For most weeks, picking the G-MAC Football Offensive Player of the Week is surely a daunting task, with several great performances to consider.
Sometimes, however, one performance reaches a level so lofty, the choice must be obvious.
Senior Michael Herzog and the Hillsdale College football team gave the G-MAC exactly that type of performance this past weekend, turning in a record-breaking performance that made him a slam dunk to bring home the award. And the G-MAC followed through, naming Herzog the Offensive Player of the Week for the third time in 2023 this Monday afternoon.
Herzog set a G-MAC record with five rushing touchdowns in Hillsdale's season-ending 35-17 win over Ohio Dominican at home on Saturday, scoring 30 of Hillsdale's 35 points. Both of those set new G-MAC records, surpassing old marks held by former Chargers All-American David Graham. Against one of the top run defenses in the G-MAC in the Panthers, Herzog rushed for a career-high 175 yards on 20 carries.
Saturday's performance wasn't a fluke but the continuation of a monster season for Herzog in 2023. The senior's five touchdowns gave him 21 rushing scores for the season, surpassing the old G-MAC record of 19 in a single-season, and his 126 points scored this season are also a G-MAC record. For the 2023 campaign, Herzog ranks fifth in the nation at the NCAA DII level with 230 carries, sixth in rushing yards with 1,333, tied for second in rushing touchdowns with 21, and second in all-purpose yards with 172.2 per game.
He's also left a lasting mark on the Hillsdale College record books, finishing in the top 10 for a single season in carries, rushing yards and rushing touchdowns in 2023. Herzog will be a strong contender for additional honors from both the conference and nationally as the NCAA football award season kicks into high gear over the coming months.
Photo by Isabella Sheehan