COOKEVILLE, Tenn. -- It certainly was a performance to remember for Tennessee Tech's diminutive senior Ladarius Vanlier, who played a major role in the Golden Eagles capturing a 42-24 Homecoming victory over Austin Peay on Saturday.
On Sunday, the Nashville native was selected as the Ohio Valley Conference co-Offensive Player of the Week, in recognition of his efforts against the Governors.
Vanlier scored a career-best four touchdowns while recording 272 all-purpose yards, the second-best game of his four-year career. His game actually lifted him to first in the OVC in all-purpose yardage this season and vaulted him to second in Tech history with 5,188 all-purpose yards, joining Larry Schreiber as the lone Golden Eagles to top the 5,000-yard plateau.
He rushed for 131 yard on just 11 carries, had two catches for 75 yards, and returned to kickoffs for 66 yards. Vanlier averaged 33.0 yards per kick return, 37.0 yards per reception including a 69-yard touchdown, and 11.9 yards per carry with long touchdown scampers of 46 and 51 yards, along with a one-yard TD.
He shares the award with Eastern Kentucky quarterback Bennie Coney.
The week's awards:
CO-OFFENSIVE
Bennie Coney, QB • Jr., 6-2, 211 • Plant City, Fla. • Eastern Kentucky
Coney became the first Eastern Kentucky quarterback to ever throw for 400 yards in a game as he led the No. 24 ranked Colonels to a 41-34 double overtime victory at Murray State. The junior completed an EKU record 44-of-68 passes for 417 yards and three touchdowns and led the team with 59 rushing yards. With his team trailing by seven points with two minutes to play, he engineered an eight-play, 77-yard drive over 1:12 to tie the game and force overtime. After EKU went down by seven points in the first overtime he threw a 20-yard touchdown pass on third down to tie the game and force a second overtime. Coney ranks eighth nationally in touchdown passes (23), 12th in completions/game (21.6), 19th in points responsible for (15.0/game) and 23rd in total offense (137.4 yards/game).
CO-OFFENSIVE
Ladarius Vanlier, RB/RS • Sr., 5-8, 175 • Nashville, Tenn. • Tennessee Tech
Vanlier accounted for 272 all-purpose yards and a career-high four touchdowns as Tennessee Tech snapped a five-game losing streak with a 42-24 victory over Austin Peay. The senior, who ranks 16th nationally in all-purpose yards (141.9/game), carried the ball 11 times for 131 yards (11.9 ypc) and three touchdowns, caught two passes for 74 yards and a touchdown, returned two kickoffs for 66 yards and a punt for one yard. He scored his first touchdown on a 46-yard run in the first quarter and added a one-yard rush to open the second quarter scoring. His 51-yard rushing touchdown to start the third quarter gave the Golden Eagles the lead for good and he capped the game’s scoring with a 69-yard receiving touchdown early in the fourth quarter as Tech outscored APSU 21-0 in the second half. The 272 all-purpose yards was the second-highest total of his career and moved him into second place in school history for all-purpose yards (5,196) which also ranks him fourth among active FCS players.
Others Nominated: Jared Beard, Austin Peay; Jalen Whitlow, Eastern Illinois; Eli Jenkins, Jacksonville State; Paul Rice, Murray State; Dante Vandeven, Southeast Missouri.
DEFENSIVE
Dino Fanti, DL • Sr., 6-1, 265 • Venice, Fla. • Eastern Illinois
Fanti made two huge plays in the fourth quarter as Eastern Illinois won 23-21 at UT Martin to keep its FCS Playoff hopes alive. With the Panthers leading by one point, the senior hit Skyhawks quarterback Jarod Neal forcing him to float a pass that was picked off by Thomas Coronado and returned 45 yards for a touchdown to give EIU an eight-point advantage. After UTM closed the margin to 23-21 with 4:51 to play, Fanti tackled Neal on a two-point conversion attempt to preserve the lead and victory (as the Skyhawks only ran one more offensive play after that). Fanti finished the day with seven tackles, 2.5 tackles-for-loss, a sack and a forced fumble. Fanti ranks eighth nationally in tackles-for-loss (1.7/game) and 15th in forced fumbles (0.30/game).
Others Nominated: Kobie Grace, Eastern Kentucky; Brandon Bender, Jacksonville State; DeQuinten Spraggins, Murray State; Roper Garrett, Southeast Missouri; Tim Collins, Tennessee Tech.
SPECIALIST
Cameron Sanders, RS • Fr., 6-2, 208 • Memphis, Tenn. • Southeast Missouri
Sanders returned a kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter of Southeast Missouri’s loss at No. 1 Jacksonville State. The return was the longest in Southeast Missouri history and longest in the OVC this season; overall it is one of just three kickoff returns for a score in the league in 2015. Sanders finished the game with 156 kickoff yards on three returns.
Others Nominated: Antoine Johnson, Eastern Illinois; Lucas Williams, Eastern Kentucky; Hamish MacInnes, Jacksonville State; Jonathan King, Tennessee Tech.
NEWCOMER
Dante Vandeven, QB • Fr., 6-2, 190 • Jackson, Mo. • Southeast Missouri
Vandeven threw for a career-high 239 yards and a touchdown and rushed for another score in his team’s loss at No. 1 Jacksonville State. The true freshman completed 19-of-35 passes without an interception, including tossing a 15-yard touchdown to Darrius Darden-Box in the fourth quarter. He carried the ball 13 times for a net gain of 29 yards including scoring on a three-yard run to tie the game at seven early in the second quarter. Vandeven has thrown a touchdown in five of his last six starts and ranks 22nd nationally in completion percentage (63.5%).
Others Nominated: Kendall Morris, Austin Peay; Dylan Chatman, Eastern Illinois; Noah Spence, Eastern Kentucky; Joel McCandless, Jacksonville State; Marquez Sanford, Murray State; Tim Collins, Tennessee Tech.
