BLOOMINGTON, Minn. – Senior quarterback Ricardo Johnson III of the St. Olaf College football team was named the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) Football Offensive Player of the Week on Monday afternoon after his offensive outburst in Saturday's victory over Luther.

Johnson III accounted for 414 total yards and five total touchdowns for St. Olaf, which defeated the Norse 34-29 to improve to 2-0 for the first time since 2012. The senior carried the ball 22 times for 192 yards and two touchdowns while also throwing for 222 yards and three touchdowns in the win.

The MIAC Football Offensive Player of the Week award was the first of Johnson III's career at St. Olaf and the first for St. Olaf since current junior Khayleb Willis earned the accolade on Oct. 16, 2017. Johnson III is St. Olaf's fourth MIAC Football Offensive Player of the Week since the start of the 2013 season.

The 192 rushing yards were the most by a St. Olaf student-athlete since J.J. Strnad ran for 226 yards in a 34-27 victory over Carleton on Oct. 17, 2015. Johnson III's three passing touchdowns went for 49, 20 and 47 yards, while his two rushing scores covered 23 and two yards.

Four of Johnson III's five total touchdowns came in the first half, as the Oles built a 28-3 lead before Luther mounted a comeback late in the first half and in the second. The senior's two-yard touchdown run with 6:00 left in the third quarter put St. Olaf ahead 34-15 but proved to be the game-winning score, as Luther scored the game's final two touchdowns to make it close late.

Johnson III and the Oles head across town to face Carleton on Saturday, Sept. 15 at 1 p.m. St. Olaf has defeated its crosstown rivals in each of the last four seasons and seven of the last eight.