EMCC's Quez Johnson named NJCAA Offensive Player of the Week for second time in three weeks

SCOOBA – For the second time in three weeks, East Mississippi Community College freshman quarterback Quez Johnson has been accorded NJCAA Offensive Player of the Week recognition on top of the state's weekly honor he received earlier in the week by the MACJC and www.jucoweekly.org.

In the Lions' heartbreaking 47-46 home loss to No. 15 Copiah-Lincoln Community College during the MACJC State Semifinals this past Saturday, Johnson accounted for a personal-best 557 yards of total offense and four touchdowns against the Wolfpack.  Along with throwing for a career-high 455 yards and a pair of touchdowns on 40-of-57 passing versus Co-Lin, the dual-threat performer also rushed for 102 yards and two more scores on 21 attempts.

Johnson initially earned national and state player of the week laurels following East Mississippi's 56-49 division-clinching home victory over then-No. 5 Northwest Mississippi Community College on Oct. 18.  Against the Rangers, the former Starkville High School product amassed 536 yards of total offense and accounted for seven touchdowns.  Johnson threw for 422 yards and four touchdowns on 33-of-46 passing to secure the Lions' fourth MACJC North Division regular-season football title in five years.  The 6-foot-1, 225-pound signal caller also rushed for 114 yards on 21 carries with three more scores on the ground.

For the season, Johnson ranks fourth nationally averaging 284.6 passing yards per game and is tied for fourth among the NJCAA's statistical leaders with his 27 passing touchdowns.  In addition to his 59.3-percent passing accuracy (227-of-383) on the year, he also stands as EMCC's second-leading rusher behind Rodriguez Moore with 540 rushing yards and a team-high 12 rushing touchdowns on 121 attempts.  Johnson, who also was tabbed the MACJC/jucoweekly.org Offensive Player of the Week following EMCC's 59-6 road win over Southwest Mississippi back on Sept. 13, rushed for 100 or more yards in each of the Lions' last three games of the year.

Also receiving NJCAA individual honors this week were safety Travis Green of top-ranked Iowa Western Community College and Copiah-Lincoln kick returner/wide receiver Joe Craig Jr., who had an 80-yard touchdown reception to go along with his game-winning, 90-yard kickoff return against the EMCC Lions in earning special teams accolades.

Ranked 16^th in this week's NJCAA Top 20 national poll, head coach Buddy Stephens' EMCC Lions finished the 2012 season with an 8-2 overall record.  After extending their winning streak to 20 consecutive games dating back to last year by beginning the current season unbeaten through eight games, the reigning NJCAA National Champions closed out the 2012 campaign with last-second, one-point setbacks to Itawamba and Copiah-Lincoln.