SLIPPERY ROCK — Slippery Rock University quarterback Nigel Barksdale has been named PSAC West Offensive Player of the Week while the entire Rock defensive unit has received Defensive Player of the Week honors.

Barksdale completed 27 of 38 passes for 425 yards and two touchdowns in Saturday’s 42-16 win over Indiana. He rushed for 68 yards and a touchdown as well.

SRU’s 676 total yards were the most ever allowed by an IUP defense. The previous record was 659 against Texas A&M-Kingsville in the 1994 national semifinals.

The Rock defense limited IUP to 59 yards rushing. Indiana had been averaging 204 yards rushing per game.

Three players had seven tackles each for SRU: Linebacker Gary Allen, strong safety Isaiah Coleman and Slippery Rock High graduate and nose guard Tony Papley.

SRU football still short of Top 25SLIPPERY ROCK — Despite its 42-16 win over No. 7 Indiana (Pa.) Saturday, the Slippery Rock University football team remains out of the American Football Coaches Association’s Division II Top 25.The Rock (5-1) is in the “others receiving votes” category while IUP slipped to No. 22.

Bills sign Flynn for help at QB ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Matt Flynn is getting his latest chance at a fresh start, this time in Buffalo on a team that has spent the past week scrambling to shore up its injury-depleted quarterback position.A week after being cut by Oakland, Flynn signed with the Bills after spending the morning working out for general manager Doug Whaley, coach Doug Marrone and his offensive staff. The sixth-year NFL player is now on his third team since December.

Vickers sidelined with blood clot CONCORD, N.C. — Brian Vickers will miss the rest of the NASCAR season because of a blood clot in his right calf.The clot was found after an examination and he was placed on blood-thinning medication that will prevent him from racing. Vickers missed the final 25 races of the 2010 season with blood clots and required heart surgery.His physicians are confident he’ll be able to resume activity before the 2014 season.