For the second time this season Eastern Illinois football has had a player earn a STATS Perform National Player of the Week Award presented by Fed EX Ground. This week it was running back
MJ Flowers who was named the National Freshman of the Week on Monday morning.
Flowers carried the load on the ground for the Panthers as he rushed for the third most yards in program history. Flowers rushed for 272 yards on 37 carries with no rushes for loss on the day. The 272 rushing yards are the most by a NCAA player this season (FBS, FCS, Division II or Division III). He averaged 7.4 yards per carry with a long run of 65 yards. His touchdown run of six yards early in the fourth quarter brought EIU to within one score at 28-21. Flowers day on the ground only trails J.R. Taylor's 308 yards against Florida Atlantic (2002) and Kevin Staples 283 yards against Grand Valley State (1983). In addition he added six catches for 26 yards to finish with 298 all-purpose yards.
EIU returns to action this Saturday with a road game at Northwestern State which will wrap-up non-conference play for the Panthers.
Flowers joins linebacker
Elijawah Tolbert who won the award after the Panthers season opening victory against Indiana State in Week 1.
