#UACFOOTBALL -- After going toe-to-toe in a one-point margin gridiron thriller, quarterbacks Noah Walters (North Alabama) and Kobe Tracy (Utah Tech) shared the United Athletic Conference (UAC) Football Offensive Player of the Week honor as announced by the league office on Monday. Joining the dueling duo on the awards stand were EKU's Logan Blake (Defensive), Austin Peay's Kam Thomas (Specialist) and Utah Tech's Beau Sparks (Freshman), who all are repeat selections this season.
Walters, the sophomore signal-caller for UNA, had 223 all-purpose yards in a one-point win over Utah Tech, completing 13-of-19 passes for 118 yards while adding a career-high 105 rushing yards on 12 carries. He became the first Lions' quarterback since 2018 to rush for over 100 yards. Walters threw the game-winning touchdown, a 28-yard pass to Dakota Warfield and was responsible for a UNA offense that converted all four of its fourth down attempts, including a QB bootleg play on the last scoring drive.
A redshirt-junior, Tracy threw for a career-high 397 yards and three touchdowns in Utah Tech's heartbreaking road loss at North Alabama. He completed 26-of-40 passing attempts, and has now notched four three-touchdown games in his career including back-to-back contests this season. Tracy tallied five completions of 30 or more yards to four different receivers against the Lions.
Earning his second straight and third overall Defensive Player of the Week honor, Blake bested his career-high finishing with 21 tackles (10 solo, 11 assist) in EKU's rematch with Gardner-Webb on Saturday. Along with his UAC single game record tackle total, he collected three tackles for loss, one sack and one forced fumble. His 21 tackles ranks inside the top 10 of EKU's single game records.
One of the nation's most dangerous returners, Thomas returned Southern Utah's first punt of the game 82 yards for a touchdown and never got kicked to the remainder of the contest. His 82-yard punt return is the third longest in APSU history, behind only his own 92-yard and 89-yard punt returns for touchdowns. Thomas, a two-time UAC Specialist of the Week, is now tied for the APSU record with three career punt return touchdowns.
Sparks, a true freshman for the Trailblazers, caught eight passes for 92 yards and two fourth-quarter touchdowns en route to earning his second UAC Football Weekly honor of the season. He grabbed his second score from 19 yards out with just 31 seconds to play in the Blazers one-point loss at UNA. Sparks posted his second two-touchdown outing in his last three games and leads the Blazers with six TD catches this season.
2023 WEEKLY AWARD WINNERS
| Date |
Offensive |
Defensive |
Special Teams |
Freshman |
| Sept. 4 |
Takairee Kenebrew
(North Alabama) |
Patrick Jones
(Tarleton) |
Adrian Guzman
(Tarleton) |
Xavier Wishert
(Abilene Christian) |
| Sept. 11 |
Keylan Johnson
(Tarleton) |
D.J. Harris
(Tarleton) |
Kyle Ramsey
(Abilene Christian) |
Zach Mitchell
(Southern Utah) |
| Sept. 18 |
Mike DiLiello
(Austin Peay) |
Philjae Bien-Aime
(North Alabama) |
Kam Thomas
(Austin Peay) |
Beau Sparks
(Utah Tech) |
| Sept. 25 |
ShunDerrick Powell
(Central Arkansas) |
Cedarius Doss
(Austin Peay) |
Patrick Nations
(EKU) |
Aaron Sears
(Stephen F. Austin) |
| Oct. 2 |
Kylon Harris
(Stephen F. Austin) |
Logan Blake
(EKU) |
Chris Campos
(Stephen F. Austin) |
Garrett Hawkins
(Austin Peay) |
| Oct. 9 |
Will McElvain
(Central Arkansas) |
Dondi Fuller
(Utah Tech) |
Adrian Guzman
(Tarleton) |
Anson Kraut
(Southern Utah) |
| Oct. 16 |
Braedon Sloan
(EKU) |
Logan Blake
(EKU) |
Kyle Ramsey
(Abilene Christian) |
Aaron Sears
(Stephen F. Austin) |
| Oct. 23 |
Noah Walters / Kobe Tracy
(North Alabama / Utah Tech) |
Logan Blake
(EKU) |
Kam Thomas
(Austin Peay) |
Beau Sparks
(Utah Tech) |
Other Nominees:
Offensive -
Jay'Veon Sunday (ACU); Trey Goodman (APSU); Braedon Sloan (EKU); Jerrell Wimbley (SFA); Kayvon Britten (Tarleton)
Defensive -
Cooper Colt (ACU); Hosea Knifeley Jr. (APSU); Gregory Reddick (UNA); Aaron Sears (SFA); Ahmir Crowder (Tarleton); Will Leota (Utah Tech)
Special Teams -
Kyle Ramsey (ACU); Sam Contorno (UNA); Chase Ruiz (SFA); Patrick Jones (Tarleton)
Freshman -
Jerry Lawson (ACU); Jyheam Ingram (UNA); Jarvis Anderson (SFA)