NCAA names standout FCS players at midseason

Brungard and Gillman lead the offensive selections

NCAA FCS selected Brungard at quarterback. The Youngstown State player had 1,821 passing yards and 17 passing touchdowns, as well as 567 rushing yards and 10 rushing touchdowns, according to the article.

Montana running back Eli Gillman had 877 rushing yards, 206 receiving yards and 17 total touchdowns, including 13 on the ground and four as a receiver. The NCAA article noted his 275-yard, four-touchdown rushing performance against UC Davis.

Montana wide receiver Brooks Davis was also recognized. He led the country with 56 receptions and 810 receiving yards, and had six touchdown catches. The article reported that Weber State receiver Noah Kjar had nine receiving touchdowns, the national lead.

Selections on the line and at tight end

Northern Arizona tight end Jeter Purdy was highlighted after recording a pair of games with more than 100 receiving yards. The article said he scored a touchdown in four separate games and, across the Lumberjacks’ two most recent wins over ranked teams, made nine catches for 216 yards and two touchdowns.

South Dakota State offensive lineman Quinten Christensen was named the top offensive lineman. The NCAA FCS account said he had allowed no sacks at left tackle and was part of a Jackrabbits offense leading the nation in rushing at nearly 300 yards per game.

Bueno and Yanez stand out on defense

Stony Brook edge rusher Khalid Bueno led the FCS with 10.5 sacks and 16 tackles for loss, according to the article. He had also forced two fumbles. Against Towson, he recorded eight tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, three sacks and three quarterback hurries.

Gardner-Webb linebacker Tre Yanez had 74 tackles, the second-highest total in the FCS at the time of the review. He had reached double-digit tackles in five games and recorded 12.5 tackles for loss and five sacks.

Harvard’s Benson named in the defensive-back section

The supplied portion of the NCAA FCS article identifies Harvard’s Xaden Benson as its defensive-back selection. It ends before providing his statistics or further details, so no additional performance figures are included here.