DALLAS, TEXAS -- Filip Filipovic, a former punter for the South Dakota Coyotes (1999-2001), has earned the Dallas Cowboys Special Teams Player of the Week honor, according to a story posted on the Dallas Cowboys website today (Nov. 4, 2004).

Filipovic, who was signed two weeks ago, had an outstanding performance in his second game in a Cowboys uniform. He punted the ball 10 times, tied for second-most attempts in club history - one behind Danny White's 11 punts against the Eagles in 1984. Filipovic averaged 41.4 yards a punt and had two kicks downed inside the 10-yard line in the Cowboys' 9-7 loss to Detroit on Sunday.

For the season, Filipovic is averaging 40.4 yards per kick. He has punted 15 times for 606 yards with two punts place inside the 10-yard line. He has a long of 55 yards (vs. Detroit, Nov. 3).

Filipovic replaced Micah Knorr, who was cut by the Cowboys. Knorr and Filipovic had competed for the punting job in preseason with Knorr winning out due to his previous experience as a holder.

Filipovic, a punter/kicker originally of Belgrade, Yugoslavia, had a solid career for the South Dakota Coyotes. In three seasons at South Dakota, Filipovic had 183 punts for 7,265 yards for an average of 39.7. He had a career long of 66 yards and knocked 35 kicks inside the 20-yard line. Filipovic, who majored in health, physical education and recreation, finished fourth in the North Central Conference in 2001 with an average of 40.1 yards per kick. He had 53 punts for 2,126 yards, 16 punts inside the 20-yard line and a long of 66 yards.

Filipovic pulled double duty for the Coyotes in 2001, also serving as kicker. He made seven of 10 field goals and 17 of 18 PATs. He ranked third in the NCC by making 62.5 percent of his field goals and he was fifth in the NCC by making 92.3 percent of his extra points.

In 2000, Filipovic ranked seventh in NCAA Division II with a 40.7 average. He was second in the NCC in punting, recording a long of 62 yards and placing 15 kicks inside the 20-yard line. He was the USD Special Team co-MVP for the season. Overall, he had 73 kicks for 2,969 yards.

In 1999, he averaged 38.1 yards per kick, including a long of 56 yards. He had 57 punts for 2,170 yards and four kicks inside the 20-yard line. Filipovic has come a long way in three short years.

Originally of Belgrade, Yugoslavia, Filipovic came to America in 1997. He completed his high school education in Youngstown, Ohio and attended Urbana College in Ohio and Eastern Michigan before finding a home at USD. His parents, Dragan and Gordana Filipovic, still live in Vermillion.