Neal Named MIAC Offensive Player of the Week

MOORHEAD, Minn. (10/27/14)—Concordia senior quarterback Griffin Neal added the MIAC Offensive Player of the Week award on to his list of accomplishments from the weekend. Neal, who broke the school record for career passing yards and tied the school record for career passing touchdowns on Saturday, becomes the second Cobber player to earn conference player of the week honors this season.

Neal tied his top passing yardage total for the season in Concordia's 42-7 win over Hamline on Saturday. He threw for 272 yards and two TD's against the Pipers. He was 17-for-23 on the day and came away with a season-best 193.25 efficiency rating. Neal also ran the ball seven times and finished with rushing yards.

It is the first time Neal has won Player of the Week honors this season. He earned the MIAC Offensive Player of the Week award three times last season. It is the fifth time he has won the weekly award in his career.   

Neal's single-game prowess was just a sideshow to the career record-breaking main act he showcased against Hamline's. He became the school's all-time passing yardage leader late in the second quarter when he connected on a 22-yard pass to Cooper Gauldin. Neal would then go on to add 91 more passing yards and now has 5,327 career passing yards. His total surpasses Michael Dunham's career passing mark of 5,235 yards which was set from 2008-11.

Neal also tied the school record for career passing TD's. He hooked up with junior wide receiver Brandon Zylstra for two scores in the first half which pushes his career total to 44. He is tied with Ryan Hebrink who also had 44 touchdown passes from 2000-03.  

Neal, the two-time All-MIAC performer, ranks in the top 5 of the MIAC in every passing category this season. He has passed for 1,676 yards and 12 touchdowns and has completed 63.8-percent of his passes.

Neal will look to break the career passing touchdown mark when Concordia plays at St. Thomas on Saturday, Nov. 1 at 1:10 p.m.