By Earl Heath | Contributing Sports Writer
Spencer Rattler South Carolina and John Marshall of Navy were named Walter Camps Offensive and Defensive Players of the week for the week ending November 20th.
Rattler competed 30-of-37 passes for a career-best 438 yards and set a school record with six touchdown throws as South Carolina defeated fifth-ranked Tennessee, 63-38. The Redshirt Junior helped the Gamecocks’ put 63 points on the board setting a school record against a top-five opponent. With the win, South Carolina improved to 7-4, 4-4 in the Southeastern Conference.
“I can’t even explain the feeling we all have right now, a game we’ve all been waiting for,” Rattler said. “We knew we had a couple tough losses, we knew this game and obviously the next one and could change the narrative of the program forever. Tonight, that was one of the best wins ever in college football history.
The Phoenix native (Pinnacle High) is the sixth South Carolina player to earn Walter Camp National Player of Week honors since the award started in 2004, and the first since defensive Jaycee Horn (Oct. 18, 2020)
Marshall was a dominant force in Navy’s 17-14 victory against 20th ranked UCF, recording 10 tackles, including a school record four quarterback sacks. Marshall also forced one fumble as the Midshipmen improved to 4-7, 4-4 in the American Athletic Conference.
The senior striker from Highland, Maryland is the third Navy player to earn Walter Camp National Player of Week honors since 2004, joining former Midshipmen Shun White (Aug. 30, 2008) and Malcolm Perry (Nov. 12, 2017) as honorees.
Walter Camp is known as “The Father of American football,” first selected an All-America team in 1889. Camp – a former Yale University athlete and football coach – is also credited with developing play from scrimmage, set plays, the numerical assessment of goals and tries and the restriction of play to eleven men per side. The Walter Camp Football Foundation (www.waltercamp.org, @WalterCampFF) – a New Haven-based all-volunteer group – was founded in 1967 to perpetuate the ideals of Camp.
