Nov. 20, 2001

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Samford quarterback Ramon Nelson is one of four players honored as Offensive Player of the Week by Don Hansen's Football Gazette. The honor is Nelson's second of the week.

Nelson, a 5-11, 175-pound freshman from Mobile, also won the I-AA Independent Offensive Player award on Sunday for the second time in three weeks. Saturday, he completed 32 of 44 passes for 403 yards and four touchdowns in leading Samford to a 46-28 win over VMI. Samford trailed 28-18 at the half but Nelson led the Bulldogs to 28 points in the third quarter. He passed for TDs of 2, 28, 52 and 35 yards, all in the third, and helped the Bulldogs amass 295 yards in the period. He led Samford to 578 yards of total offense and upped his season total in passing to 1,466, which came in only five starts and in splitting time in the Bulldogs' first five games.

Nelson was also named the I-AA Independent Offensive Player of the Week after he threw for 265 yards and three touchdowns against Elon on Nov. 4.

Don Hansen is recognized as an expert on small college football across the United States. Don covers NCAA 1-AA, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III, NAIA, as well as NCCAA. Hansen has been covering college football for over 25 years and has published his Football Gazette since 1986.