Punt returner Joe Walkins and All-America linebacker Boomer Grigsby were honored for their roles in last weekend’s 30-24 victory over Youngstown State.
Walkins was named Gateway Conference special teams player of the week for breaking a 52-yard fourth-quarter touchdown punt return that put the Redbirds ahead for good. LaShawn Bullock also scored for Illinois State when he took the opening kickoff 93 yards to the end zone.
Grigsby was named Gateway defensive player of the week for making 18 tackles. His career total stands at 549, 16 shy of the conference career record of 565 that Tim Carver of Eastern Illinois set in 1986 when Eastern was in the Gateway.
Illinois State plays Saturday at Western Kentucky, which holds an 8-2 lead in the series between the teams and is 4-0 at home in Bowling Green, Ky.
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