DALLAS – After posting 10 tackles, four TFL’s, three sacks and a forced fumble in Florida Atlantic’s season-opening win over Charlotte, Owls’ senior OLB Leighton McCarthy earned the C-USA Defensive Player of the Week award. The Offensive Player of the Week honor went to WKU graduate QB Tyrrell Pigrome, who passed for 188 yards and two touchdowns, while rushing for 55 yards in the Hilltoppers 20-17 win at rival Middle Tennessee. The Special Teams Player of the Week award was given to WKU redshirt sophomore K Brayden Narveson, who accounted for eight of WKU’s 20 points in the win at Middle Tennessee, including field goals of 47 and 53 yards. C-USA Football Players of the Week are voted on by a panel of the league’s media.
McCarthy made the move from defensive end, a position he played his first three seasons at FAU, to outside linebacker during the preseason. The redshirt senior’s efforts paid off with 10 tackles, including four tackles for a loss, and three sacks – all career highs – in a 21-17 win over Charlotte. The Apopka, Florida, native also forced a key fourth quarter fumble to help preserve the Owls’ win. McCarthy’s second tackle of the game was a sack for a loss of nine yards which was key in limiting the 49ers to a field goal. In the third quarter, McCarthy had a sack for a loss of three yards, but more importantly he forced a fumble on the play which was recovered by fellow linebacker Caliph Brice at the Charlotte 16. Just one play later the Owls scored and took their first lead of the game. McCarthy would play a critical role in holding that lead with two more tackles in the fourth quarter, including another for TFL for a loss of one, setting up an Owls sack, followed by a punt on the next two plays.
Pigrome, a graduate transfer from Maryland, continued his efficient play at the quarterback position in the Hilltoppers’ 20-17 win at longtime rival Middle Tennessee. The Birmingham, Alabama, native completed 21-of-36 attempts for 188 yards and two touchdowns to go along with 55 rushing yards. Pigrome’s 21 completions tied a collegiate career-high, while he did not turn the ball over for the third-straight game in a WKU uniform. He is now one of just three quarterbacks in the nation to have at least six passing touchdowns and no interceptions this season, along with Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence and Miami’s D’Eriq King.
Narveson converted both of his field goal attempts and each of his extra-point attempts in the Hilltoppers’ narrow 20-17 victory at Middle Tennessee on Saturday. The Scottsdale, Arizona, native connected on field goals of 47 and 53 yards in the matchup and is now 3-for-3 this season on field goal attempts. Narveson’s 53-yarder ranks third all-time in 102 seasons of Hilltopper Football and is currently tied for the fifth-longest field goal make in the nation this season.
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.
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.
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.
