FOOTBALL BOWL SUBDIVISION INDEPENDENT PLAYERS OF THE WEEK NAMED
BYU quarterback Taysom Hill, Army linebacker Jeremy Timpf and BYU punter Scott Arellano have been named FBS Independent Players of the Week for games played through Saturday, Sept. 20. Hill is the honoree on Offense, Timpf is recognized on Defense, and Arellano is cited on Special Teams.
Hill’s recognition is his fourth in a row and eighth of his career. Hill is the only player to earn the honor four consecutive weeks in the four-year history of the award. Arellano’s honor is his first this year and second career citation and Timpf is honored for the first time.
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
BYU QB Taysom Hill
A junior from Pocatello, Idaho, Hill was a dual threat in leading BYU to a 41-33 home win over Virginia. Hill completed 13 of 23 passes for 187 yards and two touchdowns, while adding a team-high 72 rushing yards and a touchdown on 17 carries. Hill has scored a rushing touchdown in six consecutive games—one game away from tying the BYU record for consecutive games with a rushing TD. His seven touchdowns scored this season are tied for third among all FBS players. With his rushing yardage against the Cavaliers, Hill is now 10th on BYU’s career rush-yardage ledger (2,108 yards); he is the only quarterback in the top ten.
SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK
BYU P Scott Arellano
A senior from Santa Ynez, California, Arellano contributed to a significant field-position advantage in BYU’s 41-33 home win over Virginia. Arellano averaged a career-best 55.0 yards on five punts and tied his career high with four punts downed inside the opposition 20-yard line. He also achieved a personal best with three punts of 60 yards or longer, including a season-high 65-yard effort that was downed at the Virginia 12-yard line. Arellano had punts of 65, 63, 60, 48 and 39 yards, with his 39-yarder pinning the Cavaliers at their own 2-yard line.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Army LB Jeremy Timpf
A sophomore from Tucson, Ariz., Timpf led Army in tackles for a third straight game to start the season, recording eight stops—including seven solo takedowns—and two tackles for loss in the Black Knights’ 24-21 setback at Wake Forest. Timpf also added his first career interception, to which he tacked on a 10-yard return, and recorded a pass break-up on his stat line.
The FBS Independent Players of the Week are selected by members of a nationwide media panel, which includes equal representation from each of the independent institutions’ coverage markets.