DALLAS – After accounting for 350 total yards and five touchdowns (two passing, three rushing) in less than three quarters and leading North Texas to a come-from-behind victory at Middle Tennessee, Mean Green redshirt sophomore RB Jason Bean earned the C-USA Offensive Player of the Week award. The Defensive Player of the Week honor went to Marshall sophomore LB Eli Neal, who had seven tackles, one TFL and an interception to lead the Thundering Herd’s strong defensive showing in a win at Louisiana Tech. The Special Teams Player of the Week award was given to UAB redshirt sophomore OLB Nikia Eason, Jr., who blocked a third quarter punt which the Blazers returned for a touchdown in the win over WKU. C-USA Football Players of the Week are voted on by a panel of the league’s media.
Bean entered the game against Middle Tennessee with the Mean Green down 21-7 early in the second quarter on Saturday. The redshirt sophomore was a game-changer, accounting for 350 total yards and five touchdowns in a little under three quarters, while leading North Texas to a 52-35 win on the road. Bean completed 12-of-17 passes for 181 yards and a pair of touchdowns with no interceptions, while rushing 10 times for a career-high 169 yards and three scores as the Mean Green outscored the Blue Raiders 45-14 with Bean in the game. The 350 yards accounted for 46% of North Texas’ total of 768 yards, a new program record, and also the second-highest offensive output in college football this season (UCF put up 798 this week in a losing effort). The Mansfield, Texas, native accounted for a touchdown run of four yards and a pair of scores from 48 yards out. Bean’s touchdown passes were of nine yards to Deonte Simpson and 55 yards to the nation’s leading receiver, Jaelon Darden. Bean was also named a Manning Award Star of the Week and was named to the Davey O’Brien Award Great 8 list for his performance.
Neal was huge for the Thundering Herd in a 35-17 win at Louisiana Tech Saturday, as he helped pace a defensive effort that limited the host Bulldogs to just seven yards rushing on 24 carries to go with a 1-for-10 clip on third down attempts. He recorded seven tackles (three solo) with his first interception and a tackle for loss. The interception came on Tech’s first play from scrimmage and his 11-yard return set up the Thundering Herd’s first touchdown of the evening. The Memphis native also combined with Jamare Edwards to make the game’s biggest defensive play and the duo stuffed Tech running back Justin Henderson on the goal line as time expired to end the first half. On the season, Neal is Marshall’s second-leading tackler with 24 stops (nine solo). A Thundering Herd linebacker has now been named C-USA Defensive Player of the Week following three of their four victories.
With UAB leading 24-14 early in the third quarter, Nikia Eason Jr. blocked a WKU punt which WR Ryan Davis returned 37 yards a touchdown to give the Blazers a 31-14 advantage. The blocked punt busted the game wide open and it marked UAB’s first blocked punt for a TD since 2018. Eason Jr., a native of Bessemer, Alabama, also had a sack and two tackles on defense.
2020 WINNERS:
Offensive Player of the Week – Sept. 7 – Grant Wells, QB, Marshall; Sept. 14 – Sincere McCormick, RB, UTSA; Sept. 21 – Frank Harris, QB, UTSA; Sept. 28 – Luke Anthony, QB, Louisiana Tech; Oct. 5 – Tyrrell Pigrome, QB, WKU; Oct. 12 – Aaron McAllister, RB, Charlotte; Oct. 19 – Jason Bean, QB, North Texas.
Defensive Player of the Week – Sept. 7 – KD Davis, LB, North Texas; Sept. 14 – Tyler Murray, LB, Charlotte; Sept. 21 – Tavante Beckett, LB, Marshall; Sept. 28 – Jamal Ligon, LB, UTSA; Oct. 5 – Leighton McCarthy, OLB, Florida Atlantic; Oct. 12 – Tavante Beckett, LB, Marshall; Oct. 19 – Eli Neal, LB, Marshall.
Special Teams Player of the Week – Sept. 7 – Matt Quinn, K, UAB; Sept. 14 – Hunter Duplessis, K, UTSA; Sept. 21 – Jacob Barnes, K, Louisiana Tech; Sept. 28 – Lexington Joseph, KR, FIU; Oct. 5 – Brayden Narveson, K, WKU; Oct. 12 – Duron Lowe, KR, UTEP; Oct. 19 – Nikia Eason, Jr., OLB, UAB.
https://conferenceusa.com/news/2020/10/19/oct-19-football-players-of-the-week.aspx
