Two safeties help Faulkner’s RJ Randolph earn national NAIA award
By Staff Writer · Published 10/20/2026, 9:08:50 AM ET
Randolph’s defensive performance helped the Eagles beat Andrew College 46–21.
Faulkner defender RJ Randolph received the NAIA National Defensive Player of the Week award after recording two sacks that resulted in safeties against Andrew College, the university announced October 19.
His first safety extended Faulkner’s advantage to 30–0 early in the second quarter. The second came during the fourth quarter after Andrew had cut into the Eagles’ lead. Faulkner went on to win 46–21.
Randolph also forced an early fumble that gave the offense a short field for a touchdown. His performance contributed to a game in which defense and special teams helped Faulkner build a 37–0 lead.
According to the school, Randolph became its first football player since 2023 to receive a national weekly award and the eighth different player to earn such recognition since the program began in 2007.
Source
This State & Nation summary is based on Faulkner University’s original release, dated 2026-10-19. The reporting and statistics above are attributed to that publication.
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