Johnson & Sheridan Earn MIAC Honors
MOORHEAD, Minn. (11/05/18)---Concordia sophomores Dan Johnson and Rylie Sheridan both earned MIAC Player of the Week honors as they helped the Cobbers beat St. Olaf 21-10 to retain possession of The Troll for the seventh straight season.
Johnson earned MIAC Defensive Player of the Week honors while Sheridan was named the MIAC Special Teams Player of the Week. The conference weekly award is a first for Johnson while Sheridan earned the second Special Team Player of the Week honor in his career. He also claimed the award last season after playing St. Olaf.
Johnson had a career game on Saturday from his linebacker position as he came away with 3.0 sacks, 4.0 tackles for a loss, forced a fumble and recovered a fumble.
The biggest play of the game on defense came courtesy of Johnson. On the Oles' opening possession of the game, Johnson broke through the line and sacked the quarterback for an 8-yard loss. As he was in the process of bringing the St. Olaf QB to the ground he was able to knock the ball loose and then fell on the ball to give Concordia possession at the Ole 16-yard line.
The Cobbers would score three plays later when Sheridan sprinted the ball into the end zone from 10 yards out.
Johnson's play helped Concordia hold St. Olaf to 62 rushing yards.
Sheridan had the key swing play of the game for Concordia. St. Olaf scored in the middle of the third quarter to take a 10-7 lead but then Sheridan stepped up and returned the ensuing kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown to give the lead back to the Cobbers. Sheridan's kickoff return stopped the Ole momentum and Concordia never trailed for the remainder of the game.
The 95-yard kickoff return is the second longest in school history and it is Sheridan's second kickoff return for a touchdown in his Cobber career. He had an 80-yard kickoff return to The House last season against St. Olaf. His two kickoff returns for a TD are tied for the most by an individual in a career at Concordia.
Johnson and Sheridan will be help the Cobbers finish off the 2018 season when Concordia hosts Carleton on Saturday, Nov. 10 at 1 p.m.