Week 6: Eli Heidenreich, Navy

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photo courtesy navy athletics

Navy running back Eli Heidenreich has been named the DC Touchdown Club College Football Player of the Week after accomplishing something that had never been done before in Navy history and leading the Midshipmen to a 34-7 win at Air Force this past Saturday.

Heidenreich, a junior from Pittsburgh, has quickly emerged as one of Navy’s top playmakers. On Saturday, he rushed six times for 100 yards and caught five passes for 101 yards. It is believed to the first time ever that a Navy player had at least 100 yards receiving and 100 yards rushing in the same game.

“Whenever I see him out there, he’s always my first read – my trust and confidence in him,” Navy quarterback Blake Horvath said. “He had a great game. He’s always where he is supposed to be and always able to make a play.”

Navy is off to a 5-0 start for the first time since 2017 in large part due to its offensive success. The Midshipmen average 43.6 points per game, with Heidenreich leading the team with 20 catches for 449 yards and five touchdowns. He also is averaging 8.6 yards per carry on his 20 rushes.

More importantly, Coach Brian Newberry and his players noted, beating Air Force for the first time since 2019 puts Navy in position to win the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy in the season finale against Army. Heidenreich noted that it was his first victory against another service academy.

“That’s something that sits with you and you think about all offseason and all summer and you’re just ready to prove a point,” Heidenreich said. “I think today we really made a statement.”

This week’s DC Touchdown Club Washington Metro College Football Player of the Week College Honor Roll:

  • Wake Forest LB Nick Anderson (Centreville) made a game-high 11 tackles as the Demon Deacons beat N.C. State, 34-30.

  • Villanova RB David Avit (Churchill) rushed 13 times for 183 yards and four touchdowns as the Wildcats beat Stony Brook, 42-24.

  • Christopher Newport QB Connor Barry (Madison) completed 34 of 44 passes for 443 yards and four touchdowns as the Captains lost to Salisbury, 42-38.

  • San Diego State RB Marquez Cooper (Quince Orchard) rushed 30 times for 109 yards and two touchdowns, including the game-winning two-yard score midway through the fourth quarter, and caught four passes for 28 yards as the Aztecs beat Hawaii, 27-24.

  • Susquehanna QB Josh Ehrlich (Broadneck) completed 19 of 25 passes for 294 yards and four touchdowns as the River Hawks beat Catholic, 48-14.

  • Gallaudet RB Dre’Vaughn Mackall (Calvert) rushed 28 times for a career-high 238 yards and three touchdowns as the Bison beat Nichols, 42-28.

  • Penn LB Kadari Machen (Gonzaga) made 15 tackles with one tackle for loss as the Quakers lost to Dartmouth, 20-17.

  • Slippery Rock WR Mike Solomon (Huntingtown) caught two touchdown passes, including the game-winning, 11-yard score with 12 seconds left for a 33-32 victory over Indiana (Pa.) in a meeting of previously undefeated teams.