Top-10 performances by local college football players: Scott, Johnson and Rudolph shine
A trio of Thursday night stars - Anthony Johnson, Mason Rudolph and Jaleel Scott - lead The Herald’s weekly recap of performances by local college football players:
Top-10
Anthony Johnson, Buffalo - South Pointe’s Johnson had a breakout game in the 2017 season opener Thursday night against Minnesota, making 11 catches for 140 yards and a touchdown. Johnson’s 16-yard touchdown in the right side of the end zone tied the score at 7 all with 4:37 left in the first quarter. The 6-foot-2, 207-pound receiver finished the first quarter with eight catches and more than 100 yards through the air in his debut for Buffalo after two years in junior college and a redshirt season in 2016.
Mason Rudolph, Oklahoma State - Northwestern’s Rudolph had a sterling 2017 debut, completing 20-of-24 passes for 303 yards and three touchdowns, all in the first half. The junior QB added a rushing score in the third quarter of the Cowboys’ 59-24 blowout of Tulsa.
Jaleel Scott, New Mexico State - Jaleel Scott was the third local player to have a huge season-opener on national TV. The redshirt senior from Rock Hill High caught eight passes for 149 yards and two touchdowns during the Aggies’ 37-31 loss to Arizona State. Scott’s second quarter one-handed touchdown grab made ESPN SportsCenter’s top-10 plays of the night. Watch Scott’s one-handed catch and read more about Scott’s big Thursday night.
Lee Wright, Youngstown State - the Penguins fell to Pitt 28-21 but Wright had a busy season-opener. The former York Cougar notched 10 tackle and a quarterback hurry after starting at linebacker.
Zeek Rodney, Wake Forest - Rodney made his return to Wake Forest football after a year off with two tackles, both for a loss and one a sack, during the Demon Deacons’ 51-7 win over Presbyterian. Read about Rodney’s year away from the game.
Rogan Wells, Valdosta State - Fort Mill’s Wells threw a pair of fourth quarter TD passes but was unable to lead Valdosta State to a win in his first college football start. The redshirt freshman completed 13-of-24 passes for 141 yards, two touchdowns and one interception, and also ran for 62 yards in the Blazers’ 29-12 loss to Albany State (Ga.).
Eric Westbrook, Campbell - former South Pointe Stallion and redshirt junior linebacker made three tackles, with 2.5 for a loss, and intercepted a pass during the Camels’ 70-0 shutout of Methodist University.
Wally Wilmore, The Citadel - Northwestern grad and true freshman made a tackle and intercepted a pass in his first college football game, a 31-14 win over Newberry.
Jay Hood, Wingate - Lancaster’s Hood, a redshirt sophomore receiver, caught his first college touchdown pass, a 13-yarder during the Bulldogs’ 38-18 win over Johnson C. Smith.
Mike Hill, Iowa Western Community College - Lewisville’s Hill caught a team-high nine passes for 74 yards during the Reivers’ 27-21 win over rival Hutchinson Community College. Hill, a true freshman receiver, had three catches for 57 yards in Iowa Western’s opener, also a win.
Other locals’ performances
Beau Nunn, Appalachian State - former York Cougar Beau Nunn started at right tackle for the Mountaineers during their 31-10 loss to No. 15 Georgia.
Malik Williams, Appalachian State - Chester’s Williams started at slot receiver for the Mountaineers during their 21-point loss at Georgia, making three catches for 24 yards and carrying the ball once for another two yards.
Antonio Dawkins, Bluefield College - Fort Mill’s Antonio Dawkins made three tackles in the Rams’ 24-17 loss to Cumberland University.
Shuler Littleton, Campbell - another former York Cougars offensive lineman, the 6-foot-7 Littleton made his first career start at right tackle for Campbell during the Camels’ season-opening blowout of Methodist.
Jamah Mitchell, Campbell - former Northwestern Trojan started at defensive tackle for the Camels and made four stops during his team’s 70-0 blowout of Methodist. Mitchell is a redshirt freshman.
Russell Hubbs, The Citadel - junior linebacker from Northwestern made two tackles during the Bulldogs’ win over Newberry.
Logan Rudolph, Clemson - true freshman from Northwestern made two tackles during the Tigers’ 56-3 blowout of Kent State, including one tackle-for-loss in his college football debut.
Chandler Kryst, Coastal Carolina - Fort Mill Yellow Jacket made a tackle during the Chanticleers’ 38-28 win over UMass.
Chris Norman, Concord (W.Va.) - Fort Mill grad started on Concord’s offensive line during the Mountain Lions’ loss to West Virginia Wesleyan.
Brandon Plyler, Concord (W.Va.) - another Fort Mill Yellow Jacket, Plyler started at wide reciver and caught four balls for 32 yards against West Virginia Wesleyan.
Andrew Komornik, Gardner-Webb - Nation Ford product punted nine times during a difficult offensive afternoon for the Runnin’ Bulldogs, who fell 45-3 to N.C. A&T. Komornik averaged 42 yards per kick, with two punts downed inside the 20-yard line and two longer than 50 yards.
Trae’von Hinton, Highland Community College (Kans.) - Hinton, the former Northwestern Trojan, made a tackle during Highland’s 27-23 loss to Garden City.
Rylan Wells, Jacksonville - Wells threw a fourth quarter touchdown pass but it was tough start to the year for Jacksonville, which fell to Mercer 48-7. Wells, the former Fort Mill Yellow Jacket, started at QB and completed 7-of-9 passes for 74 yards with a touchdown and interception. He also rushed for a team-high 64 yards.
Denzel Marshall, Johnson C. Smith - Chester Cyclone started at left tackle for Johnson C. Smith in his NCAA college football debut. The Golden Bulls fell to Wingate 38-18.
Dijuan Ussery, Missouri Western - Nation Ford graduate caught three passes for 18 yards in the Griffons’ 14-3 loss to Nebraska-Kearney.
Josh McCoy, N.C. Central - York Cougar caught one pass for six yards but N.C. Central got thumped 60-7 by Duke. McCoy, a junior tight end, was making his Division I football debut after two seasons in the junior college ranks.
Nick McCloud, N.C. State - South Pointe’s McCloud made three tackles but the Wolfpakck came up short in Charlotte, losing to South Carolina 35-28. McCloud started at cornerback for the Wolfpack.
Markell Castle, Newberry - Castle, the former York Cougar, made five catches for 78 yards, with a long of 42, during the Wolves’ 31-14 loss to The Citadel in Charleston.
Shea Rodgers, Newberry - Indian Land’s Rodgers punted six times for a 38-yard average and hit two extra points against The Citadel.
Rondreas Truesdale, Newberry - another Indian Land Warrior now at Newberry, Truesdale carried the ball three times for 38 yards against The Citadel.
Tony Gaston, Newberry - defensive back from Lewisville recorded one tackle during Newberry’s season-opening loss to The Citadel.
Nick Yearwood, Newberry - South Pointe Stallion made one tackle during the Wolves’ loss to The Citadel. Yearwood is a redshirt freshman linebacker.
Ali Shockley, North Greenville - true freshman from Northwestern made a pair of tackles during the Crusaders’ 34-33 win over Tusculum.
Quan Caldwell, South Carolina State - Chester Cyclone made four catches for 65 yards during the Bulldogs’ 14-8 loss to Southern.
Cole Martin, Stetson - Nation Ford Falcons product made a brief appearance during Stetson’s 42-3 loss to Sacred Heart, with his only pass attempt falling incomplete and two rushing attempts resulting in negative-8 yards.
C.D. Catoe, Union (Ky.) - Catoe had a busy college football debut during Union’s 55-28 win over Ave Maria (Fla.). The former Lancaster Bruin made four tackles and even carried the ball twice for four yards.
Nick Sturgill, Walsh (Ohio) - York’s Sturgill made six tackles in the Cavaliers’ 28-9 loss to Wayne State.
Detorien Rawlinson, William Penn (Iowa) - York’s Rawlinson made a tackle during William Penn’s 27-21 loss to Missouri Valley.
Terrance Morris, Wofford - linebacker from Chester recorded seven stops during Wofford’s 24-23 win over Furman.
This story was originally published September 4, 2017 at 2:16 PM with the headline "Top-10 performances by local college football players: Scott, Johnson and Rudolph shine."