Bucknell University Athletics
Clayton Ewell, R.J. Nitti Earn Weekly Awards
9/22/2014 4:10:00 PM | Football
LEWISBURG, Pa. – Two key factors in Bucknell football's win at previously undefeated Sacred Heart on Saturday were honored with weekly awards on Monday. Junior S Clayton Ewell (Springfield, Pa./Springfield Township) earned Patriot League Defensive Player of the Week honors, while sophomore QB R.J. Nitti (Dix Hills, N.Y./Half Hallow Hills East) was named the Bison Athlete of the Week.
Ewell posted a career-high 10 tackles and intercepted two passes in the 36-20 victory over the Pioneers, while Nitti completed 18 of 31 passes for a career-high-tying 271 yards and four touchdowns. He became the first Bison since Jim Fox in 1996 to throw for four touchdowns in a game.
A first-time Patriot League weekly award winner, Ewell is the fifth different Bison to earn a weekly award from the league office this year, and the second to earn Defensive Player of the Week. Nitti is the second football player to pick up Bison Athlete of the Week honors this season, following Josh Brake.
Ewell was part of a Bucknell (3-0) defense that limited Sacred Heart (3-1) to 300 yards of total offense, including just 96 in the second half. His first interception came early in the second quarter and it halted a Sacred Heart drive that had moved inside the 20-yard line. His second pick came on the Pioneers' second drive of the second half and the ensuing 60-yard return set up a one-yard touchdown run by C.J. Williams that staked the Bison to a 20-13 advantage.
A two-year starter, Ewell now has four career interceptions. His 10 tackles ranked second on the team and eclipsed his previous career high by one.
Ewell ranks third on the squad in tackles (21) this year. He has two tackles for loss, one-half sack and one pass breakup. He ranked fourth in the Patriot League in tackles for loss (12.5) last fall.
A first-year starter, Nitti completed touchdown passes of 65, 55, 38 and 19 yards on Saturday. He became just the eighth quarterback in program history to throw as many as four touchdowns in a game. His 271 yards matched the career high he initially set last October against Holy Cross.
Nitti is now 53-for-87 for 742 yards and eight touchdowns this season. No Bison has thrown for more touchdowns since Marcello Trigg had 13 touchdown passes in 2008.
Nitti ranks in the top 50 nationally in eight key statistical categories, including 13th in passing efficiency (158.3).
A veteran of seven career games, Nitti pushed his career passing yards total over 1,000 on Saturday. He has now completed 91 of 165 passes for 1,113 yards in his two years as a Bison.
Bucknell, which is receiving votes in The Sports Network Top 25 Poll and is one of 11 unbeaten teams remaining in all of FCS, will host Cornell this Saturday at 6 p.m. It is Family Weekend on the Bucknell campus. The game can be seen live on Bison Vision on the Patriot League Network.
