IRVING, Texas – The American Athletic Conference has announced the winners of the league’s weekly football honors from Week 9 of the 2024 season.
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Cooper Legas • Gr. • QB • Tulsa
Legas came off the bench in the second quarter with Tulsa facing a 20-0 deficit against UTSA – a gap that became 35-7 by halftime. But Legas finished with 333 yards and five touchdowns, the last coming with 1:01 left in the fourth quarter, to lead the Golden Hurricane to a 45-44 come-from-behind win. Legas threw for 158 yards and three TDs in the fourth quarter and was 4-of-6 for 87 yards on the game-winning 92-yard drive. Legas added 46 rushing yards to finish with 379 yards of total offense in three quarters.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Chandler Martin • Jr. • LB • Memphis
Martin led a Memphis defense that held Charlotte to 13 first downs and 303 total yards in a 33-28 Tiger win. Martin finished with a team-high 11 tackles and 2.0 sacks, including a key sack for a safety as the Tigers protected what had been a three-point lead. Martin leads The American with 6.0 sacks and 12.0 tackles for loss in 2024.
SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Quinton Jackson • So. • RB/KR • Rice
On a day in which the Rice offense was limited to 178 yards of offense, Jackson helped keep the Owls within striking distance of UConn in a 17-10 loss to the Huskies. Jackson had two kickoff returns for 145 yards, including a 100-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter that brought Rice within seven and was the first kickoff return for a TD for Rice since 2012. Jackson finished with a game-high 178 all-purpose yards as he had 37 yards on six carries.
HONORABLE MENTION
Katin Houser • So. • QB • East Carolina
Completed 16-of-29 passes for 269 yards and five touchdowns and two interceptions in a 56-34 win against Temple.
Ja’Marley Riddle • Fr. • DB • East Carolina
Had two interceptions, including a 55-yard return for a touchdown, and added three tackles in a 56-34 win against Temple.
Chandler Morris • Jr. • QB • North Texas
Completed 38-of-57 passes for a 449 yards and three touchdowns and added 20 rushing yards with a TD in a 45-37 loss to Tulane.
Owen McCown • So. • QB • UTSA
Completed 30-of-50 passes for a school-record 434 yards and four touchdowns in a 46-45 loss at Tulsa.
Makhi Hughes • So. • RB • Tulane
Rushed for 195 yards and a touchdown on 30 carries in a 45-37 win at North Texas.
2024 OffensIVE PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Sept. 2 Chandler Morris, QB, North Texas
Sept. 9 Blake Horvath, QB, Navy
Sept. 16 Seth Henigan, QB, Memphis
Sept. 23 Blake Horvath, QB, Navy
Sept. 30 Chandler Morris, QB, North Texas
Oct. 7 Bryson Daily, QB, Army
Oct. 14 Bryson Daily, QB, Army
Oct. 21 Bryson Daily, QB, Army
Oct. 28 Cooper Legas, QB, Tulsa
2024 Defensive PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Sept. 2 Rayshawn Pleasant, CB, Tulane
Sept. 9 Elijah Herring, LB, Memphis
Sept. 16 Chandler Martin, LB, Memphis
Sept. 23 Colin Ramos, LB Navy
Sept. 30 Gerrod Henderson, DE, Tulane
Oct. 7 Jaxson Campbell, LB, Navy
Oct. 14 Chandler Martin, LB, Memphis
Oct. 21 Dashaun Peele, CB, Navy
Oct. 28 Chandler Martin, LB, Memphis
2024 SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Sept. 2 Kamdyn Benjamin, WR/PR, Tulsa
Sept. 9 Matthew Rhodes, P/H, Army
Sept. 16 Michael O’Shaughnessy, P, Charlotte
Sept. 23 Maddux Trujillo, K, Temple
Seth Morgan, K, Tulsa
Sept. 30 Noah Perez, K, East Carolina
Oct. 7 Rayshawn Pleasant, CB/KR, Tulane
Oct. 14 Kali Nguma, K, North Texas
Oct. 21 Jonah Delange, K, UAB
Oct. 28 Quinton Jackson, RB/KR, Rice
