IRVING, Texas – The American Athletic Conference has announced the winners of the league’s weekly football honors for the 11th week of the 2020 season.
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Desmond Ridder • Cincinnati • Jr. • QB • Louisville Ky.
Ridder was responsible for four touchdowns and had 402 yards of total offense to help Cincinnati remain unbeaten with a 55-17 win against East Carolina. Ridder completed 24 of 31 passes for a season-high 327 yards and three touchdowns (33, 45, 12) and added a team-high 75 rushing yards including a 7-yard TD. Ridder, who leads the Bearcats with 14 touchdown passes and nine rushing scores, has accounted for 17 touchdowns in the Bearcats’ last four games.
DEFENSIVE PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
J
arell White • Cincinnati • Sr. • LB • Cincinnati, Ohio
White, who was also chosen as the Walter Camp National Defensive Player of the Week, led a Cincinnati defense that limited East Carolina to 17 points and 293 total yards in the Bearcats’ 55-17 win. White had seven tackles, including a sack, and scored his first career touchdown on a 26-yard interception in the first quarter. White leads The American with 9.3 tackles per game this season.
Zaven Collins • Tulsa • Jr. • LB • Hominy, Okla.
Collins led a defensive effort that held SMU scoreless in the second half and without a touchdown in the final 44:58, allowing Tulsa to rally for a 28-24 win to keep the Golden Hurricane unbeaten in American Athletic Conference play. Collins had six tackles to go with a sack, two tackles for loss and the clinching interception with 1:29 left on SMU’s final possession. Collins leads The American in interceptions per game (0.60) and has three picks and 10.0 tackles for loss in 2020.
SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Marcus Jones • Houston • Jr. • CB/PR • Enterprise, Ala.
Jones had 145 yards on four punt returns, including a 72-yard return for a touchdown, in Houston’s 56-21 win against USF. A transfer from Troy, where he was the 2017 Sun Belt Conference Freshman of the Year, Jones gave the Cougars a 35-0 lead early in the third quarter with his touchdown. His 145 yards ranks second on The American’s single-game chart and moved Jones into fourth among NCAA FBS players with a 21.6-yard average on punt returns.
HONOR ROLL
Eriq Gilyard • UCF • Jr. • LB
Had 12 tackles (matching his career high), a sack, 3.0 tackles for loss a forced fumble and a six-yard fumble return that set up a touchdown in a 38-13 win against Temple.
Marlon Williams • UCF • Jr. • WR
Had four receptions for 102 yards and two touchdowns in a 38-13 win against Temple.
Clayton Tune • Houston • Jr. • QB
Was responsible for five touchdowns and 285 yards of total offense in a 56-21 win against USF. Completed 14 of 25 passes for 165 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for a game-high 120 yards and two TDs on 10 carries.
Michael Pratt • Tulane • Fr. • QB
Completed 19 of 27 passes (70.3%) for 197 yards and two touchdowns without an interception in a 38-12 win against No. 25 Army.
Zach Smith • Tulsa • Sr. • QB
Completed 26 of 38 passes for 325 yards and three touchdowns in a 28-24 win against No. 19 SMU.