Pauldo Earns Pair of NEC Weekly Awards

Redshirt freshman quarterback Tavion Pauldo earned both the Northeast Conference Football Offensive Player of the Week and NEC Rookie of the Week awards it was announced on Monday.  Pauldo helped lead the Blue Devils to a 35-33 win over preseason league favorite Bryant on Saturday on CCSU's Homecoming Weekend. 

It is the second time in 2015 that Pauldo has earned Rookie of the Week honors after collecting the award on Sept. 7 as well.

After earning the start under center, the redshirt freshman was outstanding accounting for a pair of touchdowns through the air, another on the ground and 283 yards of total offense.  Pauldo finished the game 15-of-21 passing for 245 yards, including scoring strikes of 31 and 84 yards.  The 6-foot-2 dual threat quarterback also ran for 38 yards on 11 carries, including a run from a yard out to put CCSU on the board in the second quarter.

Pauldo and the Blue Devils took their first lead of the day after a 7-play, 64-yard drive ended with a 31-yard strike to Dan Hebert to make it 21-20 and erase a 13-point deficit late in the third quarter.

After Bryant retook the lead in the fourth quarter, Pauldo helped the Blue Devils answer right back when he connected with Cameron Nash for a 84-yard touchdown off a screen pass.  CCSU needed just three plays to go 90 yards and retake the lead, 29-26, following the two-point conversion.

Pauldo helped the Blue Devils respond one more time after Bryant took a 33-29 lead with 4:47 to play.  The signal caller engineered a game-winning 7-play, 73-yard drive, and accounted for 59 of those yards.  Pauldo connected on back-to-back passes for gains of 25 and 24 yards to set up the winning touchdown run by Devon Lofton from four yards out.

The Blue Devils are back in action on Saturday with a 12:00 p.m. kickoff against Dartmouth at Arute Field.