College Sports Journal FBS Group of Five National Players of the Week-Sept. 14

Arkansas State WR Jonathan Adams, Jr. (Courtesy of Scott Sewell)

Five players including Jonathan Adams, Jr. from Arkansas State, Sincere McCormick from UTSA, Grayson McCall from Coastal Carolina, Cameron Sample form Tulane, and Chris Smith from Louisiana have been selected as the College Sports Journal All-Stars for the week ending Sept. 14th, 2020 from the NCAA Division I FBS Group of Five schools.

This week’s group includes members from each of the three Sun Belt schools that defeated their Big 12 foes this past week.

Jonathan Adams Jr., WR, Arkansas State, Sr, Jonesboro, Ark.    

Adams Jr. recorded eight receptions for 98 yards and a career-high three touchdowns, including the game winner with 38 seconds left, to help lift Arkansas State to a 35-31 road win over Kansas State. Adams eight receptions tied the most of his career, while his three touchdown receptions tied the third most in school history. His first two touchdown catches covered two and five yards, respectfully, while his game winner came from 17 yards out. Adams’ season-high 98 yards included a long reception of 33 yards.

Sincere McCormick, RB, UTSA, Soph., Converse, Tex.

McCormick started his sophomore season with a bang, rushing for a school-record 197 yards and a touchdown on 29 carries — also a program record — to help lead UTSA to a 51-48 double-overtime victory at Texas State on Saturday.  He ripped off a pair of 58-yard runs — one in each half — en route to eclipsing his own program standard of 189 yards set last fall versus UTEP.  The 2019 C-USA Freshman of the Year spearheaded a ground attack that piled up 330 yards, the third-best in UTSA annals, and his single-game rushing total is the most by any FBS player this season.

Grayson McCall, QB, Coastal Carolina, R-Fr., Indian Trail, N.C.

McCall went 11-of-18 for 133 yards and three touchdowns via the passing game, while connecting with six different receivers. He also rushed 11 times for 73 yards and two scores.  His efforts helped lead the Chanticleers with a 38-23 road win over the Big 12’s Kansas.   It was the second straight year CCU defeated the Jayhawks on the road after winning 12-7 in 2019. 

Cameron Sample, DE, Tulane, Sr., Snellville, Ga.

Sample keyed a defensive effort that held South Alabama without a touchdown for the final 27:15 of the game which, allowed the Green Wave to rally for a 27-24 road win. Sample registered seven tackles along with 2.0 sacks, a career-high 3.5 tackles for loss, a forced fumble and two quarterback hurries against the Jaguars and helped clinch the game with a key sack on second down and a pass rush that led to an incomplete on third down of South Alabama’s final series. 

Chris Smith, KR/RB, Louisiana, R-Soph., Louisville, Miss.

Smith played a key role in Louisiana earning its first-ever win over a top-25 opponent on the road, using a 95-yard kickoff return for a touchdown to put Louisiana on the board against No. 23 Iowa State.  The return was his first career kickoff return for a touchdown.  It was the first kickoff return for a touchdown by a Ragin’ Cajun since Raymond Calais did so against Southeastern Louisiana on Sept. 2, 2017.  The score was just the eighth kickoff return for a touchdown in the last 20 years.  It was also just the third Louisiana kickoff return for a touchdown against a Big 12 opponent in the last 20 years, the most recent coming from Darryl Surgent against Kansas State in 2013.  Smith finished the game with 137 return yards on three attempts and also added 25 rushing yards on eight carriers.