This week's Players of the Week in the Gateway Football Conference are WR/RS Steven Rush of SMS; LB Karl Maslowski of Western Kentucky; P Pat Jordan of Indiana State; and Brad Durham of SMS.

Offensive

WR/KR Steven Rush, SMS Jr., 5-11, 196, Omaha (Neb.) North High Rush caught 6 passes for 249 yards and four touchdowns and returned three kickoffs for 161 yards and a fifth TD. He had TD receptions of 9, 74, 75 and 80 yards, returned a kickoff 88 yards for a TD and had another KO return of 56 yards. In the process, Rush set SMS game records for TD receptions, receiving yards, all-purpose yards (410), broke the Gateway game all-purpose yardage mark, tied the Gateway TD catch record and

had the fifth best Gateway receiving yardage game. His 410 all-purpose yards rank ninth-best all-time in NCAA I-AA history. He is the first player in league history to have three TDs of 70 yards or more in the same game; and counting his 88-yard kick return, he’s the first player in GFC history with four TDs of 70 yards or more in one game.

Defensive

LB Karl Maslowski, Western Kentucky Sr., 6-1, 225, New Lenox (Ill.) Lincoln-Way Maslowski made 12 tackles (eight unassisted) -- four were behind the line of scrimmage (for 19 yards), including a pair of sacks -- as the Hilltoppers held UNI without a touchdown for the first time in 2003 in Western’s 24-3 victory. He was responsible for ending five Panther drives with three tackles, a sack and a pass defensed on either third or fourth down. Maslowski’s efforts helped the WKU defense allow the Panthers a season-low three points while not letting UNI rush for 100 yards for the first time this season -- Terrance Freeney, the league’s leading rusher entering play, managed just 13 yards on 13 carries.

Special Teams

P Pat Jordan, Indiana State Sr., 6-0, 200, Huntertown (Ind.) Carroll High Jordan had a big week for the Sycamores as he booted six punts against Western Illinois for an average of 43.5 yards per kick. Jordan’s long on the day was 52 yards and he pinned WIU inside their own 20-yard line twice. Jordan’s best punt of the day came in the first half when one of his punts bounded inside the five yard line spun to the side and rolled out of bounds inside the WIU one-yard line to pin the Leathernecks deep inside their own territory.

Offensive Lineman

Brad Durham, SMS He had 96 snaps and graded out at 88% with 3 pancakes, 0 errors, no sacks allowed and no hurries. And, SMS scored 43 points and had 581 yards total offense.