RIO GRANDE VALLEY – The Southland Conference announced on Monday that graduate student running back Nathan Denney of The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) football team earned Southland Conference Offensive Player of the Week honorable mention.
 
During Saturday's 33-14 victory over East Texas A&M, Denney rushed 26 times for a career-high 158 yards, marking his third 100+ yard rushing game of the season. He also made one catch for seven yards, finishing with a career-high 165 all-purpose yards.
 
In nine games this season, Denney has rushed 142 times for 664 yards and four touchdowns, averaging 73.8 yards per game and 4.7 yards per carry. He has also proven himself to be a capable receiver, making 25 receptions for 253 yards and one touchdown, allowing him to have five games of 100+ all-purpose yards.
 
Denny ranks 39^th in the FCS and third in the Southland in rushing yards per game (73.8), 46^th in the FCS and second in the Southland in all-purpose yards per game (101.89), 76^th in the FCS and fifth in the Southland in rushing yards per carry (4.68), 81^st in the FCS and third in the Southland in rushing yards (664), and 163^rd in the FCS and 14^th in the Southland in total yards per game (73.8).
 
Denney is part of an offense that ranks seventh in the FCS and first in the Southland in points per  game (39.6), 18^th in the FCS and first in the Southland in total yards per game (435.2), 22^nd in the FCS and second in the Southland in rushing yards per game (188.3), 24^th in the FCS and first in the Southland in third down conversions (45.0%), 32^nd in the FCS and fourth in the Southland in red zone conversions (86.5%), and 38^th in the FCS and third in the Southland in first downs gained (247).
 
Of the 11 football programs to start from scratch at the NCAA DI-AA (1978-2005)/FCS (2006-Present) level since Division I college football split into two levels in 1978, UTRGV is the only one to win more than seven games, finishing 9-3, and the only one to win more than five games against FCS competition, finishing with six such wins.
 
UTRGV Weekly Southland Conference Honors
Sept. 1 – Eddie Lee Marburger, Offensive Player of the Week Honorable Mention
Sept. 8 – Nathan Denney, Offensive Player of the Week
Sept. 15 – Elijah Graham, Defensive Player of the Week Honorable Mention
Oct. 27 – Eddie Lee Marburger, Offensive Player of the Week
Nov. 10 – Nathan Denney, Offensive Player of the Week Honorable Mention
Nov. 17 – Tony Diaz, Offensive Player of the Week
Nov. 24 – Nathan Denney, Offensive Player of the Week Honorable Mention

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