Jax State’s Tyler Huff, NM State’s Dylan Early and Kennesaw State’s Austin Welch earned CUSA Player of the Week honors for week 13.
DALLAS – Jax State’s Tyler Huff, NM State’s Dylan Early and Kennesaw State’s Austin Welch earned CUSA Player of the Week honors for week 13. The weekly awards are voted on by a panel of the league’s media.
Offensive Player of the Week – Tyler Huff, Jax State – Senior – Quarterback – Orange Park, Fla.
Huff rushed for a season-best 177 yards on a career-high 30 carries and found the end zone three times in a 21-11 win over Sam Houston to clinch a spot in the CUSA Championship Game. The win marked the eighth straight for the Gamecocks (8-3, 7-0 CUSA). He also completed nine passes to nine different receivers on the day. Huff was crucial rushing on third downs with 81 yards on nine attempts (9.0 YPC) with two touchdowns. His 13 rushing touchdowns on the year are tied for the most by a quarterback in CUSA history.
Defensive Player of the Week – Dylan Early, NM State – Sr. – Safety – Houston, Texas
Early recorded an interception return for a touchdown on MTSU’s opening drive to set the tone in the Aggies’ (3-8, 2-5 CUSA) first road win of the season – a 36-21 victory over the Blue Raiders. He also tallied five tackles, including three solo stops. Early also broke up a pass in a key moment, forcing a fourth down with MTSU in Aggie territory and threatening to score before halftime. His pick six marked NM State’s first defensive touchdown of the season.
Special Teams Player of the Week – Austin Welch, KSU – RS Junior – K – Georgetown, Ky.
Welch booted the game-winning field goal with a little more than a minute left in the Owls’ (2-9, 2-5 CUSA) 27-26 triumph over FIU. He also connected on a 36-yard attempt in the first quarter and rebounded from a missed 44-yard try earlier in the fourth quarter to drill the game-winner. Welch was also a perfect 3-3 on extra-point attempts. His 14 made field goals are the most among CUSA kickers.
2024 Winners
Offensive Players of the Week
S2 Hunter Watson, Sam Houston
S9 Keyone Jenkins, FIU
S16 Caden Veltkamp, WKU
S23 Reese Smith, Liberty
S30 Hunter Watson, Sam Houston
O7 Tyler Huff, Jax State
O14 Evan Bullock, LA Tech
O21 Caden Veltkamp, WKU
O28 Davis Bryson, Kennesaw State
N4 Eric Rivers, FIU / Tre Stewart, Jax State
N11 Skyler Locklear, UTEP
N18 Quinton Cooley, Liberty
N25 Tyler Huff, Jax State
Defensive Players of the Week
S2 Tayden Barnes, NM State
S9 CJ Bazile Jr., Liberty
S16 Caleb Weaver, Sam Houston
S23 Devonte’ Mathews, WKU
S30 Travion Barnes, FIU
O7 Zechariah Poyser, Jax State
O14 Travion Barnes, FIU
O21 Kale Edwards, NM State
O28 Tyler Hallum, Kennesaw State
N4 Geimere Latimer, Jax State
N11 Kory Chapman, UTEP
N18 Joseph Carter, Liberty
N25 Dylan Early, NM State
Special Teams Players of the Week
S2 Christian Pavon, Sam Houston
S9 Colin Karhu, Liberty
S16 Buck Buchanan, LA Tech
S23 Cole Maynard, WKU
S30 Christian Pavon, Sam Houston
O7 Jadon Cardell, Sam Houston
O14 Lucas Carneiro, WKU
O21 Omari Kelly, MTSU
O28 Austin Welch, Kennesaw State
N4 Abraham Montano, NM State
N11 Lucas Carneiro, WKU
N18 Buck Buchanan, LA Tech
N25 Austin Welch, Kennesaw State
