September 8
DJ Jackson - Defensive Back - Illinois College
Senior - Webster Groves, Mo./Webster Groves
Jackson displayed his speed on kickoff returns throughout the afternoon against Millikin University in his team’s 38-20 loss. He returned four kickoffs for 179 yards and had runbacks covering 64, 50, and 42 yards. Jackson also finished with five punt returns for 28 yards, including one return for 25 yards. His biggest play of the afternoon came late in the third quarter when he blocked a Chris Hunt field goal attempt. The loose ball was picked up by IC teammate Dink Simmons, who raced 62 yards for a touchdown. Jackson started for the Blueboys at defensive back and finished with six solo tackles and one assist. He was also credited with a pass deflection.
September 15
DJ Jackson - Defensive Back - Illinois College
Senior - Webster Groves, Mo./Webster Groves
For the second week in a row, Jackson emphasized the “special” on special teams with a touchdown return that sparked his team to a Midwest Conference victory over Knox. The senior fielded a low, bouncing kick at his 20-yard line and scooted past his blockers for an 80-yard kickoff return that put the Blueboys’ first points on the scoreboard. The TD was the first of four unanswered scores that put the hosts in control of the contest. Jackson finished with 87 yards on two kickoff returns and 23 yards on six punt returns. He also forced a fumble from his defensive back position and made three solo tackles.
September 22
Jake Zeh - Defensive Tackle - Carroll University
Senior - Sleepy Hollow, Ill./Dundee-Crown
Zeh played a key role in helping Carroll improve to 3-0 on the season with a 31-12 victory at Grinnell. Zeh recorded eight total tackles. Among his eight tackles, two were quarterback sacks and three more were tackles for loss. He also had one fumble recovery and five quarterback hurries.
September 29
Joshua Kraemer - Defensive Back - Ripon College
Senior - Waukesha, Wis./Waukesha West
Kraemer was a huge spark to the Red Hawks in Saturday’s 45-20 win over Illinois College. With Ripon leading 10-6 mid-way through the second quarter, the senior defensive back fielded a punt and returned it 70 yards for a score. Kraemer returned two punts on the day for 68 yards (34.0 avg.), while also returning four kickoffs for 106 yards (26.5 avg.), which included a long of 48 yards.
October 6
Andrew Reich - Kicker - Beloit College
Junior - Shrewbury, Mass./Worcester Academy
Andrew Reich broke the Midwest Conference record with a 52-yard field goal, kicked another field, and added three extra points in Beloit College’s 27-21 victory at Lake Forest College on Saturday. Reich’s third-quarter field was good from 52 yards out, breaking the conference record of 50 yards set by Pat Dunne of Lake Forest vs. Lawrence University in 2002. Reich has hit 6 of 7 field goals on the season, with his only miss coming from 50 yards. He also is 11-for-11 on PATs this season.
October 13
Shane Reschke - Punter - Monmouth College
Freshmen - Geneseo, Ill./Geneseo
Reschke came up big in a 31-22 win over St. Norbert. The freshman averaged 41 yards on his five punts and landed four inside the 20 as the Scots ended the Green Knights’ 29-game conference win streak. His 62-yard punt near the end of the third quarter pinned St. Norbert at their own five yard line as the Scots maintained a share of first place in the MWC.
October 20
Dink Simmons - Defensive Back - Illinois College
Senior - Carlinville, Ill./Carlinville
Dink Simmons turned in a number of big plays for the Blueboys in Illinois College’s 58-42 victory over Beloit College. Simmons scored a special teams touchdown late in the third quarter when he recovered a blocked punt in the Beloit end zone. He also stopped a fourth-quarter Beloit drive with an interception, recorded three solo tackles and had a pass breakup.
October 27
Bob Wood - Kicker - Ripon College
Senior - Port Washington, Wis./Port Washington
Wood connected on two of his three field goal attempts in Saturday’s 19-7 win over St. Norbert College. He made good on kicks of 22 and 34 yards, with his first kick giving the Red Hawks a 10-7 lead, just seconds before halftime.
November 3
Joshua Kraemer - Defensive back - Ripon College
Senior - Waukesha, Wis./West
Kraemer put an exclamation mark on Ripon’s 50-7 win over Grinnell on Saturday, returning a kickoff 91 yards for a touchdown with just over one minute left in the game. That is the second-longest kick return in Ripon history and gives him two kickoff returns for touchdowns in his career. He returned two kicks against Grinnell for 114 yards (57.0 avg.), while also returning three punts for 77 yards (25.7 avg.), which included a long of 43 yards.
November 10
Nick Swartz - Defensive Back - Carroll University
Sophomore - Rockton, Ill./Honenegah
Swartz blocked two kicks and returned two kickoffs for 27 yards to help the Carroll to a 27-12 victory over Lake Forest in the season finale. Swartz blocked an extra point and a field goal. Swartz blocked the the extra point on Lake Forest’s first touchdown and then blocked a 35-yard field goal in the third quarter. Swartz also finished the day with four tackles.