College Sports Journal FBS Group of Five National Players of the Week Oct. 29

Five players including Devin “Motor” Singletary from Florida Atlantic, Matt Linehan from Idaho, D’Eriq King from Houston, Genard Avery from Memphis, and Diontae Johnson from Toledo have been selected as the College Sports Journal All-Stars for the week ending October 29th, 2017 from the NCAA Division I FBS Group of Five schools.

The honorees are listed here with their achievements and their school, position, class, and hometown.

Devin “Motor” Singletary, Florida Atlantic, RB, So, Deerfield Beach, Fla.

Singletary recorded his sixth 2017 game with 100-plus yards when he tallied 244 yards on a career-high 36 carries in the 42-28 win at WKU. His performance included four touchdown runs, which is the second time he has accomplished that in 2017. The four scores elevated Singletary to FAU’s career all-time rushing TD leader, with 30 and counting, including 18 this season. Singletary had 10 carries for 29 yards in the first quarter, with WKU holding him well below his 6.62 average, but he did have a 12-yard score. In the second quarter, he had five carries for 48 yards with a one-yard TD and he was again quiet in the third with seven carries for 23 yards. Heading into the fourth quarter with WKU holding a 28-20 lead, he put the Owls on his back, carrying the ball 14 times for 144 yards and two TDs (the game’s difference), including a season-long 60 yarder that put FAU in position to tie the score with a two-point conversion. In all, he had 255 all-purpose yards on the day, including two receptions for 11 yards and averaged 6.8 yards per carry, which is just above his 6.67 yards per carry season average. The sophomore is listed in eight NCAA top-20 categories, including No. 1 nationally in rushing TDs, points and total TDs. Singletary is No. 9 in rushing yards (1,053) and rushing yards per game (131.6).

Matt Linehan, Idaho, QB, Sr., Orchard Lake, Mich.

Linehan guided Idaho’s breakout offensive performance, completing 28-of-42 passes for 360 yards and three touchdowns, as the Vandals defeated ULM 31-23. He posted season highs in completions, attempts and yards, and matched season best for touchdowns. His 360 passing yards are the fourth most in a game in Linehan’s career and mark his 13th game with at least 300 yards through the air. Overall, he connected with eight different receivers and moved up to third in Sun Belt history for career passing yards (10,490).

D’Eriq King, Houston, QB, So., Manvel, Tex.
King led Houston to a 28-24 win against previously undefeated USF, snapping the Bulls’ winning streak at 12 games overall. King took over at quarterback midway through the first quarter and completed 12 of 20 passes for 137 yards and a touchdown and rushed for 83 yards and two fourth-quarter touchdowns. With Houston trailing by three points, King converted a fourth-and-24 with 1:07 left in the fourth quarter to keep the final drive alive, a drive capped by King’s 20-yard touchdown run with 11 seconds left to give the Cougars the winning points.

 

Genard Avery, Memphis, LB, Sr., Grenada, Miss.
Avery becomes the third straight Memphis player to earn Defensive Player of the Week honors after he turned in a record-breaking performance in the Tigers’ 56-26 win against Tulane. Avery finished with eight tackles, which included an American Athletic Conference-record 5.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks to go with quarterback hurry. Avery led a Memphis defense that set a school record with 13 tackles for loss and had seven sacks against the Green Wave.

 

Diontae Johnson, Toledo, PR/WR, So., Ruskin, Fla.
Johnson returned a punt 87 yards for a touchdown in a 58-17 win at Ball State on Thursday. Johnson also caught four passes for a career-high 170 receiving yards and two touchdowns from both 67 and 88 yards. He finished with 273 all-purpose yards.