The success of Saint Mary's begins and ends with the scrum, and at the fulcrum of that, is prop Payton Telea-Ilalio.

That's why we made the powerful front-rower our FloRugby Men's College Player of the Week.

Fresh off being named our Freshman of the Year for the 2016-17 season, Telea-Ilalio has continued to prove he is more than just a big body. He can play in the open field, he can score tries, and he plays strong defense.

His Saint Mary's team is having a superb season so far, highlighted by a 37-17 win over BYU last weekend, and Telea-Ilalio has been holding down the foundation of that effort. 

The Gaels next host Glendale Men's Club this Saturday in a matchup that is streaming LIVE on FloRugby.

While the wide-open spaces beckon for a talented set of backs and loose forwards, don't forget the guys doing the work in the trenches.