Flacco finalist for FCS honor; London to coach William & Mary

Tom Flacco, a redshirt junior quarterback for the Towson University football team, is one of 25 finalists for the Offensive Player of the Year award on the Football Championship Subdivision level. Flacco is the program’s third overall finalist for the STATS Walter Payton Award and first since 2013, when running back Terrance West (Northwestern High) was one of three candidates. The other Tigers player who was a finalist was Dave Meggett, who won the honor in 1988. Flacco, the younger brother of Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco, helped Towson earn a spot in the NCAA FCS playoffs for the third time and first time since 2013. The Tigers (7-4), who finished the season ranked No. 16 in the STATS poll, will host Duquesne (8-3) in a first-round game Saturday at 2 p.m. at Johnny Unitas Stadium. MORE: William & Mary has hired former Maryland assistant Mike London as its football coach. Athletic director Samantha K. Huge made the announcement Monday. London, who just finished his second season as the head coach at Howard, will replace Jimmye Laycock, who retired after his 39th season. The move for London, 58, means a return to one of his earliest stops in coaching. He served as the defensive line coach under Laycock for the Tribe from 1990 to 1993. It also marks a return to the Colonial Athletic Association for London, who guided Richmond to the 2008 national championship during a two-year stint as the Spiders head coach. He spent six seasons as the coach at Virginia, compiling a 27-46 record from 2010 to 2015. ... After rushing for 298 yards and a pair of touchdowns against No. 10 Ohio State, Maryland running back Anthony McFarland was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week. ... Morgan State redshirt freshman quarterback DJ Golatt Jr. was selected STATS FCS Freshman of the Week after accounting for four touchdowns in Saturday’s 44-27 win over Norfolk State.