SOMERSET, N.J. - Duquesne quarterback
Darius Perrantes (Los Angeles, Calif. / St. Francis / Rhode Island) garnered Northeast Conference (NEC) Co-Offensive Player of the Week honors following his performance in the Dukes' 39-34 victory over Bryant, conference officials on Monday afternoon.
Sacred Heart running back Malik Grant was also named NEC Co-Offensive Player of the Week while Pioneer linebacker Chris Outterbridge earned the NEC's Defensive Player of the Week award, Saint Francis U wide receiver Josh McGrigg was named the NEC Special Teams Player of the Week and Bryant quarterback Zevi Eckhaus the NEC Rookie of the Week.
Perrantes collects his second NEC Offensive Player of the Week accolade in four starts for Duquesne, becoming the first Duke to earn two NEC Offensive Player of the Week awards in the same season since A.J. Hines was a four-time honoree in 2018. He is the first Duquesne quarterback to garner two NEC Player of the Week honors in the same year since Sean Patterson in 2010.
The Golden State native completed 29-of-41 passes for a career-high 316 yards and a trio of touchdowns to help the Dukes post the thrilling triumph over the Bulldogs on Saturday afternoon at Rooney Field. He added seven rushes for 38 yards and a score, as well.
Perrantes' 29 completions are tied for the fourth-most in a single game in school history and were the most by a Duquesne quarterback since Dillon Buechel completed 33 passes in the Dukes' FCS Playoff game at William & Mary on Nov. 28, 2015.
After Bryant gained a 34-33 advantage with under two minutes remaining with a Daniel Adeboboye two-yard touchdown rush, Duquesne answered when Perrantes found
Davie Henderson in the end zone for a 26-yard touchdown strike, marching down the field in just a minute and 23 seconds.
The Dukes got on the board first on Saturday with a
Garrett Owens touchdown run which was set up by a 37-yard pass from Perrantes to
Cyrus Holder on Duquesne's first offensive play. The Bulldogs took a 14-7 lead before Perrantes kept it himself on a four-yard touchdown rush to tie the ball game. Perrantes would find Holder in the back of the end zone on a six-yard scoring strike late in the first half to put Duquesne on top 21-14 at the half. He hit Henderson on a seven-yard touchdown connection in the third quarter to give the Dukes a 30-21 lead. Completions to
Dominic Thieman (eight yards, four yards),
Garrett Owens (19 yards) and Holder (10 yards) along with a pair of Perrantes scrambles (nine yards, four yards) set up the game-winning score for Duquesne.
The Dukes are idle this week before traveling to Sacred Heart on Saturday, Oct. 23 at noon ET. The game is slated to air on ESPN3 from Fairfield, Conn.
