With Ohio State and Texas in the books, here are my College Football Players of the Week.
Before we get to the offensive and defensive players of the week, let me first say that anyone who thinks that I’m going to crown a player as top dog in a game where they played a high school team you’ve got another thing coming. Unless the young man did something unheard of, the game has to hold some kind of importance to a national audience.
However, if you feel that a different player is just as deserving as the guys I mention below, give me a post and we’ll discuss it.
Offensive Player of the Week: Brady Quinn, QB Notre Dame
Quinn looked uncomfortable while trying to get his feet wet in Notre Dame’s win over Georgia Tech in week one. Against Penn State, however, Quinn showed everybody why he is being considered a Heisman candidate in ND’s 41-17 victory over the Nittany Lions. He was 25 of 36 for 287 yards and threw three touchdowns with no picks in getting the Irish back into the #2 spot in the AP Top 25 Poll. Quinn also looked very comfortable in the pocket and went through his progressions better than he did a week before in Atlanta. He will face his second Big Ten opponent in as many weeks when (#11) Michigan comes to South Bend this weekend.
Defensive Player of the Week: James Laurinaitis, LB Ohio State
Anybody who witnessed Laurinaitis’ play against Texas this past weekend had to have thought they were watching A.J. Hawk from a year ago. Laurinaitis led the Buckeyes with a career-best 13 tackles and added a tackle for loss, two forced fumbles and intercepted Long Horns QB Colt McCoy early in the second half to propel OSU to a 24-7 victory. Both turnovers that he had a hand in, caused killed any momentum Texas had built in each half. The sophomore linebacker was also named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week.
