Burt Pereira, a 6-foot, 160-pound senior receiver for Millsaps College in Jackson, Miss., has been named the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference Football Offensive Player of the Week for games played Saturday, Sept. 27.

The St. Paul’s 2005 graduate, who is from Bush, hauled in a career-high 10 catches for 138 yards and two scores to help spark Millsaps (4-0) to a 49-2 win over SCAC-foe Rhodes last Saturday. Pereira’s TD catches, covered five and seven yards, giving him his fifth and sixth career receiving touchdowns. His 138 yards is the most by a Majors’ receiver in a single-game this season. Pereira is averaging 12.4 yards-per-catch with 14 receptions for 174 yards.

Periera said he was honored to be selected.

BURT PEREIRA

“It’s the first time I won the award in my college career. It meant a lot to finally get one in my senior year,” Pereira said.

When asked about catching the 10 balls he said he it was just his day.

“We have a wide open offense. You never really know which one of the receivers is going to be open. It just happened to be me that day. I was lucky enough to take advantage of it,” the senior said.

“I’m not the biggest receiver around so I’m able to get into small spaces. I like to find holes in the zone, and sit in there to help Juan (Joseph) when he’s in trouble,” Pereira added.

Pereira, the Majors’ backup quarterback behind Juan Joseph, took two snaps in the season opener, going one-for-one for nine yards. He also carried the ball one time, scoring on a 52-yard run.

Pereira praised the play of Joseph. “He has a great arm. He’s the reason a lot of our receivers get the ball as he spreads the ball around very well. We’re good friends so we have a good chemistry,” Pereira added.

Pereira, a former three-year starter at quarterback for the St. Paul’s Wolves, said having a QB background helps him being a college receiver. “Playing quarterback you have to know where the receivers are at all times. As a receiver, I know what the quarterback is seeing. I have an idea what he is thinking about. When I do play quarterback at Millsaps, I know what the receivers are thinking when they see certain things.”

Pereira is the older brother of Josh Pereira, the St. Paul’s Wolves’ starting senior fullback. The older Pereira said he looks forward to taking in a St. Paul’s game later this month when the Majors have a bye week.

“I like to see my brother play, and he doesn’t have many games left. He’s a good little player,” Pereira said about his younger brother.

Pereira is majoring in business with a 3.1 grade point average. He would like to eventually own his own business. He also said he is considering entering the Millsaps’ MBA one-year program.

He is the son of Burt and Theresa Pereira, who reside in Bush. The 13th ranked Majors face one of the conference’s top teams in DePauw University tomorrow in Jackson with kickoff set for 1 p.m.