ZAPPE, PERRY, WILLIAMSON, JONES EARN C-USA PLAYER OF THE WEEK HONORS
DALLAS – After throwing for 435 yards and totaling four touchdowns at Army, WKU QB Bailey Zappe earned Co-Offensive Player of the Week honors. Florida Atlantic QB N’Kosi Perry shares the honor on the offensive side after leading the Owls to a 38-6 win over Georgia Southern, where he completed 19-27 passes for 332 yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions. Louisiana Tech DB BeeJay Williamson brought home the honors following a two-interception performance in the Bulldogs’ win over Southeastern Louisiana. UTSA PR Sheldon Jones earned Special Teams Player of the Week honors after recording a 76-yard punt return for a touchdown in the Roadrunners’ 54-0 win over Lamar. The 2021 C-USA Players of the Week awards are presented by Surf & Turf Golf and are voted on by a panel of the league’s media.
A week after throwing for 424 yards against an FCS opponent, Zappe one-upped himself against one of the FBS’ best defenses from a year ago. At Army on Saturday, Zappe completed 28-40 passes (70%) for 435 and three touchdowns, compared to one interception, while adding a touchdown on the ground as well. Zappe’s 435 yards were the most allowed by an Army defense to a single quarterback since at least 2000 (per Sports-Reference.com). Through two full weeks of the college football season, Zappe has two of the five 400-yard passing games by all FBS quarterbacks. Zappe leads the FBS with 429.5 passing yards per game, 40.5 yards ahead of the second-best mark of 389.0 by Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud.
Perry drew his second start as an Owl and first before the home crowd in Boca Raton. The Miami transfer easily moved the ball down the field scoring on four of his nine drives, with no three-and-out drives on the day. He guided the Owls offense that totaled 541 yards and used a commanding 33:50 of game clock against a triple option offense. Individually, Perry became the first FAU quarterback to eclipse 300 yards passing since Dec. 20, 2019.
Williamson notched a pair of interceptions for Louisiana Tech in the win on Saturday against Southeastern Louisiana. He is the first Bulldog to record two interceptions in a game since the last time he accomplished the feat, which was last season against UAB on Oct. 31. Williamson became the seventh Bulldog in the last 23 games to record a pick-six, which was the 15th pick-six for Louisiana Tech since 2017, which leads the nation. Williamson’s 45-yard interception returned for a touchdown in the first quarter opened the game’s scoring. In addition to his two interceptions, Williamson also recorded six total tackles (five solo) in the win.
Jones returned a punt 76 yards for a touchdown to start the scoring for UTSA in a 54-0 rout of Lamar on Saturday night at the Alamodome. After the defense forced a punt on the Cardinals’ opening possession, the senior fielded the ball off one bounce and dashed 76 yards to paydirt to hand the Roadrunners the lead just three minutes into the contest. Jones’ punt return was the second in UTSA’s 11-year history, as he joins Kenny Harrison — who had a 79-yarder vs. Texas State in 2012 — as the only Roadrunners to return a punt for a score. He is one of 11 FBS players to return a punt for a TD this season.
2021 WINNERS
Offensive Player of the Week – Aug. 30 – WR Jacob Cowing, UTEP, Sept. 6 – QB Chris Reynolds, Charlotte, Sept. 13 – QB Bailey Zappe, WKU and QB N’Kosi Perry, Florida Atlantic
Defensive Player of the Week – Aug. 30 – S Dy’Vonne Inyang, UTEP, Sept. 6 – LB Eli Neal, Marshall, Sept. 13 – DB BeeJay Williamson, Louisiana Tech
Special Teams Player of the Week – Aug. 30 – K Gavin Baechle, UTEP, Sept. 6 – K Hunter Duplessis, UTSA, Sept. 13 – PR Sheldon Jones, UTSA
-ConferenceUSA.com-
