University of Albany FCS Football Tailback Andrew Smith Chosen Northeast Conference Football Offensive Player of the Week - UAlbany Sports 2011

Somerset, N.J. - University at Albany's Andrew Smith has been named Northeast Conference Offensive Player of the Week in football, as announced on Monday, Oct. 31 by the conference office. Smith, a junior tailback, received the NEC's weekly award for the second time this season.

Smith rushed 23 times for 149 yards, the second-best performance of his career, and one touchdown in last Saturday's 24-0 victory over Wagner. In blizzard conditions due to a rare October snowstorm, Smith was featured on an eight-play, 45-yard drive in the second quarter that gave his team a 7-0 lead. He scored on a one-yard run, his seventh consecutive carry, to cap the march. The native of Guilderland, N.Y., also helped break open a tight game in the third quarter. He caught a 15-yard first-down pass and broke free on a 48-yard run in a drive that led to 14-0 advantage.

Smith accounted for 170 all-purpose yards, his second-highest total as a collegian, and has reached the century mark in that category in six consecutive games. He recorded his fifth career 100-yard rushing effort. Smith leads the Great Danes in rushing with 720 yards and seven touchdowns, plus is sixth in the NEC in all-purpose yards (115.1 ypg).

UAlbany (6-2, NEC 5-0) is in first place in the conference standings. The Great Danes, who have won six in a row, host Bryant at University Field on Saturday, Nov. 5 at 1:00 p.m.

Paw Prints: UAlbany owns a six-game winning streak, tying the third longest in the program's Division I FCS history ... the Great Danes recorded their 11th shutout as an FCS program by holding Wagner to 204 yards, including 25 passing ... UAlbany has reached the five-win mark in Northeast Conference play in 10 of 13 seasons as a league member ... the Great Danes and Bryant will meet for the third time this weekend ... the Bulldogs posted a 24-7 victory one year ago ... Bryant's Jordan Brown, a Walter Payton Award candidate as the nation's top FCS player, is averaging 163.5 rushing yards, 241.1 all-purpose yards and 13.8 points ... the Great Danes are eighth in scoring (35.9 ppg) and tied for ninth in red-zone efficiency (91%) among the NCAA leaders ... DT Zach Gallo made a career-high 11 tackles and recovered a fumble last week ... DE Eddie Delaney added eight tackles and equaled a career-best 1.5 sacks ... Delaney's sacks wiped out two second-half scoring threats by the Wagner offense ... the Great Danes are receiving votes in both The Sports Network and FCS Coaches national polls.