PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The American Athletic Conference has announced the winners of the league’s weekly football honors for the fifth week of the college football season.
AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Greg Ward Jr. • Jr. • QB • Houston • Tyler, Texas
Ward finished with 455 yards of total offense and rushed for three touchdowns to lead Houston to a 38-24 win at Tulsa in the Cougars’ American Athletic Conference opener. Ward rushed for 182 yards — a school record for a Houston quarterback — on 20 carries and scored touchdowns from 3, 32 and 8 yards. He also completed 22 of 38 passes for 273 yards. Ward is the only player nationally to average more than 200 passing yards (264.5) and 100 rushing yards per game (118.0).
AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Montese Overton • Sr. • LB • East Carolina • Greenville, N.C.
Overton set an American Athletic Conference record and tied a school record with four sacks in the Pirates’ 49-23 win at SMU. He finished the game with six total tackles, five tackles for loss and a pass breakup as the Pirates held the Mustangs scoreless for the last 40:08 of the game. Overton became the first East Carolina player with four sacks in a game since Rod Coleman against Wake Forest in 1997, a span of 225 games.
AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Nick Jacobs • So. • P • Memphis • Melbourne, Australia
Jacobs becomes the second Memphis punter in as many weeks to earn Special Teams Player of the Week honors, joining teammate Spencer Smith, who earned the award last week. Jacobs averaged 36.0 yards per punt in Memphis’ 24-17 win at USF, but dropped all six of his punts inside the USF 20-yard line, including three that were downed or caught inside the 10. The Bulls’ average starting field position after Jacobs’ punts was their own 9-yard line.
WEEKLY HONOR ROLL
Eric Wilson • Jr. • LB • Cincinnati • Redford, Mich.
Registered a game-high 14 tackles in a 34-23 win against Miami (Fla.).
James Summers • Jr. • QB • East Carolina • Greensboro, N.C.
Completed 9 of 10 passes for 153 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for two TDs and 85 yards on nine carries in a 49-23 win at SMU.
Keenan Reynolds • Sr. • QB • Navy • Antioch, Tennessee
Rushed for 183 yards on 24 carries and completed 4 of 10 passes for 117 yards and a touchdown in a 33-11 win against Air Force.
Jahad Thomas • Jr. • RB • Temple • Elizabeth, N.J.
Rushed for 109 yards and two touchdowns and had three receptions for 48 yards in a 37-3 win at Charlotte.
Royce LaFrance • Sr. • DE • Tulane • Harvey, La.
Had three sacks, four tackles for loss and a forced fumble in a 45-31 win against UCF. Helped hold UCF to -35 rushing yards.