#UACFOOTBALL -- The final week of the inaugural season for United Athletic Conference (UAC) Football wrapped up with some exciting performances as evidenced by the weekly award honorees recognized by the league office on Monday. EKU boasted a pair of repeat selections in Braedon Sloan (Offensive) and Patrick Nations (Specialist) while Abilene Christian's Cirby Coheley (Defensive) and Utah Tech's Nygel Osborne (Freshman) also saw their names selected.
Sloan, a junior running back, rushed for 150 yards on 14 carries and two touchdowns against Stephen F. Austin in the Colonels' season finale win. Both touchdown runs came in the fourth quarter with his first coming from 15-yards out before he sealed the game late in the fourth with an electrifying 55-yard run to the house.
A junior linebacker, Coheley put the Wildcats on the board first against Texas A&M with a 51-yard interception return for a touchdown. He led ACU with 13 tackles including eight solo stops and two quarterback hurries. Coheley also posted three sacks for minus-20 yards for the Aggies. His performance also garnered FedEx Ground National Defensive Player of the Week accolades.
Nations, a junior kicker for the Colonels, boasted a perfect end-of-the-year performance going a perfect 3-for-3 on field goals and 3-for-3 on PATs. He finished the contest with 12 points and connected on field goals of 32, 27 and 31 yards. Nations totalled 435 yards on seven kickoffs which included one touchback.
The Trailblazers rookie running back finished with a team-high 60 yards rushing on seven carries in the rivalry match-up with Southern Utah. Osborne scored a pair of touchdowns (6 & 12 yards) and rattled off a career-long 38-yard scamper in the third quarter to set up on of his tallies. He averaged 8.6 yards per carry and collected the Blazers first touchdown of the game.
2023 WEEKLY AWARD WINNERS
| Date |
Offensive |
Defensive |
Special Teams |
Freshman |
| Sept. 4 |
Takairee Kenebrew
(North Alabama) |
Patrick Jones
(Tarleton State) |
Adrian Guzman
(Tarleton State) |
Xavier Wishert
(Abilene Christian) |
| Sept. 11 |
Keylan Johnson
(Tarleton State) |
D.J. Harris
(Tarleton State) |
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 State) |
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) |
| Oct. 30 |
Mike DiLiello
(Austin Peay) |
David Walker
(Central Arkansas) |
Connor Brooksby
(Utah Tech) |
Jyheam Ingram
(North Alabama) |
| Nov. 6 |
Victor Gabalis
(Tarleton State) |
Qua'Shawn Washington
(Tarleton State) |
Riley Stephens
(Austin Peay) |
Kenny Odom
(Austin Peay) |
| Nov. 13 |
Isaiah Wooden
(Southern Utah) |
Tyler Long
(Austin Peay) |
Maddux Trujillo
(Austin Peay) |
Xavier Smith
(Austin Peay) |
| Nov. 20 |
Braedon Sloan
(EKU) |
Cirby Coheley
(Abilene Christian) |
Patrick Nations
(EKU) |
Nygel Osborne
(Utah Tech) |
Other Nominees:
Offensive -
Jevon Jackson (APSU), Noah Walters (UNA); Braedon Wissler (SUU); Lawton Rikel (SFA)
Defensive -
Sam Howard (APSU); Cameron Godfrey (UCA); Jeremiah Bailey (EKU); Gregory Reddick (UNA); Kohner Cullimore (SUU); Tkai Lloyd (SFA)
Special Teams -
Jaden Barnes (APSU); JJ Evans (UNA); Max Quick (SFA)
Freshman -
Kenny Odom (APSU); Marcellus Maddux (EKU); Adam Watford (UNA); Jarvis Anderson (SFA)