FRISCO, Texas – Coming off a career-high 17 tackles, 15 of those in the solo department, McNeese linebacker Kordell Williams has been named this week's Southland Conference Defensive Player of the Week the league announced on Monday. Weekly awards are presented by GEICO.
 
The Cowboys are coming a 38-35 loss to Southeastern on Saturday in a game that saw the Cowboys rally from a 24-7 halftime deficit and 31-14 third quarter score. His 17 stops are the most by a Cowboy player since B.J. Blunt posted 20 tackles against Abilene Christian in the 2018 season.
 
A native of Carencro, Williams leads the Southland Conference and is ranked 18^th in the FCS with 50 tackles on the season and has recorded 10 or more tackles in four straight games. The 15 solo tackles recorded against SLU ranks as the most by a player this season in all of Division I, including the FBS ranks.
 
This is Williams' first conference weekly award in his McNeese career. He's the third Cowboy player to earn SLC honors this season. Corione Harris (defensive) and Mason Pierce (special teams) received the accolades following the Cowboys' win at Southern.
 
Southeastern quarterback Cole Kelley was named the league's offensive player of the week after completing 36 of 49 passes for 391 yards and three touchdowns against the Cowboys, and HBU punter Brady Buell earned special teams accolades after averaging 47.8 yards per punt against Nicholls.
 
2021 Southland Football Players of the Week
Oct. 4 – Cole Kelley, SLU; Kordell Williams, McNeese; Brady Buell, HBU
Sept. 27 – Lindsey Scott Jr., NICH; Kelechi Anyalebechi, UIW; Kevin Nguyen, UIW.
Sept. 20 – Cameron Ward, UIW; Corione Harris, McNeese; Mason Pierce, McNeese.
Sept. 13 – Dai'Jean Dixon, NICH; Kelechi Anyalebechi, UIW; Austin Dunlap, SLU.
Sept. 7 – Cole Kelley, SLU; Ferlando Jordan, SLU; Brady Buell, HBU.