In just his second start as Rocky Mountain's quarterback on Saturday, junior Graedyn Buell helped the Battlin' Bears to a 28-21 upset win over then-No. 16 Montana Tech.
On Monday, he was named the NAIA football offensive player of the week for his performance.
Buell finished Saturday's game completing 22 of 40 passes for 265 yards and three touchdowns. He added 135 yards and another touchdown on 14 carries.
"I felt super comfortable," Buell said following the game. "The guys up front battled so hard (Saturday) and my receivers went and made plays for me."
Buell, a junior transfer quarterback from Cheyenne, Wyo., is the first Battlin’ Bear football player to earn a national player of the week award since 2019 when kicker Riley Garrett was named the NAIA special teams player of the week after a 31-28 win over MSU-Northern.
Buell was the 2020-21 Wyoming Gatorade Player of the Year after throwing for 3,065 yards and 38 touchdowns and rushing for 968 yards and 15 touchdowns his senior season at Cheyenne East. He played his first two collegiate seasons at North Dakota State College of Science, starting 20 games. He totaled 3,279 passing yards and 44 touchdowns and 710 rushing yards and another 11 TDs at NDSCS.
Buell and the Battlin' Bears are off this weekend before returning to action on Nov. 4 at Arizona Christian.
