BRIDGEWATER, N.J. - For the third straight week, a Duquesne running back has garnered a weekly award from the conference office. Taj Butts is the Northeast Conference Offensive Player of the Week for Week 7 after running for 118 yards and scoring three touchdowns in Saturday's win over Central Connecticut State. Butts was also named a Prime Performer alongside teammates Darius Perrantes and Tedy Afful.

Butts' 118 yards and three TDs were a career-high, the three scores are tied for the most of any player in the NEC in a game this season. A redshirt sophomore from St. Louis, Mo., Butts had the most touchdowns of any player in the NEC this past week, was the only NEC running back to rush for multiple touchdowns, and broke off the longest run of the week with a 58-yard romp into the endzone, his longest career run. He scored each of the first two touchdowns for Duquesne, first a two-yard catch then a 15-yard run bouncing off tacklers, and added his third in the second quarter on the long run. Butts, a transfer from Missouri playing his first season in the Red and Blue, was second in rushing yards for the week and one of three 100-yard rushers, while using the least amount of carries (12) of the three for an NEC-best 9.83 yards per rush. It is Butts' first weekly award as a Duke.

Perrantes, a junior quarterback from Los Angeles, threw for a season-high 265 yards, the most in the NEC for the week and second-most in a conference game this year, while tying his season-best mark with three touchdowns. He completed six passes for 20+ yards, five of which went for 30+ including a long of 50-yards, which was good for the second longest pass of the week in the league. Perrantes led the NEC averaging 11.0 passing yards per attempt and 17.7 yards per completion. His 62.5% completion percentage was the second-best in the NEC and he was the most efficient passer of the week with a 188.17 pass efficiency. Perrantes now has passed for multiple TDs in 11 games and has recorded eight 200+ passing yard games in his career. Perrantes has now been named a Prime Performer three times this season (Week 2 and 5).

Afful had a career day with five catches for 135 yards and a touchdown, his first career 100-yard game and the most receiving yards in a game this season by any Duke. The transfer from Stony Brook and Bloomfield, N.J. native led the conference in receiving yards this past week and hauled in the second-longest reception for a 50-yard play. Afful was on the receiving end of three of the six deep ball completions with 33-, 35-, and 50-yard snags. It is Afful's second Prime Performer honor of the season (Week 5).

The Dukes improved to 2-0 in conference play for the fourth time in the past five seasons with the 44-20 win over CCSU and are averaging 37.5 points per game in NEC action.

Duquesne will host Saint Francis on Saturday at Rooney Field, a part of Homecoming and Family Weekend on campus. Kick off is scheduled for 1 pm. BUY TICKETS

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