Bucknell University Athletics
Three Bison Football Players Earn Weekly Awards From Patriot League
10/5/2015 4:25:00 PM | Football
LEWISBURG, Pa. – The Bucknell football team was heavily honored by the Patriot League on Monday when three Bison earned weekly awards from the conference. Sophomore LB Ben Richard (Herriman, Utah/Herriman) was named the Defensive Player of the Week, while sophomore RB Joey DeFloria (Greensburg, Pa./Hempfield Area) earned Special Teams Player of the Week honors. Freshman CB Bryan Marine (Owings Mills, Md./Calvert Hall) was cited as Rookie of the Week.
It was the first career weekly honor for each Bison player. All three played key roles in Bucknell's 28-22 overtime victory at VMI on Saturday.
Richard was one of three Bison to post double-figure tackles as he registered a career-high 18 in the victory. It marked the most stops by a Patriot League player this season, and it is the ninth-most in FCS in 2015. He also had a sack and a pass breakup.
A key part of Bucknell's defense that is ranked eighth nationally in total defense and scoring defense, Richard now leads the team with 41 tackles this season. The first-year starter also paces the squad with seven tackles for loss.
DeFloria sparked Bucknell's comeback from a 12-point deficit with an 85-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in the fourth quarter against VMI. It was the first kickoff return for a touchdown by a Bison player since 2010. DeFloria returned three kicks for 137 yards in the contest and finished with a career-high 175 all-purpose yards thanks to five rushing yards and 33 receiving yards. He made a key grab along the left sideline just prior to Will Carter's go-ahead touchdown late in the fourth quarter.
DeFloria has had back-to-back heroics as he caught the game-winning touchdown in the closing minutes at Cornell the game prior.
Marine moved into the starting lineup for that Cornell game and has put together back-to-back strong performances. He posted a career-high 10 tackles and had three pass breakups against VMI. Two of those pass breakups came in the end zone on the final drive in regulation for the Keydets as they were aiming for a go-ahead score.
Marine now has 17 tackles this season to rank fifth on the team. He also has an interception that essentially clinched the outcome against the Big Red.
Bucknell will open Patriot League play this Saturday, Oct. 10, when it hosts Lehigh at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium. Kickoff is at 1 p.m. The Bison have defeated the Mountain Hawks by a combined 93-34 score the last two years.
