field.
STONEHILL: Blocking a field goal for the second-straight week against CCSU on Saturday, junior Aaziah Scott is one of 17 FCS players to have multiple blocked three-pointers this season.
WAGNER: Piling up 220 rushing yards while holding Mercyhurst to 13, a 207-yard advantage, Wagner possessed the football for 41:53 in Saturday’s 33-28 win in Erie.
#NECFB EXTRA POINTS: