Southard, Vidlak Honored as SLC Players of the Week
10/6/2025 2:58:00 PM | Football
Seniors grab weekly league plaudits as 'Jacks see players recognized for third-straight week
FRISCO, Texas - The Southland Conference announced the league's players of the week following week six action and for the third Monday in a row multiple Lumberjacks were honored as the SLC's best which included senior linebacker Jaydon Southard being named the league's defensive player of the week, while SFA earned a third-straight offensive player of the week nod with senior quarterback Sam Vidlak receiving the plaudits.
Southard registered his fourth game this season with 10+ stops as he matched his career-best effort with 16 stops including a dozen solo to go along with three tackles for loss (19), 1.5 sacks (17) and a forced fumble. One of his biggest plays in Saturday's win was massive chase down sack of UIW's EJ Colson on fourth down which set up an SFA scoring strike from Vidlak to Isaish Davis three plays later. Southard is the lone SLC defender with multiple games of 15 or more tackles this season. He leads the SLC in tackles average (12.6), tackles for loss average (1.20) and solo tackles average (5.80). His nearly 13 stops per game rates fourth in FCS, while his solo stops per game rank 10th.
Vidlak was highly efficient 19-of-26 passing with three touchdowns in the Alamo City victory. His second touchdown pass, a 37-yard strike to Derrick Bohler and the 36th of his career, pushed the signal caller past the 4,000-yard passing mark as a collegian. His 58-yard completion to Clayton Wayland helped the former move into the top 10 all-time in SFA passing yards. It was his tenth career game with multiple touchdown passes and his eighth with three or more. Vidlak's ten passing TDs and 197.2 passing yards per game both rank second among SLC quarterbacks through Week 6.
'JACKS HONORED BY THE SLC IN '25
10/6: Jaydon Southard - Defensive Player of the Week
10/6: Sam Vidlak - Offensive Player of the Week
9/29: Jerrell Wimbley - Offensive Player of the Week
9/29: Carlos Alvarado - HM Special Teams Player of the Week
9/22: Jerrell Wimbley - Offensive Player of the Week
9/22: Kylon Harris - Special Teams Player of the Week
9/22: Malachi Williams - HM Defensive Player of the Week
UP NEXT
The 'Jacks prepare for a Homecoming bout with Nicholls on October 18, but not before heading into the bye week. The 'Jacks are off on October 11 before putting an unbeaten home record on the line in their third SLC test of the season as the Colonels come to town with SFA celebrating Homecoming No. 84 in Nacogdoches. SFA is 26-11 all-time against their foe from Thibodaux with a 14-5 mark at home and 4-2 effort in Homecoming matchups. Overall, the 'Jacks are 42-40-1 in Homecoming games. The October 18 kickoff is set for 6 p.m. Live coverage links will be made available at www.SFAjacks.com.
FOLLOW THE LUMBERJACKS
For all the latest information on SFA football, visit SFAjacks.com. For up-to-the-minute updates, follow the Lumberjacks on X, Instagram and Facebook.
Southard registered his fourth game this season with 10+ stops as he matched his career-best effort with 16 stops including a dozen solo to go along with three tackles for loss (19), 1.5 sacks (17) and a forced fumble. One of his biggest plays in Saturday's win was massive chase down sack of UIW's EJ Colson on fourth down which set up an SFA scoring strike from Vidlak to Isaish Davis three plays later. Southard is the lone SLC defender with multiple games of 15 or more tackles this season. He leads the SLC in tackles average (12.6), tackles for loss average (1.20) and solo tackles average (5.80). His nearly 13 stops per game rates fourth in FCS, while his solo stops per game rank 10th.
Vidlak was highly efficient 19-of-26 passing with three touchdowns in the Alamo City victory. His second touchdown pass, a 37-yard strike to Derrick Bohler and the 36th of his career, pushed the signal caller past the 4,000-yard passing mark as a collegian. His 58-yard completion to Clayton Wayland helped the former move into the top 10 all-time in SFA passing yards. It was his tenth career game with multiple touchdown passes and his eighth with three or more. Vidlak's ten passing TDs and 197.2 passing yards per game both rank second among SLC quarterbacks through Week 6.
'JACKS HONORED BY THE SLC IN '25
10/6: Jaydon Southard - Defensive Player of the Week
10/6: Sam Vidlak - Offensive Player of the Week
9/29: Jerrell Wimbley - Offensive Player of the Week
9/29: Carlos Alvarado - HM Special Teams Player of the Week
9/22: Jerrell Wimbley - Offensive Player of the Week
9/22: Kylon Harris - Special Teams Player of the Week
9/22: Malachi Williams - HM Defensive Player of the Week
UP NEXT
The 'Jacks prepare for a Homecoming bout with Nicholls on October 18, but not before heading into the bye week. The 'Jacks are off on October 11 before putting an unbeaten home record on the line in their third SLC test of the season as the Colonels come to town with SFA celebrating Homecoming No. 84 in Nacogdoches. SFA is 26-11 all-time against their foe from Thibodaux with a 14-5 mark at home and 4-2 effort in Homecoming matchups. Overall, the 'Jacks are 42-40-1 in Homecoming games. The October 18 kickoff is set for 6 p.m. Live coverage links will be made available at www.SFAjacks.com.
FOLLOW THE LUMBERJACKS
For all the latest information on SFA football, visit SFAjacks.com. For up-to-the-minute updates, follow the Lumberjacks on X, Instagram and Facebook.
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