Stony Brook quarterback Kyle Essington (Chino Hills, Calif.) has been named the Choice Hotels Big South Football Offensive Player of the Week, while VMI defensive back Byron Allen (Massaponax, Va.) has been selected as Defensive Player of the Week for games played the final week of the regular-season.  Gardner-Webb running back J.J. Hubbard (Tampa, Fla.) is the Special Teams Player of the Week and Presbyterian College wide receiver Jeremiah McKie (Simpsonville, S.C.) is The Crons Brand Freshman of the Week.

Essington was 14-of-20 passing for 250 yards and three touchdowns in leading the Seawolves over Liberty for the Big South title and Conference's FCS Playoff berth.  He brought Stony Brook back from one deficit and two ties in the victory, and finished the day with no turnovers, 262 yards of offense and a 224.50 pass efficiency rating.  With the game tied at 7-7 in the first quarter, Essington connected on a 26-yard touchdown pass to Kevin Norrell to put SBU up for the first time.  In the second quarter with Stony Brook trailing 21-17, Essington hit Matt Brevi for a 49-yard touchdown pass to give the Seawolves a three-point advantage.  Essington's final TD pass of the day went 14 yards to Brock Jackolski late in the third quarter that broke a 24-24 tie.

Allen, playing in his final game with the Keydets, capped his career with an 11-tackle performance against Gardner-Webb, in addition to a pass break-up and the game-clinching interception.  He had four solo stops and seven assisted tackles, and his interception with 1:22 remaining sealed the seven-point win -- snapping GWU's eight-game win streak over the Keydets.

Hubbard, a freshman running back, returned a kickoff 79 yards for a touchdown at VMI to jump start Gardner-Webb's fourth quarter rally against the Keydets.  He is the first freshman in Big South history to return a kickoff for a touchdown, and his return cut VMI's lead to 14 points before the Runnin' Bulldogs made it a seven-point game.

McKie caught four passes for a career-high 116 yards and a touchdown in the Blue Hose's win over Charleston Southern.  He scored on a career-long 58-yard pass play to give PC a 31-7 lead early in the third quarter.  He also caught a 44-yard pass on Presbyterian College's opening drive that set-up the Blue Hose's first TD of the day.

Also nominated for Offensive Player of the Week: Aramis Hillary (Coastal Carolina), Chris Summers (Liberty), Ryan Singer (Presbyterian College), Eric Kordenbrock (VMI).

Also nominated for Defensive Player of the Week: Dexter Holman (Coastal Carolina), Brandon Robinson (Liberty), Dominick Reyes (Stony Brook).

Also nominated for Special Teams Player of the Week: Austin Cain (Coastal Carolina).

Also nominated for Freshman of the Week: Denzell Rice (Coastal Carolina).