SEWARD, Neb. – After rushing for five touchdowns, including the game winner, last week versus Hastings, redshirt sophomore running back Jonah Weyand has been named the GPAC/Hauff Mid-America Sports Offensive Player of the Week. The announcement from the conference came on Monday (Sept. 21). The Concordia University Football program had three GPAC Defensive Player of the Week honorees in 2019, but Weyand is the first Bulldog to be tabbed Offensive Player of the Week since Ryan Durdon in September 2018.
The five rushing touchdowns by Weyand equaled a GPAC single-game record (previously achieved four times in conference history). A product of Crete High School, Weyand is the NAIA national leader in both rushing yards (346) and rushing touchdowns (seven) this season. The workhorse back carried the ball 35 times for 177 yards while burning the Bronco defense. His touchdown runs covered eight, one, 10, 15 and 10 yards, respectively. The final run clinched the 34-28 victory in overtime. Weyand also had a rush of 54 yards that closed out the first half.
In the GPAC era (2000-present), two Concordia backs had previously rushed for four touchdowns in a single game. Durdon accomplished that feat against Midland in 2017 while JaMaine Lewis found the end zone four times versus Dakota Wesleyan in 2007. The school record for most touchdowns scored by an individual in a single season was 19 by Bernard Arkebauer in 1931.
Weyand and his teammates will return to action on Saturday at Briar Cliff (0-1). The Bulldogs (2-0) will attempt to get to 3-0 for the first time since 2016. They have not opened up GPAC play with three-straight wins since 2013.
