Johnson Named MAC East Offensive Player Of The Week
September 28, 2015 | Football
CLEVELAND, Ohio – Bowling Green State University quarterback Matt Johnson was named MAC East Offensive Player of the Week, as announced by the Mid-American Conference office on Monday morning. For Johnson, it was the third time he has been honored in four weeks this season, and the sixth weekly honor of his career.
Johnson continues to rewrite Bowling Green's school record book in the early going, as he once again passed for 400+ yards in a road victory at Purdue last week. For Johnson, who passed for 402 yards in the game, it was his fourth consecutive game with 400-or-more passing yards. Johnson became the first player in school history to EVER have four 400-yard passing games in a career, let alone in four straight weeks.
Johnson completed 43-of-59 passes in the road win, the Falcons second road win over a Big Ten Conference opponent in the last three weeks. The 43 completions were tied for third-most in school history for a single-game. Johnson, who became the first quarterback in BGSU's 96-year football history to ever lead his team to two road victories over Big Ten opponents in the same season, currently leads the nation with 1,760 passing yards through four weeks. Since 2000, Johnson's 1,760 passing yards are the fifth-most for a FBS quarterback in the first four weeks of a season.
Johnson and the Falcons will open Mid-American Conference play this weekend with a trip to play the State University of New York at Buffalo. The Falcons and Bulls, both 2-2 on the year, are scheduled to kickoff at 3:30 p.m at UB Stadium (Amherst, N.Y.) on ESPN3/Time Warner Cable Sports/BCSN.
Below is a list of Johnson's honors to date in 2015:
• 4th Team Preseason All-MAC QB (Phil Steele)
• 2nd Team Preseason All-MAC QB (Athlon)
• Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award Watch List
• MAC East Offensive Player of the Week (Sept. 7)
• CFPA National Performer of the Week (Sept. 14)
• MAC East Offensive Player of the Week (Sept. 14)
• Manning Award Star of the Week (Sept. 14)
• Davey O'Brien Quarterback of the Week (Sept. 15)
• Maxwell Club National Player of the Week (Sept. 17)
• MAC East Offensive Player of the Week (Sept. 28)
East Division
Offensive Player of the Week: Bowling Green QB Matt Johnson
Bowling Green senior quarterback Matt Johnson (Harrisburg, Pa.) continues to rewrite the school's record books as he went 43-for-59 for 402 yards passing and a touchdown on Saturday in a 35-28 road win at Purdue. Johnson, who has passed for more than 400 yards in four consecutive weeks, became the first player in Bowling Green's 96-year history to ever have four 400-yard passing games in a career. His 43 completions on Saturday were tied for third-most in school history for a single game. Johnson, who has led the Falcons to two Big Ten road wins this season, helped the 2015 Falcons become the first team in Bowling Green history to defeat two Big Ten teams on the road in the same season – and just the third MAC program to ever do so. After four weeks, Johnson leads the country with 1,760 passing yards.
Defensive Player of the Week: Kent State DT Terence Waugh
Kent State junior defensive tackle Terence Waugh (Atlanta, Ga.) helped Kent State's defense hold Marshall to 277 total yards in a 36-39 (2OT) loss. Waugh had a game-high 3.0 sacks for a loss of 17 yards and posted career highs of 11 tackles, 4.0 tackles for loss and seven solo tackles. The Flashes defense held Marshall to just 2.9 yards per carry on 44 attempts.
Special Teams Player of the Week: Akron LS Michael Buddenberg
Akron sophomore long snapper Michael Buddenberg (Massillon, Ohio) recorded his first stat as he recovered a Louisiana fumble following a punt in the second quarter in a 35-7 road win at Louisiana. The recovery gave the Zips the ball back to close out the first half and take away the Cajuns' opportunity to tie the game before halftime.
West Division
Offensive Player of the Week: Toledo QB Phillip Ely
Toledo senior quarterback Phillip Ely (Tampa, Fla.) completed 25-of-52 passes for 308 yards in a 37-7 win over Arkansas State. Ely's 52 pass attempts was a career high, surpassing his previous best effort of 38 attempts vs. Arkansas on Sept. 12. He also topped the 300 yards passing for the second time in his collegiate career. Ely's career high is 337 passing yards against New Hampshire on Aug. 30, 2014.
Co-Defensive Player of the Week: Toledo DT Orion Jones
Toledo senior defensive tackle Orion Jones (Tulsa, Okla.) was credited with a collegiate best three sacks among his four tackles in a 37-7 win over Arkansas State. The last time a Rocket had three sacks was Junior Sylvestre against Bowling Green on Oct. 26, 2013.
Co-Defensive Player of the Week: Ball State LB Ben Ingle
Ball State senior linebacker Ben Ingle (Harrison, Ind.) posted a season-high 13 tackles, which was also one shy of his career high, in a 24-19 loss at No. 17 Northwestern. Ingle was part of a defense that forced three first half turnovers which led to 10 Ball State points. He added a game-high two tackles for loss and one pass break-up
Special Teams Player of the Week: Northern Illinois KR Aregeros Turner
Northern Illinois junior kickoff returner Aregeros Turner (Akron, Ohio) put the Huskies within striking distance of Boston College with 4:27 to play when he returned a kickoff 86 yards for a touchdown for NIU's second touchdown, making the score 17-14 Boston College. Turner recorded the first kickoff return touchdown by a Huskie player since Sept. 28, 2013 by Tommylee Lewis versus Purdue with the first kickoff return score of his career. It tied for the 13th longest kickoff return in NIU history. Turner is now averaging 26.6 yards per kickoff return on the year.
Johnson continues to rewrite Bowling Green's school record book in the early going, as he once again passed for 400+ yards in a road victory at Purdue last week. For Johnson, who passed for 402 yards in the game, it was his fourth consecutive game with 400-or-more passing yards. Johnson became the first player in school history to EVER have four 400-yard passing games in a career, let alone in four straight weeks.
Johnson completed 43-of-59 passes in the road win, the Falcons second road win over a Big Ten Conference opponent in the last three weeks. The 43 completions were tied for third-most in school history for a single-game. Johnson, who became the first quarterback in BGSU's 96-year football history to ever lead his team to two road victories over Big Ten opponents in the same season, currently leads the nation with 1,760 passing yards through four weeks. Since 2000, Johnson's 1,760 passing yards are the fifth-most for a FBS quarterback in the first four weeks of a season.
Johnson and the Falcons will open Mid-American Conference play this weekend with a trip to play the State University of New York at Buffalo. The Falcons and Bulls, both 2-2 on the year, are scheduled to kickoff at 3:30 p.m at UB Stadium (Amherst, N.Y.) on ESPN3/Time Warner Cable Sports/BCSN.
Below is a list of Johnson's honors to date in 2015:
• 4th Team Preseason All-MAC QB (Phil Steele)
• 2nd Team Preseason All-MAC QB (Athlon)
• Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award Watch List
• MAC East Offensive Player of the Week (Sept. 7)
• CFPA National Performer of the Week (Sept. 14)
• MAC East Offensive Player of the Week (Sept. 14)
• Manning Award Star of the Week (Sept. 14)
• Davey O'Brien Quarterback of the Week (Sept. 15)
• Maxwell Club National Player of the Week (Sept. 17)
• MAC East Offensive Player of the Week (Sept. 28)
East Division
Offensive Player of the Week: Bowling Green QB Matt Johnson
Bowling Green senior quarterback Matt Johnson (Harrisburg, Pa.) continues to rewrite the school's record books as he went 43-for-59 for 402 yards passing and a touchdown on Saturday in a 35-28 road win at Purdue. Johnson, who has passed for more than 400 yards in four consecutive weeks, became the first player in Bowling Green's 96-year history to ever have four 400-yard passing games in a career. His 43 completions on Saturday were tied for third-most in school history for a single game. Johnson, who has led the Falcons to two Big Ten road wins this season, helped the 2015 Falcons become the first team in Bowling Green history to defeat two Big Ten teams on the road in the same season – and just the third MAC program to ever do so. After four weeks, Johnson leads the country with 1,760 passing yards.
Defensive Player of the Week: Kent State DT Terence Waugh
Kent State junior defensive tackle Terence Waugh (Atlanta, Ga.) helped Kent State's defense hold Marshall to 277 total yards in a 36-39 (2OT) loss. Waugh had a game-high 3.0 sacks for a loss of 17 yards and posted career highs of 11 tackles, 4.0 tackles for loss and seven solo tackles. The Flashes defense held Marshall to just 2.9 yards per carry on 44 attempts.
Special Teams Player of the Week: Akron LS Michael Buddenberg
Akron sophomore long snapper Michael Buddenberg (Massillon, Ohio) recorded his first stat as he recovered a Louisiana fumble following a punt in the second quarter in a 35-7 road win at Louisiana. The recovery gave the Zips the ball back to close out the first half and take away the Cajuns' opportunity to tie the game before halftime.
West Division
Offensive Player of the Week: Toledo QB Phillip Ely
Toledo senior quarterback Phillip Ely (Tampa, Fla.) completed 25-of-52 passes for 308 yards in a 37-7 win over Arkansas State. Ely's 52 pass attempts was a career high, surpassing his previous best effort of 38 attempts vs. Arkansas on Sept. 12. He also topped the 300 yards passing for the second time in his collegiate career. Ely's career high is 337 passing yards against New Hampshire on Aug. 30, 2014.
Co-Defensive Player of the Week: Toledo DT Orion Jones
Toledo senior defensive tackle Orion Jones (Tulsa, Okla.) was credited with a collegiate best three sacks among his four tackles in a 37-7 win over Arkansas State. The last time a Rocket had three sacks was Junior Sylvestre against Bowling Green on Oct. 26, 2013.
Co-Defensive Player of the Week: Ball State LB Ben Ingle
Ball State senior linebacker Ben Ingle (Harrison, Ind.) posted a season-high 13 tackles, which was also one shy of his career high, in a 24-19 loss at No. 17 Northwestern. Ingle was part of a defense that forced three first half turnovers which led to 10 Ball State points. He added a game-high two tackles for loss and one pass break-up
Special Teams Player of the Week: Northern Illinois KR Aregeros Turner
Northern Illinois junior kickoff returner Aregeros Turner (Akron, Ohio) put the Huskies within striking distance of Boston College with 4:27 to play when he returned a kickoff 86 yards for a touchdown for NIU's second touchdown, making the score 17-14 Boston College. Turner recorded the first kickoff return touchdown by a Huskie player since Sept. 28, 2013 by Tommylee Lewis versus Purdue with the first kickoff return score of his career. It tied for the 13th longest kickoff return in NIU history. Turner is now averaging 26.6 yards per kickoff return on the year.
Players Mentioned
QB
/ Football2025 BG Football Cinematic Recap at Cincinnati 9.6
Monday, September 08
BG Football Press Conference | 9.8
Monday, September 08
BG Football : Jyrin Johnson and Justin Eklund 9.6
Saturday, September 06
BG Football : Coach George Postgame 9.6
Saturday, September 06