DALLAS – After throwing for five touchdowns in a dominant road win over Rice Saturday afternoon, Charlotte QB Chris Reynolds was voted C-USA Offensive Player of the Week for the first time this season. North Texas DB Logan Wilson took home Defensive Player of the Week honors following an impressive performance, as he picked off one pass and broke up two more in the Mean Green’s win at WKU on Saturday afternoon. Charlotte KR Shadrick Byrd was named C-USA Special Teams Player of the Week after averaging 29.3 yards per kick return and amassing 229 all-purpose yards in the win over Rice. The 2022 C-USA Players of the Week awards are presented by Blenders Eyewear and are voted on by a panel of the league’s media.
Reynolds matched a school record with five touchdown passes, connected on 16-of-19 passes to set a single-game school record for completion percentage (.842), and led the 49ers to a record-breaking 56-23 road win at Rice. The 56 points are the most Charlotte has scored in a C-USA game and the most scored as an FBS program. Reynolds finished with 254 passing yards to surpass 9,500 yards in his career. He averaged 15.85 yards per completion and more than half his completions (10) were for 15 or more yards, including three touchdown passes. Reynolds engineered seven straight touchdown drives and Charlotte scored 35 unanswered points to overcome a 17-14 deficit and take a 49-17 lead.
Wilson finished the day with five tackles, including three solo stops, an interception and two pass break-ups in the 40-13 win at WKU on Saturday. Wilson’s first career interception with 11:54 to play came in the red zone and ended a potential scoring drive for the Hilltoppers. Wilson was a significant contributor for a defense that held WKU, C-USA’s highest scoring team coming into the week (37.5 points per game) to 13 points scored through the three quarters, the fewest points the Hilltoppers have scored through three quarters all season. North Texas recorded its first second half shutout since Nov. 6, 2021 at Southern Miss.
Byrd had a career-high 229 all-purpose yards in the 49ers 56-23 Conference USA victory at Rice, including 88 on three kick returns (29.3 per return). He had a pair of returns of 30+ that gave Charlotte the ball near midfield (at the 49ers’ 40) to set up short touchdown drives. Charlotte scored touchdowns after each of his returns, including one to tie, 14-14, one to take its first lead, 21-17, and a 35-yard return to open the second half, as Charlotte scored to break away for a 35-17 lead. Byrd also had career highs of 83 rushing yards and 58 receiving yards and scored on a four-yard rush.
2022 WINNERS
Offensive Player of the Week
A29 – QB Austin Aune, North Texas
S5 – QB Frank Harris, UTSA
S12 – QB Frank Harris, UTSA
S19 – RB DeWayne McBride, UAB
S26 – QB Chase Cunningham, Middle Tennessee
O3 – QB Frank Harris, UTSA
O10 – WR Trea Shropshire, UAB
O17 – QB Dylan Hopkins, UAB
O24 – QB Frank Harris, UTSA
O31 – QB Chris Reynolds, Charlotte
Defensive Player of the Week
A29 – DB Justin McKithen, Florida Atlantic
S5 – DB Kaleb Oliver, WKU
S12 – DL Quindarius Dunnigan, Middle Tennessee
S19 – LB Noah Wilder, UAB
S26 – DL Zaylin Wood, Middle Tennessee
O3 – DB Ridge Texada, North Texas
O10 – DB Myles Brooks, Louisiana Tech
O17 – LB KD Davis, North Texas
O24 – DB Kahlef Hailassie, WKU
O31 – DB Logan Wilson, North Texas
Special Teams Player of the Week
A29 – K Morgan Suarez, Florida Atlantic
S5 – K Jared Sackett, UTSA
S12 – K Gavin Baechle, UTEP
S19 – KR Kaylon Horton, North Texas
S26 – PR Marcus Bellon, UTEP
O3 – K Gavin Baechle, UTEP
O10 – K Jared Sackett, UTSA
O17 – P Tom Ellard, WKU
O24 – K Gavin Baechle, UTEP
O31 – KR Shadrick Byrd, Charlotte
-ConferenceUSA.com-
