The South Atlantic Conference Announces WePlayed Sports Football Players of the Week

ROCK HILL, S.C. (TheSAC.com) – The South Atlantic Conference announced its WePlayed Sports Football Players of the Week for games played during week 10 of the 2023 season.  Lenoir-Rhyne quarterback Sean White was tabbed as the Offensive Player of the Week, while Tusculum defensive back Jermaine Witherspoon was named the Defensive Player of the Week, and Tusculum punter Nicholas Pope picked up Special Teams Player of the Week honors. 

White, a junior from Sarasota, Fla., led the Bears to a 28-7 win over Catawba and a spot in next week's SAC Football Championship game. He had four touchdowns, three in the air and one on the ground, accounting for all 28 of Lenoir-Rhyne's points. He finished the game with 190 yards through the air and 19 yards on the ground for 209 yards total yards of offense.

Witherspoon, a senior from Miami, Fla., was a part of three of the four Tusculum defensive turnovers as the Pioneers rallied for a 29-27 double-overtime win over Mars Hill. Witherspoon had a 23-yard fumble return for a touchdown that tied the game at 14 early in the fourth quarter, he also forced a fumble and snatched his fifth interception of the season. He finished the game with seven tackles and a quarterback hurry. 

Pope, a graduate student from Lincoln, Ala., averaged 40.2 yards per punt and had 362 total punt yards on nine punts. One punt was inside the 20-yard line and five were called for fair catches. In addition to his punting, Pope connected on all three of his extra point attempts for the Pioneers.

2023 SAC Football Players of the Week

Offensive Player of the Week
Sept. 4 – Charles Mutter III, Emory & Henry
Sept. 11 – Preston Brown, Catawba
Sept. 18 – Jordan Terrell, Barton
Sept. 25 – Matthew Palazzo, Tusculum
Oct. 2 – Dwayne McGee, Lenoir-Rhyne
Oct. 9 – Jaquan Lynch, Barton
Oct. 16 – Matthew Palazzo, Tusculum
Oct. 23 – JR Martin, Mars Hill
Oct. 30 – Brooks Bentley, Wingate
Nov. 6 – Sean White, Lenoir-Rhyne

Defensive Player of the Week
Sept. 4 – Deno Wardlow, Catawba
Sept. 11 – Tristan Rankin, Mars Hill
Sept. 18 – Dajavon White, Tusculum
Sept. 25 – Wesley Scott, Tusculum
Oct. 2 – Mekhi Brown, Carson-Newman
Oct. 9 – Mekhi Brown, Carson-Newman
Oct. 16 – Chandler Matthews, Limestone
Oct. 23 – Chendrick Cann, Tusculum
Oct. 30 – Deno Wardlow, Catawba
Nov. 6 – Jermaine Witherspoon, Tusculum

Special Teams Player of the Week
Sept. 4 – Kellan Dalton, UVA Wise
Sept. 11 – Trace Butcher, Emory & Henry
Sept. 18 – DeAree Rogers, Lenoir-Rhyne
Sept. 25 – Lon Teachey, Mars Hill
Oct. 2 – Bryson Sims, Catawba
Oct. 9 – T.J. Blanding, Lenoir-Rhyne
Oct. 16 – Nicholas Pope, Tusculum
Oct. 23 – Caleb Bonesteeel, Wingate
Oct. 30 – Caleb Bonesteel, Wingate
Nov. 6 – Nicholas Pope, Tusculum

WePlayed Sports is an official corporate partner of the South Atlantic Conference and title sponsor of the Conference's Player of the Week awards program.

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