Shutterstock
As the college football season rolls on, the Maxwell Football Club continues to announce its weekly honors. Following Week 11 of the 2021 campaign, the Maxwell Football Club announced its latest Maxwell Award Player of the Week and Bednarik Award Player of the Week.
The Maxwell Award Player of the Week will be recognized for overall performance on offense, defense, or special teams. The Chuck Bednarik Award Player of the Week, meanwhile, will be honored for outstanding defensive play.
This week’s Maxwell Award Player of the Week went to Purdue quarterback Aidan O’Connell, who recorded 536 yards and three touchdown passes in the Boilermakers’ stunning upset of No. 3 Michigan State.
Defensively, Alabama star Will Anderson picked up the weekly honors after recording a career-high 12 tackles, including four for loss, 1.5 sacks, a pass breakup, and two quarterback hurries.
Additional information on the Week 10 Player of the Week winners can be seen below.
Maxwell Award Player of the Week: QB Aidan O’Connell, Purdue
The former walk-on who had originally committed to Division III Wheaton College has now helped defeat two top 3 teams this season. Three weeks after knocking off No. 2 Iowa, Purdue ended No. 3 Michigan State’s perfect season behind a prolific passing attack. O’Connell lit up the overmatched Spartan secondary all afternoon with 536 yards and three touchdown passes on 40-of-54 passing. The ‘spoilermakers’ now have 17 all-time wins over AP Top 5 teams, the most in the country.
Bednarik Award Player of the Week: OLB Will Anderson, Alabama
On a night that the offense managed just 20 points, Alabama needed No. 31 more than ever. And, boy, did he ever step up… again. The Crimson Tide survived a home scare from LSU, 20-14, thanks in large part to the ferocious determination of Anderson, who would not allow his team to lose. Unblockable no matter what looks the Tigers threw his way, he finished with a career-high 12 tackles, including four for loss, 1.5 sacks, a pass breakup and two quarterback hurries.
