From district-winning and playoff-earning high school standouts to NFL performances that helped the New Orleans Saints earn a rare win or marked a career day for a former LSU star.
This past weekend featured memorable efforts at every level to headline Louisiana vs. All Y’all’s latest round of Players of the Week.
Congratulations to this week’s winners.
HIGH SCHOOL
Offense — Jordin Griffin (2027), Barbe RB: The junior running back rolled his way to 289 yards and six rushing touchdowns on 20 carries Friday to help lead his Buccaneers past Sam Houston, 70-49, and into a Division-I Non-Select playoff spot. Griffin averaged nearly 15 yards per touch with most of his touchdowns coming in explosive fashion, four of 30-plus yards. The win against the Broncos was the traditional power’s first since 2021.
Defense — Darren Coates Jr. (2028), St. Augustine EDGE: The sophomore has become a consistent disrupter for the Purple Knights’ defense and came away with two big takeaways to highlight his Week 10 performance and help the team blow open an emphatic 55-28 defeat of John Curtis in a battle for second place in the Catholic League. Coates intercepted a pass and returned it for a touchdown in the third quarter, then added a fumble recovery as St. Augustine continued to dominate the second half.
Special Teams — Dalen Powell (2028), Ruston RB: The Bearcats’ sophomore running back has been one of Louisiana’s all-around breakout stars of this fall, and Friday marked his greatest performance yet. Powell racked up 253 all-purple yards and four scores, including 84-yard punt and 99-yard kick returns for touchdowns, in a 49-44 win against West Monroe to clinch the title in a wild District 2-5A race and the No. 1 seed in the Division-I Non-Select bracket.
COLLEGE
Offense — Jake Retzlaff, Tulane QB: The Green Wave enjoyed one hell of a shake-back victory on the road at ranked Memphis to remain in the hunt in the American Athletic Conference — and, albeit with a razor-narrow path, also the College Football Playoff picture. And their veteran quarterback was a star in that equation with one of the nation’s highest-graded passing performance for his 332 yards and three touchdowns on 16-for-23 (69.6%) efficiency, while also rushing 10 times for 43 yards and another score.
Defense — Marcellius Johnson, Grambling State LB: The Tigers’ junior linebacker earned SWAC Defensive Player of the Week honors for the first time with his productive and disruptive effort in a 31-23 defeat of Bethune-Cookman. Johnson racked up nine tackles, a sack, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery to help highlight Grambling State’s win to remain just a game back of Prairie View A&M in the SWAC West.
Special Teams — Pierson Parent, McNeese State LS: The former Dutchtown standout provided a big-swing special-teams play in addition to his long-snapping duties in his Cowboys’ 35-20 defeat of East Texas A&M. With the score tied at 7-7 late in the first quarter, Parent was able to pounce on a muffed punt to set up McNeese State’s offense with a short field for a go-ahead score to help start building a lead.
PROFESSIONAL
Offense — Tyler Shough, New Orleans Saints QB: The rookie quarterback had a solid afternoon overall, highlighted by some big plays, in his second career start to help lead his team to its second victory of the season. Shough completed 19 of his 27 passes for 282 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions to beat NFC South rival Carolina, 17-7.
Defense — Danielle Hunter, Houston Texans DE: The former LSU star earns his second-straight LVAY professional DPOW honors and fourth of the season with his most disruptive performance yet in his Texans’ 36-29 comeback win against Jacksonville. Hunter finished with seven tackles, including four for loss and a career-high 3.5 sacks, and a forced fumble.
Special Teams — Nathan Shepherd, New Orleans Saints DT: The veteran defensive tackle was among the league’s top-graded special teams players this weekend, highlighted by a blocked field goal in the Saints’ defeat o the Panthers. He also finished the game with two tackles and a sack.
