Report: SIAC Star Players of Week 1
ATLANTA, Ga. (September 9, 2021) – Tyrell Jackson (Fort Valley State) was named Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) Football Offensive Player of the Week, while teammate, Tyler Moore (Fort Valley State) earned Defensive Player of the Week, released by the league office on Tuesday.
Carlos Saldana (Clark Atlanta) was also tabbed Special Teams Player of the Week alongside Jalen Parker (Miles) who earned Newcomer of the Week.
Tyrell Jackson - FVSU QB; Credit: FVSU
OFFENSIVE – Tyrell Jackson, Fort Valley State
Quarterback | 6’2 | Sophomore | Greenville, S.C.
Jackson connected on 17-of-34 passes for 166 yards and two touchdowns with one interception in a 30-0 win over Tuskegee. He added 5 carries for 26 yards for a total of 192 yards of total offense. His two touchdown passes in the 3rd quarter took it from a 6-0 lead to a 20-0 lead.
DEFENSIVE – Tyler Moore, Fort Valley State
Defensive Back | 6’1 | Junior | Ashburn, GA
Moore helped make the biggest early defensive play and continued the play throughout the night. He totaled seven tackles, three solo, a sack, a tackle for loss, forced a fumble and a fumble recovery. He helped set the defensive tone after a FVSU fumble on the 4th play, he teamed with Deon Andrews to stop the Golden Tigers on 4th and 1 at the goal line. His blitz off the corner and strip sack, which was scooped by Zach Anderson for a 60-yd fumble return touchdown was the 3rd-straight forced TU turnover in the 3Q to take a 6-0 game to 27-0. He helped the FVSU defense hold Tuskegee to 4 yds rushing and 103 total yards, 7 sacks, 12 tackles for loss, 4 forced fumbles and an interception to snap an 8-game losing streak in the series.
SPECIAL TEAMS – Carlos Saldana, Clark Atlanta
Kicker | 5’11 | Senior | Austell, Ga.
Clark Atlanta kicker Carolos Saldana booted a 30-yard field goal as time ran out to lift CAU to a 13-10 victory over Livingstone on Saturday. Saldana, a senior from Austell, Ga., hit 2-of-3 field goals on the day. Saldana's kick gave CAU their first season-opening win since 2017 - that came in a game in which Saldana kicked an extra point to put the game into overtime and then kicked a game-winning field goal to lift the Panthers to victory.
NEWCOMER – Jalen Parker, Miles
Quarterback | 6’0 | Redshirt Junior | Hoover, AL
Parker came off the bench to spark the Golden Bears against Alabama State. His 16-yard touchdown pass late in the fourth quarter tied the game and his 5-yard touchdown run in overtime briefly gave Miles the lead.
OTHER PLAYERS NOMINATED
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Demonte' Dunlap (Central State); Steven Hodges (Tuskegee); Donte Edwards (Miles)
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Kailen Abrams (Central State); Wesly Appolon (Tuskegee); Cameron Snead (Miles)
SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Devarens Valcin (Tuskegee); Andre LaBat (Fort Valley State)
NEWCOMER OF THE WEEK: Demonte' Dunlap (Central State); Wesly Appolon (Tuskegee)