Sept. 26, 2006

ANNAPOLIS, Md. - For their performances during Navy's 31-21 win over Army at the Pride Bowl in sprint football action on Sunday, junior running back Richard Engel (Medford, N.J.) was named the CSFL Offensive Player of the Week while sophomore linebacker Brian Smith (Gainesville, Fla.) earned CSFL Defensive Player-of-the-Week honors, it was released by the league office on Tuesday morning.

Engel, who earned Pride Bowl MVP distinction on Sunday, carried the ball 15 times for a career-best 134 yards and two touchdowns. His first scoring run helped put the Midshipmen ahead, 7-6, while his 32-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter put the game away. His 134 yards rushing also represented the first time he had eclipsed the 100-yard mark during his career. On the season, Engel has gained 204 yards on only 26 carries (7.8 ypc) with three touchdowns.

Smith highlighted a defensive unit that held Army to 236 yards of total offense, including only 43 yards rushing during the second half. The linebacker made a team- and career-best 11 tackles in the contest, with two coming behind the line of scrimmage. The sophomore ranks second on the team with 20 tackles this year, while he is tied for the team lead with 3.5 tackles for a loss and one of four Midshipmen with a sack on the campaign.

Navy will begin its quest for its third-consecutive CSFL Championship when it opens up league play at Cornell on Friday, Oct. 6. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.