Week 3 in North Carolina college football delivered standout performances across every level, from clutch plays in overtime to record-setting stat lines. With so many worthy candidates, narrowing down our Players of the Week was no easy task.
Here’s our list, with a number of worthy honorable mention performers on offense, defense and special teams.
🏆 Offensive Player of the Week: Landen Clark, QB, Elon
The redshirt freshman delivered a breakout performance in the Phoenix’s 37-31 win at Western Carolina, accounting for 377 yards and four touchdowns.
Clark threw for 305 yards and two scores, rushed for 72 yards and two more—including the game-winning 10-yard TD run late in the fourth quarter—as Elon beat WCU for the first time since 2013. Clark was honored as the CAA Rookie of the Week (2x this season) and honorable mention Stats Perform FCS Offensive Player of the Week.
The freshman from Radford, VA (Radford HS) is quickly establishing himself as one of the most dynamic playmakers in North Carolina FCS.
#AGTG Choppin’ Wood 🪓 https://t.co/fTJux140OM — Landen Clark (@_landenclark) September 15, 2025
⭐ Honorable Mention Offense
- Preston Brown (Catawba, QB): 25-29 for 372 yds, 3 pass TD, plus 2 rush TD (5 total) in 44-34 win over UVA Wise. Monster efficiency (86% completions) and career-high yardage. SAC Offensive Player of the Week.
- Walker Harris (NCCU, QB): 387 passing yards, 3 TD, 1 rush TD in a 49-19 win over Fayetteville State. HBCU National Player of the Week and MEAC Offensive Player of the Week, spread the ball to eight different receivers.
- Daylin Lee (Winston-Salem State, QB): a precise 15-of-17 passing, 251 yards, 4 total TDs, 0 INTs. CIAA Quarterback of the Week
- Shane Shapiro (Guilford, WR): 14 catches, 210 yards, 2 TD in D3 win at Methodist. One of the best D3 receiving lines in the nation so far this year. ODAC Offensive Player of the Week.
- E. Jai Mason (Charlotte, WR): 10 catches, 228 yards, 2 TD vs. Monmouth — most receiving yards in the state this season at any level.
- Conner Harrell (Charlotte, QB): 382 passing yards, 3 TD in win over Monmouth.
- Nahjiir Seagraves (NC Wesleyan, RB): 159 rushing yards, 4 TD in blowout win at The Apprentice School.
- Kyjuan Westmoreland (Greensboro, RB): 173 yards, 2 TD in close loss to Roanoke.
- Hollywood Smothers (NC State, RB): 164 yards in FBS road win at Wake Forest.
🏆 Defensive Player of the Week: Isaiah Shirley, DL, NC State
Sophomore defensive lineman Isaiah Shirley made one of the biggest defensive plays of Week 3 – on national TV no less – turning momentum in NC State’s 34-24 win at Wake Forest.
With the Wolfpack trailing 14-0, Shirley picked off a pass and rumbled 41 yards for a touchdown — a “thick six” that sparked the comeback and renewed hopes that the Pack can contend in the ACC. In his first collegiate start, Shirley added five tackles and was named the ACC Defensive Lineman of the Week.
NC State vs Wake Forest
Isaiah Shirley with a thicc 6!
#1Pack1Goal | #GoDeacs pic.twitter.com/dF9R7NxS9O — CFB Depth – RCoacher (@CoacherRyan) September 12, 2025
⭐ Honorable Mention Defense
- Donovan Woods (UNC Pembroke, DB): 2 INTs, including a goal-line pick, plus 4 tackles in a 25-21 upset of No. 23 Delta State. Conference Carolinas Defensive Player of the Week.
- Sakarri Morrison (Mars Hill, DL): 12 tackles, 2.5 TFL, 1 sack — the sack came on 3rd down in OT, helping seal a 31-24 win over Carson-Newman; SAC Defensive Player of the Week.
- Thomas Johnson (NCCU, DL): 5 solo tackles, 2 sacks, 4th game in a row with at least one sack. MEAC Defensive Player of the Week.
- Keno Jones (Barton, LB): 19 tackles (most recorded in a single game in NC this season) in a 41-28 loss at North Greenville.
- Steven Reid (Mars Hill, LB): 15 tackles in Mars Hill’s overtime win.
- Mikai Gbayor (UNC, LB): Strip sack and six tackles in 41-6 win over Richmond. ACC Linebacker of the Week.
- Chris Calhoun (ECSU, LB): 14 tackles in near upset of Johnson C. Smith.
- Christopher Brown (WSSU, DL): 4 tackles, 2 TFL, 1 sack in CIAA victory against Lincoln.
🏆 Special Teams Players of the Week (Co-Winners)
Andrew Brown | K | NC A&T
Graduate kicker Andrew Brown delivered another chapter in his clutch career, helping the Aggies pull out a 33-30 double-overtime win over Hampton. With A&T trailing late, Brown executed a perfect onsides kick, then drilled a 37-yard field goal with 19 seconds left to force overtime. He also hit a 49-yarder earlier in the game and went 3-for-3 on PATs.
The moment was sweet redemption—just weeks after having a potential game-tying kick blocked at Tennessee State, Brown came through, echoing his heroics from last year against Winston-Salem State when he forced overtime with a late field goal before Wesley Graves scored the winner. CAA Co-Special Teams Player of the Week
Can he kick it?! Yes he can! #AggiePride | #PoundTheStone | #CAAFB pic.twitter.com/IRngtV0HE3 — Aggie Pride (@NCATFootball) September 15, 2025
Jeff Yurk | P | Elon
Elon senior punter Jeff Yurk turned in a performance that drew national headlines, averaging 55.2 yards on six punts in the Phoenix’s 37-31 win at Western Carolina. Five of his six kicks traveled more than 50 yards, highlighted by a 74-yarder. His average ranks as the third-best in FCS this season, and Yurk now leads the nation with a 51.4 season average. For his efforts, he was named both CAA Co-Special Teams Player of the Week and the Stats Perform FCS National Special Teams Player of the Week.
Nothing new here, just Jeff Yurk hitting BOMBS 🚀
The @OptaAnalystFCS Special Teams Player of the Week set a new @ElonFootball record, averaging over 55 yards per punt against Western Carolina #CAAFB x #PhoenixRising pic.twitter.com/oYcoQUSUfI — CAA Football (@CAAFootball) September 15, 2025
⭐ Honorable Mention Special Teams
- Charlie Viorel | K | Gardner-Webb — 3-for-3 on field goals (career-high), 2 PATs, 11 total points, plus strong kickoffs in 23-13 win at The Citadel; Big South-OVC Special Teams Player of the Week.
- Taylor Harris | K | UNC Pembroke – 27-yard FG, 2-2 PATs, 56.0 yard average on five kickoffs. Conference Carolinas Special Teams Player of the Week
- Daniel Deneen Jr. | K | Lenoir-Rhyne — Nailed a walk-off 32-yard field goal as time expired to beat Emory & Henry, 31-28; also perfect on 4 PATs.
- Brady Braun | P | Gardner-Webb — Averaged 53.5 yards on four punts, with three over 50 yards and a long of 60.
- Stephen Brantley | P | Western Carolina — Boomed a 76-yard punt (longest in the state this season) in loss to Elon.
- Albert Fleming IV | P | Fayetteville State — Launched a 66-yard punt vs North Carolina Central, the longest of the D2 weekend.
- Lukasz Smolen | P | Johnson C. Smith — Averaged 42 yards with a 63-yard long vs Elizabeth City State. CIAA Special Teams Player of the Week.
🏆 View all of our Offensive, Defensive and Special Teams Players of the Week for 2025 as well as our Team of the Week winners at our NC College Football Awards Hub page.
