B I G 1 2 P L A Y E R S
O F T H E W E E K
DALLAS - In the closest voting week in Big 12 football honors' history, three sets of co-players have been chosen as SBC Big 12 Conference Football Players of the Week (Offense, Defense, Special Teams) in voting by a select panel of media covering the Big 12 for games played on Oct. 6. Kansas running back Reggie Duncan, a sophomore running back from Killeen, Texas, joins Nebraska senior QB Eric Crouch of Omaha, Neb., as Co-Offensive Players of the Week. Oklahoma junior safety Roy Williams of Union City, Calif., and Colorado junior CB Donald Strickland of San Francisco, Calif., are Co-Defensive Players of the Week. Co-Special Teams Players of the Week are Kansas freshman kicker Johnny Beck of Kansas City, Kan., and Missouri senior kicker Brad Hammerich of Chesterfield, Mo.
Duncan rushed for a career-high 227 yards on 38 carries to lead the Jayhawks to a 34-31 double overtime win at Texas Tech. It was the eighth-highest single game rushing total in KU annals, and he put the game into its first overtime with a two-point conversion run with 21 seconds left in regulation. Crouch was outstanding again with 15 rushes for 104 yards and four touchdowns while he was 10-for-14 passing for 110 yards in NU's 48-14 win over previously-unbeaten Iowa State. Crouch became the all-time NCAA Division I-A quarterback leader in career touchdowns rushing with 51 during the contest.
Williams helped clinch the Sooners' 14-3 win over then-No. 5 Texas at Dallas with a flying hit on a blitz that allowed teammate Teddy Lehman to make a two-yard interception return for a TD. The OU standout also intercepted a pass, broke up two others, recovered a blocked field goal and helped limit Texas to 255 total yards. Strickland notched 10 total tackles (seven unassisted) and had a game-high three pass deflections as now No. 20 Colorado upended then-No. 12 Kansas State 16-6 at Manhattan. He also provided key run support as the Buffaloes held KSU to 74 net yards rushing (the Wildcats averaged 289 yards per game prior to this meeting).
Beck, a true walkon freshman, made field goals of 42, 42, 44, and 37 yards-the last to win the double OT game-against Texas Tech. He also is 8-for-8 on PAT kicks and made seven consecutive field goals in '01 before missing. Eight of this field goals have been 40-plus yards. Hammerich enjoyed a similar pressure-packed performance with 4-for-4 field goal kicking in the Tigers' 41-38 triple overtime victory at Oklahoma State. His 36-yard three-pointer was the game winner in the third OT, and his others came from 47, 39 and 31 yards. The MU senior has started the season with 7-for-8 (87.5 percent) in the FG department.