Tyler Russell Named SEC Offensive Player of the Week

STARKVILLE, Miss. - After throwing three touchdown passes and leading Mississippi State to its first SEC-opening win since 1999, quarterback Tyler Russell was named Southeastern Conference Offensive Player of the Week, the league announced Monday. Russell is the first signal caller since Sleepy Robinson in 1991 (Oct. 12 and Nov. 23) to pick up the weekly offensive nod.

Russell completed a career-best 20 passes to nine different receivers on 29 attempts, finishing with three scores, no interceptions and 222 yards. The Meridian, Miss., native led the Bulldogs on three touchdown drives in its first four second-half possessions, as State scored 21 unanswered points to seal the game.

With a 167.41 passing efficiency rating, Russell tallied his first 200-yard SEC passing game and his first 200-yard game since his Bulldog debut against Memphis in 2010 (256). The quarterback's performance was the first 200-yard performance by a MSU quarterback since last year's season opener at Memphis (Chris Relf, 202), and the first against a SEC squad since the 2010 Egg Bowl (Chris Relf, 288).

In addition to Russell's performance, MSU All-American defensive back Johnthan Banks was named to the Hornung Award Weekly Honor Roll early Monday morning. A watch list member for the yearly Hornung Award, the weekly recognition honors versatile, single-game performances throughout the season by FBS football players nationwide.

For more information on Russell and the MSU football program, follow the team on Twitter at @MStateFB and like the team on Facebook at Facebook.com/MStateFB.