Seth Russell (Baylor), Zack Sanchez (Oklahoma) and Shelton Gibson (West Virginia) were named Big 12 Football Players of the Week by a panel of media that covers the Conference. Russell (offense) and Sanchez (defense) were honored for the second time while Gibson (special teams) picked up his first award.

Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week
Seth Russell, Baylor, QB, Jr, Garland, Texas

Quarterback Seth Russell accounted for six touchdowns and 540 total yards in No. 2 Baylor’s 62-38 win over West Virginia. He posted the second game in program history with 300-plus passing yards (380) and 100-plus rushing yards (160), joining Robert Griffin III who reached the feat in 2011. Russell opened the scoring with a 16-yard scamper, then threw three TD strikes to Corey Coleman (2, 11 and 33 yards) and two to Jay Lee (36 and 52 yards) to help BU take a 48-24 lead over the Mountaineers heading into the fourth quarter. The junior’s 540 yards of total offense are second in the league to Texas Tech’s Baker Mayfield (572) in a season-game of 2015. Russell’s 380 passing yards are a season-high and his 160 rushing yards were the second-most in program history by a Baylor quarterback (RG3 had 217 vs. Washington State in 2008). Russell was named the Walter Camp National Offensive Player of the Week for his performance.

Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week
Zack Sanchez, Oklahoma, CB, Jr, Fort Worth, Texas

Zack Sanchez intercepted two passes and returned one of them for a touchdown in No. 19 Oklahoma’s 55-0 win at K-State. Sanchez and the Oklahoma defense held the Wildcats to 110 total yards (fewest by an OU opponent on their home field since 2005) and just seven first downs. It was OU’s first shutout against a Big 12 opponent since 2010 and was the first time K-State was held scoreless at home since 1991. It was also the third fewest yards the Sooners have allowed in the 17-year Bob Stoops era. Sanchez, who also posted a tackle (no Sooner had more than four stops), recorded his first interception of the game with 6:38 left in the second quarter, which led to a touchdown and a 35-0 lead. On K-State’s opening possession of the second half, the junior cornerback stepped in front of the intended receiver for his second interception and then weaved 38 yards through traffic for the score. It was his third career pick-six, tying an OU record.

Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Week
Shelton Gibson, West Virginia, KR, So, Cleveland, Ohio

Shelton Gibson returned five kickoffs for 185 yards, including a 100-yarder in the fourth quarter at Baylor. He also had kick returns of 22, 22, 26 and 15 yards for an average of 37 yards. Gibson has posted 11 returns of 20 yards or more this season. He is the ninth Mountaineer to have a 100-yard kickoff return, last accomplished by Mario Alford against Alabama on Aug. 30, 2014. Gibson’s kick return for a TD was the first since Alford went 94 yards for a score on Oct. 4 2014. Gibson posted a game-high 277 all-purpose yards, the most by a Mountaineer since Alford had 311 against Iowa State in 2013. The 277 yards rank No. 14 on WVU’s single-game all-purpose yards list.

— Big 12 Press Release —

Kansas City, Mo. – Fort Hays State’s Shaquille Cooper has been named the MIAA/AstroTurf Offensive Athlete of the Week with teammate Brock Long earning Defensive Athlete of the Week. FHSU’s Drew O’ Brien joins NSU’s Garrett Powell as Co-Special Teams Athletes of the Week.

MIAA/AstroTurf Offensive Athlete of the Week
Shaquille Cooper, RB, Fort Hays State

Cooper recorded his second 200-yard rushing game of the season with 216 yards on the ground in a 27-24 win over No. 13 ranked Emporia State. Cooper averaged 9.4 yards per carry in the game. With the Tigers trailing 17-13 in the fourth quarter, he broke a couple tackles and ran for an 89-yard touchdown to put FHSU up 20-17 with 7:51 to go in the game. The run pushed Cooper over 1,000 rushing yards for the season, now at 1,009. He also had a team-high four receptions and 25 receiving yards to give him 241 all-purpose yards in the game. The 5-10 sophomore running back is a native of Coral Gables, Fla. where he competed at Coral Gables High School.

MIAA/AstroTurf Defensive Athlete of the Week
Brock Long, LB, Fort Hays State

Long had a huge game on defense in a 27-24 win over No. 13 Emporia State. He recorded a career-high 22 tackles, 1.5 sacks, and an interception. The interception was the biggest play of the day as it sealed the win for FHSU with under 10 seconds remaining in the game. With ESU at the FHSU 23-yardline and eight seconds remaining, Long gave FHSU its third interception of quarterback Brent Wilson and he returned it seven yards before going down. The 5-11 senior linebacker is a native of Assaria, Kan. where he competed at Southeast of Saline High School prior to playing at Hutchinson Community College.

MIAA/AstroTurf Co-Special Teams Athlete of the Week
Drew O’ Brien, K, Fort Hays State

O’ Brien made two field goals and all three of his extra-point attempts in a 27-24 Fort Hays State win over No. 13 ranked Emporia State. His two field goals in the first half of 36 and 39 yards kept the Tigers within four points of the Hornets at halftime, down 10-6. He tacked on the extra points for all three of Fort Hays States second-half touchdowns. With 220 career points, O’ Brien tied the career scoring record at FHSU with his final extra point of the game on the game-winning touchdown with 52 seconds remaining. The record was set by Bob Johnson from 1963-66. He also broke the school kicking points record in the game, passing Wes Simoneaus 218 from 1997-2001. The 6-0 senior kicker is a native of Hays, Kan. where he competed at TMP-Marian High School.

MIAA/AstroTurf Co-Special Teams Athlete of the Week
Garrett Powell, P, Northeastern State

Garrett Powell was a big weapon in flipping field position against Missouri Southern State this past week. He punted eight times for 353 yards (44.1 yards per punt), which included a 71-yard boot in the first quarter that was downed at the one-yard line. The punt was the longest by any MIAA player this season and was also the longest of Powell’s career. He finished the game with a career-high four punts downed inside the 20-yard line, and he also had a career-high three downed inside the 10. Powell leads the MIAA of 50+ yard punts (8) this season and is second in total punting (41.0). He also had four catches for 79 yards and a touchdown in the game. The 6-0 senior wide receiver/punter is a native of Bartlesville, Okla. where he competed at Bartlesville High School.

— MIAA Press Release —