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McCain making a name among FCS Players of the Week
(STATS) - North Carolina A&T's highly successful team has been making history in recent seasons, but its redshirt freshman defensive back Franklin "Mac" McCain III really knows history.
His late grandfather Franklin McCain was one of the four N.C. A&T students who were a part of the famous 1960 Woolworth lunch-counter sit-in protest that is credited for starting the modern day Civil Rights Movement.
But "Mac" is carving out his niche at N.C. A&T, already returning three interceptions for touchdowns early in his career with the 17th-ranked Aggies.
On Monday, McCain joined Sacramento State's Kevin Thomson, Eastern Kentucky's Kobie Grace and Dartmouth's Jeremiah Douchee as the STATS FCS National Players of the Week for Week 4 games ending Sept. 23.
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NATIONAL OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK=
Kevin Thomson, Sacramento State, QB, R-Jr., 6-1, 205, Auburn, Washington
The UNLV transfer racked up 402 yards of total offense and seven touchdowns, which tied the school record, in a surprising 54-27 win over Southern Utah in the Big Sky. He beat the Thunderbirds with his arm in the first half, throwing for three touchdowns on his way to a 14-of-26, 253-yard game. In the second half, he used his feet, rushing for three of his four touchdowns, including a 59-yarder, on his way to 149 yards - the school record for a quarterback - on 14 carries.
Honorable Mention: Tyrie Adams, QB, Western Carolina; Karekin Brooks, RB, Penn; Lance Dunn, RB, North Dakota State; Gage Gubrud, QB, Eastern Washington; Austin Herink, QB, ETSU; Devlin Hodges, QB, Samford; James Madison, RB, Idaho State; Elijah Marks, WR, Northern Arizona; Nathan Stewart, WR, Sam Houston State; Malcolm Summers, RB, Elon; De'Lance Turner, RB, Alcorn State; Ryan Wells, QB, Jacksonville; Price Wilson, QB, Bryant
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NATIONAL DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK=
Kobie Grace, Eastern Kentucky, S, Sr., 5-9, 191, Winter Park, Florida
On the day Eastern Kentucky unveiled a statue of legendary coach Roy Kidd, Grace grabbed a lot of the spotlight in the Colonels' 24-21 triumph over Tennessee Tech in the Ohio Valley Conference. Grace had seven tackles (five solos), an interception, forced a fumble and recovered two fumbles. He forced and recovered a fumble on TTU's first possession, which the Colonels turned into three points. On the first play of the fourth quarter, he intercepted a pass at his team's 19-yard line, and the offense went on to score what proved to be the game-winning touchdown.
Honorable Mention: Thomas Adams, DB, Gardner-Webb; Ahmad Gooden, DL, Samford; De'Aumante Johnson, DB, Grambling State; Eli Mencer, LB, Albany; Carlos Merritt, DB, Campbell; Ben Richard, LB, Bucknell; Tucker Schye, DE, Montana; Wes Sutton, S, Northern Arizona
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NATIONAL SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK=
Jeremiah Douchee, Dartmouth, DE, R-Sr., 6-5, 285, Chicago
Holy Cross' one-week stint in the FCS Top 25 was short because the Crusaders had to kick against Douchee during Dartmouth's 27-26 overtime victory. Douchee prevented four Holy Cross points with blocks in the fourth quarter. He blocked a field goal attempt with his Ivy League team protecting a 20-14 lead with 6:09 remaining. Then after Holy Cross tied the game 20-20 with three seconds remaining, Douchee blocked the extra point to send the game to overtime. He also had four tackles in the win.
Honorable Mention: Ezekiel Ennis, WR/KR, Sacred Heart; Alex Lucansky, PK, Stony Brook; Collin Root, PK, Northern Colorado; Keith Wrzuszczak, P, Eastern Kentucky
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NATIONAL FRESHMAN PLAYER OF THE WEEK=
Franklin "Mac" McCain, North Carolina A&T, DB, R-Fr., 5-11, 174, Greensboro, North Carolina
McCain had three interceptions in N.C. A&T's 49-17 win over Morgan State in the MEAC, two of which he returned 100 and 78 yards for touchdowns. He also had an interception in the third quarter, which gives him five for the season, three of which he has turned into pick-sixes - just one shy of the FCS single-season record shared by three players. McCain was in on four tackles, including one for loss.
Honorable Mention: Reynard Ellis, LB, Furman; Scotty Gilky, QB, Eastern Illinois; Aqeel Glass, QB, Alabama A&M; Gresch Jensen, QB, Montana; Mekhai Johnson, KR, Marist; Torrance Marable, RB/KR, Presbyterian; Caylin Newton, QB, Howard; Isaac McCray, RB, Bryant; Sean O'Malley, QB, Lafayette
