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 Draft Scout College Football Player News: Illinois State
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  2022 ALL-MISSOURI VALLEY FOOTBALL HONORABLE MENTION: DB Deandre Lamont,...Rounding out the All-MVFC honors for the Redbirds was newcomer Deandre Lamont, who picked up all-league honors in his first season with the Redbirds after transferring from Central Arkansas. The Baytown, Texas, native ranked third on the team with 68 tackles and finished the year with two sacks and three tackles-for-loss. He also added an interception and three pass breakups in the Redbird secondary and posted a season-high 10 tackles against Southern Illinois. Lamont also recorded a sack and eight tackles in a win at UNI and was credited with five-plus tackles in 9-of-11 of the team's games. - Illinois State Football

rSr/2023 FS Deandre LamontIllinois State
News Source: Illinois State Football
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  2022 MISSOURI VALLEY FOOTBALL DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: LB Zeke Vandenburgh, Illinois State, 6-3, 235, Sr., Freeport, Illinois (Freeport High),...Zeke started all 10 games played in at outside linebacker and ranked No. 1 in the FCS in sacks per game and TFLs per game. He led the MVFC in sacks (14.0), TFLs (21.0) and was third in the league in tackles (100). The four-time MVFC Defensive Player of the Week recorded three sacks in three different games, including in the final two games of the season. He also finished the final two games of the year with 4.0 TFLs and had three-plus TFLs in five contests. He posted six double-digit tackle efforts, including a career-high 17 in the finale against Western Illinois, when he also recorded a career-best 3.5 sacks. - Missouri Valley Football

rSr/2023 OLB Zeke VandenburghIllinois State
News Source: Missouri Valley Football
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  NOV 21 MISSOURI VALLEY DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: LB Zeke Vandenburgh, Illinois State, 6-3, 235, Sr., Freeport, Illinois (Freeport HS),...In a season that has been filled with superlatives, senior linebacker Zeke Vandenburgh saved his best performance of his career for his final game in a Redbird uniform. The Freeport, Illinois, native set career highs with 17 tackles and 3.5 sacks and tied a career-best with 4.0 TFLs against the Leathernecks. It marked his second-straight game with 3 sacks or more and marked his third performance of the year with 3 or more sacks. Vandenburgh also a forced a fumble on one of the sacks of WIU quarterback Henry Ogala. - Missouri Valley Football

rSr/2023 OLB Zeke VandenburghIllinois State
News Source: Missouri Valley Football
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  NOV 21 MISSOURI VALLEY PLAYER OF THE WEEK NOMINEE: QB Tommy Rittenhouse, Illinois State - Rittenhouse led the Redbirds to an overtime win over Western Illinois. The Geneva, Illinois, native scored the game-winning touchdown in overtime for the Redbirds and picked up his first win as a starter at ISU. On a windy and cold day at Hancock Stadium, Rittenhouse completed 13-of-22 pass attempts for 77 yards and also rushed 30 yards on the ground. Late in the game, a couple of great runs set up a potential game-winning field goal as time expired, but it was his call to pull the ball down and run 8 yards for a touchdown in OT that secured the Redbird victory over the Leathernecks. - Missouri Valley Football

rJr/2026 QB Tommy RittenhouseIllinois State
News Source: Missouri Valley Football
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  Illinois State quarterback Tommy Rittenhouse ran for an 8-yard touchdown in overtime to help the Redbirds beat winless Western Illinois 20-13 on Saturday. The Redbirds started overtime with the ball. Rittenhouse faked a handoff and raced to the right side with no defenders in front of him before diving into the end zone. Illinois State DL Josh Dinga batted down a pass in overtime to force a fourth-down attempt from the 25-yard line and Dinga sealed it with a game-winning sack. Rittenhouse was also 13-of-22 passing for 77 yards with an interception for Illinois State (6-5, 4-4 Missouri Valley Conference Football). Erin Collins led Western Illinois (0-11, 0-8) with 33 carries for 163 yards and a touchdown. It was the program's most yards rushing since Steve McShane had 155 against Northern Arizona in 2016. - AP College Football

rJr/2026 QB Tommy RittenhouseIllinois State
News Source: AP College Football
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  NOV 14 MISSOURI VALLEY PLATER OF THE WEEK NOMINEE: LB Zeke Vandenburgh, Illinois State - The top-ranked Jackrabbits had a hard time slowing down the Redbird senior, who set a career-best with four tackles for loss and tied his career high with three sacks, matching the mark he set earlier this season against Valparaiso. He also recorded the first interception of his stellar career at Illinois State, while finishing with 10 total tackles and a pass breakup against the Jacks. With that performance, he upped his season totals to a MVFC leading 10.5 sacks and 17.0 TFLs. - Missouri Valley Football

rSr/2023 OLB Zeke VandenburghIllinois State
News Source: Missouri Valley Football
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  OCT 24 MISSOURI VALLEY NEWCOMER OF THE WEEK: QB Zack Annexstad, Illinois State, 6-2, 220, Jr., Norseland, Minnesota (IMG Academy/Minnesota),...Annexstad put together his best day as a Redbird and led his team to a gritty 27-21 road win at Indiana State. The transfer from Minnesota completed 24-of-38 pass attempts for a career-best 274 yards and accounted for four touchdowns for the Redbirds in their victory over the Sycamores. Annexstad scored twice on the ground on runs of nine and three yards, respectively, and threw a pair of touchdowns passes in the win for Illinois State. His first TD pass of the day was a 56-yarder to Jalen Carr and his second was an 18-yarder to his older brother, Brock. Annexstad and the Redbirds scored on each of the team's first three possessions of the game and never looked back to improve to 5-2 on the year and 3-1 in league play. - Missouri Valley Football

rSr/2024 QB Zack AnnexstadIllinois State
News Source: Missouri Valley Football
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  Zack Annexstad ran for two touchdowns and passed for another to his brother, Brock, in Illinois State's 27-21 victory over Indiana State on Saturday. The Redbirds (5-2, 3-1 Missouri Valley Football Conference) took a 20-0 lead in the first quarter on Annexstad's 9-yard run and his touchdown passes of 56 yards to Jalen Carr and 18 yards to Brock Annexstad. But they would need the quarterback's 3-yard run to cap a drive early in the fourth quarter to give them a 27-14 lead, enough to win despite Cade Chambers' 67-yard touchdown throw Dante Hendrix with just over 10 minutes remaining. The Sycamores (1-6, 0-4) drove from their own 7-yard line to the Illinois State 26 before Keondre Jackson made an end zone interception with four seconds left. Zack Annexstad was 24 of 38 for 274 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. Wenkers Wright had 36 carries for 180 yards with Carr finishing with 99 yards receiving. Chambers was 14-of-33 passing for 201 yards, two TDs and a pick. Hendrix had 107 yards receiving. - Illinois State/AP College Football

rSr/2024 QB Zack AnnexstadIllinois State
News Source: Illinois State/AP College Football
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  OCT 17 MISSOURI VALLEY PLAYER OF THE WEEK NOMINEE: PK Ian Wagner, Illinois State - Wagner continued his great start to the season and helped Illinois State to a big Homecoming win over South Dakota. Wagner connected on a pair of field goals and accounted for six of the Redbirds' 12 points in the win over the Coyotes. Wagner scored the first points of the game on a 37-yard field goal and also connected on a career-long 45-yarder in the contest for the Redbirds. With the two makes, Wagner is now 5-of-6 in just two games and leads the Redbirds in scoring with 17 points. - Missouri Valley Football

rJr/2026 K Ian WagnerIllinois State
News Source: Missouri Valley Football
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  OCT 17 NEC CO-OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Victor Dawson, Merrimack, Running Back, R-Fr., 6-0, 225, Akron, OH/Archbishop Hoban, Week 6 Stats: 124 rush yards, 22 rushes, 5.6 ypc, 2 TD rushes,...Dawson takes home NEC Offensive Player of the Week honors for the second time in as many weeks. The redshirt-freshman running back ran for 128 yards and had four touchdown rushes on 19 carries for Merrimack, which won its fourth-straight game and improved to 3-0 in NEC play with a 54-17 win over Wagner. Dawson, who nearly doubled his five league-best rushing touchdowns in one game alone, is tied for eighth in the FCS in the category with nine this season. In addition, the four rushing touchdowns are the most by a NEC player in a game this season. - NEC Football

rJr/2026 RB Victor DawsonIllinois State
News Source: NEC Football
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  OCT 17 NEC PRIME PERFORMER: Victor Dawson, MC (RB, R-Fr.),...Dawson was also named the NEC Co-Offensive Player of the Week after he rushed for 128 yards and four touchdowns on 19 carries against Wagner. The redshirt-freshman running back's four rushing touchdowns are the most for a NEC player in a game this season. - NEC Football

rJr/2026 RB Victor DawsonIllinois State
News Source: NEC Football
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  SEPT 26 FEDEX GROUND FCS NATIONAL FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK: Mason Kaplan, Valparaiso, QB, R-Fr., 6-3, 220, Peachtree Corners, Georgia,...After entering the game with Valpo trailing 14-0, Kaplan helped the Beacons knock off defending PFL co-champion San Diego 28-21 – just their second win in the series since 2003. Kaplan scored on a two-yard run midway through the second quarter and passed for two- and 44-yard touchdowns in the second half. He finished with 146 yards of total offense, completing four of six passes. Honorable Mention: Vinson Davis, WR/RS, Charleston Southern; Sam Franklin, RB, UT Martin; Gevani McCoy, QB, Idaho; Joshua Pitsenberger, RB, Yale. - STATS FCS Football

rJr/2026 ILB Mason KaplanIllinois State
News Source: STATS FCS Football
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  Zack Annexstad threw for 180 yards and his team's only touchdown, leading Illinois State to a 12-10 victory over South Dakota on Saturday. Trailing 10-6 late in the third quarter, Annexstad threw to Jerome Buckner for 41 yards and a first down at the South Dakota 3-yard line. Three plays later Annexstad hit Tanner Taula with a 2-yard scoring pass and the Redbirds led 12-10 after the PAT was missed. South Dakota's Eddie Ogamba missed a 43-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter and neither team drove inside the opponent's 40-yard line the rest of the game. Shomari Lawrence had 75 yards rushing for South Dakota (1-5, 0-3 MVFC), which had 132 yards on the ground and 117 yards passing for a total of 249. Illinois State (4-2, 2-1) passed for 180 yards and ran for 84, a total of 264 yards total offense. - Illinois State/AP College Football

rSr/2024 QB Zack AnnexstadIllinois State
News Source: Illinois State/AP College Football
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  Victor Dawson ran for four scores, Tyvon Edmonds Jr. added two more and Merrimack cashed in with six second-half touchdowns in beating winless Wagner 54-17 on Saturday. Wagner led 14-12 at halftime but the Warriors (5-2, 3-0 Northeast Conference) scored 21 points in each of the final two quarters to win their fourth straight game. Merrimack scored on six of their seven second-half drives. Dawson had three short runs for touchdowns plus a 34-yarder. He finished with 128 yards on 19 carries. Edmonds also had 19 carries for 140 yards and two short TDs runs. Merrimack finished with 309 yards rushing and Gavin McCusker threw for 181 yards and a score. Three Seahawks (0-6, 0-2) combined to go 21-of-30 passing for 229 yards. - AP College Football

rJr/2026 RB Victor DawsonIllinois State
News Source: AP College Football
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  OCT 3 NEC PRIME PERFORMER: Victor Dawson, MC (RB, R-Fr.),...Dawson ran it home from four yards out to tie up the game before teammate Lliam Davis knocked down the extra point to lead Merrimack to a come-from-behind 24-23 league win over LIU on Saturday. The redshirt-freshman running back racked up 110 rushing yards on a game-best 22 carries. - NEC Football

rJr/2026 RB Victor DawsonIllinois State
News Source: NEC Football
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