WEEK 13 NEC OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Elijah Howard, Central Connecticut,...Running Back, Senior, 5-10, 185 lbs., Knoxville, TN/Baylor School (Virginia Tech),...Week 13 Stats: 163 rushing yards, 25 rushes, 6.5 yards per rush, 2 rushing touchdowns, 25 receiving yards, 4 receptions, 1 receiving touchdown,...Howard put an exclamation point on the NEC's first 1,000-yard rushing season since 2023 in Saturday's regular season finale against Mercyhurst. The senior saved one of his best outings of the year for when it mattered most, as he totaled 188 all-purpose yards and three touchdowns to lead the Blue Devils to a 35-28 home win that clinched a berth to the FCS Playoffs for the second time in as many seasons. On the afternoon, Howard carried the ball 25 times for two touchdowns and 163 yards, including his 1,000th of the season midway through the second quarter, to run away with the NEC's rushing title.Opening the contest with a 22-yard run into the end zone, the Knoxville, TN native made it a 1 4-14 game at the end of the first quarter with a four-yard touchdown run. Howard, who added 25 yards on four receptions, went on to provide the go-ahead score with 11:14 left in the fourth quarter when he caught an eight-yard touchdown pass from Brady Ol son to make it a 35-28 lead. He enters the FCS Playoffs with a league-leading 1,078 yards rushing and 98.0 rushing yards per game to rank 13th in the nation, while his league-leading 11 rushing scores are good for 24th in the FCS. He concludes the season with a league-best three NEC/Atlantic Tomorrow's Office Offensive Player of the Week awards. - NEC Football
(DS#51 RB) rSr/2026  RB Elijah Howard, Central Connecticut
News Source: NEC Football
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