FRISCO, Texas – McNeese’s Cody Orgeron and Jacob Abel, along with Nicholls’ Dellary Oubre, earned Southland Football Player of the Week honors, the league announced Monday. Weekly awards are presented by Hercules Tires.
Orgeron, a senior quarterback, accounted for all five of the Cowboys’ touchdowns in a thrilling 40-37 overtime victory over Tarleton State to pick up Offensive Player of the Week honors. Abel, a junior kicker, secures special teams honors after he connected on all four extra-point tries and both field-goal attempts in his McNeese debut. The Pokes open league play at home against UIW at noon CT Saturday.
Nicholls linebacker Dellary Oubre earns Defensive Player of the Week honors after the redshirt sophomore tallied six tackles and returned a fumble for a touchdown in the Colonels’ 87-3 victory over Lincoln (Mo.). Nicholls posted the most points and the highest point differential by a Southland school since 2009. The Colonels host Lamar in both team’s Southland spring opener at 3 p.m. Saturday.
Offensive Player of the Week: Cody Orgeron, McNeese – Senior – Quarterback – Mandeville, La.
Trailing by 14 with just under three minutes remaining, Orgeron connected with Mason Pierce for a 26-yard touchdown to cut the Texans’ lead in half. After McNeese recovered the onside kick, Orgeron found Trevor Begue in the endzone with 35 ticks on the clock to send the game into overtime. The heroics continued for the son of LSU head coach Ed Orgeron as he dashed 19 yards for the winning score in the second overtime period.
Honorable Mention: Lindsey Scott Jr., Nicholls.
Defensive Player of the Week: Dellary Oubre, Nicholls – Redshirt Sophomore – Linebacker – Destrehan, La.
With just one tackle to his name entering the spring opener, Oubre emerged with a team-high six tackles, including four solo stops. Just two plays after Nicholls pushed their lead to 33-0, Elijah Reames forced the ball out of the hands of Lincoln running back Hosea Franklin, and Oubre scooped the ball up and took it 35 yards to the house to make it 39-0.
Honorable Mention: Mason Kinsey, McNeese.
Special Teams Player of the Week: Jacob Abel, McNeese – Junior – Placekicker – Goddard, Kan.
The Butler Community College transfer enjoyed a successful McNeese debut, drilling all four PATs and nailing a pair of 21-yard field-goals, including one in the first overtime period. Abel wasn’t fazed by the pressure, hitting both of his extra-point attempts as the Cowboys erased a 14-point deficit over the final 2:46 of regulation.
Honorable Mention: None.
Southland weekly award winners are nominated and voted upon by each school’s sports information director. Voting for one’s own athlete is not permitted. To earn honorable mention, a student-athlete must appear on 25 percent of ballots.
2021 Southland Spring Football Players of the Week
Feb. 22 – Cody Orgeron, McNeese; Dellary Oubre, Nicholls; Jacob Abel, McNeese
{Courtesy: Press Release from the Southland Conference}