The Alabama coaching staff selected eight players of the week following the Crimson Tide’s 57-7 win over Arkansas State last Saturday in the home opener at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Najee Harris, Ross Pierschbacher and Tua Tagovailoa on offense; Isaiah Buggs, Raekwon Davis, Deionte Thompson and Quinnen Williams on defense; and Joseph Bulovas on special teams all earned recognition for their performances against the Red Wolves.

Harris paced the running backs, rushing for a career-high 135 yards and one score on only 13 carries. Pierschbacher helped open holes for the sophomore back, grading out at a team-high 92 percent and missing only one assignment with two knockdown blocks on his 70 snaps at center. The redshirt senior did not commit a penalty or allow a pressure while opening holes to allow the Crimson Tide rushing attack to accumulate 278 total yards on the ground. Tagovailoa, in his second start as a member of the Crimson Tide, accounted for 248 total yards and four touchdowns. The sophomore quarterback completed 68.4 percent of his passes (13-19) for 228 yards and four scores while adding 20 yards rushing on four carries.

On defense, the trio of Buggs, Davis and Williams helped limit the Red Wolves to only one score on the day. Buggs, a senior, totaled five tackles, including his second sack of the season (-1 yard), and added a quarterback pressure, while Davis, a junior, and Williams, a redshirt sophomore, impressed once again, each finishing with two total tackles. Thompson closed out his afternoon with six tackles, ranking him second for tackles on the day. The redshirt junior helped lead a defensive backfield that limited ASU to only 22 completions in 51 tries and 218 total yards through the air.

Bulovas, a redshirt freshman, took over placekicker duties midway through the first half, finishing 5-for-5 on extra point attempts while adding a 39-yard field goal. He also kicked off 10 times for 570 yards, averaging 57.0 yards per kick with three of his kicks going for a touchback to earn his first career accolades from the Tide coaching staff.

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