DALLAS – After registering 16 tackles, forcing a fumble and leading a Marshall defense that held No. 23 Appalachian State to its lowest rushing total in six years during a 17-7 win over the Mountaineers, Marshall redshirt senior LB Tavante Beckett earned the C-USA Defensive Player of the Week award. The Offensive Player of the Week honor went to UTSA junior QB Frank Harris, who threw for a career-high 269 yards and rushed for 104 yards, while accounting for three touchdowns in a victory over Stephen F. Austin. The Special Teams Player of the Week award was given to Louisiana Tech redshirt freshman K Jacob Barnes, who hit a field goal was 4-for-4 on PAT’s, including the game-winner in the final seconds in a 31-30 win at Southern Miss. C-USA Football Players of the Week are voted on by a panel of the league’s media.
Beckett was all over the field Saturday for the Thundering Herd, amassing a career-high 16 tackles (eight solo) with one forced fumble in the 17-7 home win over 23rd-ranked Appalachian State. The 16 stops are the most by a Marshall man since Chase Hancock made 18 tackles against Southern Miss in 2017. Last season, App State averaged 231 rush yards per game, which ranked No. 16 in the country, and in the season opener the Mountaineers ran for 308 yards against Charlotte. On Saturday the Herd, led by co-captain Beckett, held them to 96 yards on 33 carries Saturday, their lowest total in a game since 2014. Beckett’s 24 tackles in two games ranks second among all FBS players this season.
Harris accounted for 373 yards and three touchdowns to help lead UTSA to a 24-10 victory over Stephen F. Austin in the home opener last Saturday. The junior quarterback completed 23-of-36 passes for a career-high 269 yards and a touchdown and he also rushed for 104 yards and a pair of scores, as the Roadrunners racked up 498 yards of offense. A product of Schertz, Texas, he became the first UTSA QB with two career 100-yard rushing games under his belt. Through two games, Harris has thrown for 438 yards and two touchdowns on 48-of-67 passing (68.7%) and rushed for 155 yards and five scores to help guide UTSA to its first 2-0 start since 2017. He is now tied atop the FBS in rushing (5) and total (5) touchdowns and he ranks second in points responsible for (42).
Barnes was a perfect 4-for-4 on extra point attempts in Louisiana Tech’s 31-30 victory over Southern Miss, including the game-winning PAT in the final seconds to lift the Bulldogs over the Golden Eagles. The redshirt freshman kicker from Baton Rouge also made a 28-yard field goal in his only attempt of the night.
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.
Defensive Player of the Week – Sept. 7 – KD Davis, LB, North Texas; Sept. 14 – Tyler Murray, LB, Charlotte; Sept. 21 – Tavante Beckett, LB, Marshall.
Special Teams Player of the Week – Sept. 7 – Matt Quinn, K, UAB; Sept. 14 – Hunter Duplessis, K, UTSA; Jacob Barnes, K, Louisiana Tech.
https://conferenceusa.com/news/2020/9/21/sept-21-football-players-of-the-week.aspx
