SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Southern Conference named its football players of the week Monday for all games played Nov. 11. Western Carolina quarterback Tyrie Adams was named the SoCon Offensive Player of the Week, while Mercer’s Lee Bennett and Chandler Curtis were tabbed the Defensive Player of the Week and Special Teams Player of the Week, respectively. The players of the week are selected by the league office.
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Tyrie Adams, Western Carolina, R-So., QB, St. Petersburg, Fla.
Western Carolina quarterback Tyrie Adams accounted for 433 yards of total offense and threw for three touchdowns in the Catamounts’ 35-33 loss at Mercer on Saturday. The redshirt sophomore from St. Petersburg, Florida, went 35-for-47 for a season-best 378 yards through the air, good for a completion percentage of 74.5 percent, and ran for 55 yards on 15 carries. His 433 yards of total offense tied for fifth in a game in school history, while his passing yardage pushed his season total to 2,225, 10th-most in a season in WCU history. Adams, who tossed three TD passes for the second straight game, moved his season total to 21 touchdown passes, far surpassing his total of 15 from last season and matching the Catamount school record for a single season. He had touchdown passes of 34, 8 and 48 yards Saturday, with the last one drawing Western Carolina to within two points with 3:47 left in the game.
Other nominees: P.J. Blazejowski (Furman), Tee Mitchell (Mercer), Devlin Hodges (Samford) and Andre Stoddard (Wofford).
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Lee Bennett, Mercer, Sr., LB, Leesburg, Fla.
Mercer linebacker Lee Bennett recorded 16 tackles, recovered a fumble and intercepted a pass Saturday to help the Bears to a 35-33 win over Western Carolina, ranked No. 25 in the FCS Coaches Poll and No. 22 in the STATS Top 25. The senior from Leesburg, Florida, who had at least 16 tackles for the third time in his last five games, counted 1.5 tackles for loss for 6 yards among his stops against the Catamounts. With WCU leading 7-0 in the first quarter, Bennett recorded his first interception of the season and fourth of his career, deep in Western Carolina territory to set up a three-play, 13-yard scoring drive that pulled Mercer even. In the third quarter, with the Bears nursing a 28-23 lead and the Catamounts inside the red zone and threatening to pull ahead, Bennett recovered a fumble, his league-best third of the season, at the Mercer 15-yard line to stop the Western Carolina drive.
Other nominees: Reynard Ellis (Furman), Christian Stark (Samford), Marvin Tillman (Western Carolina) and Daryl Vining (Wofford).
SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Chandler Curtis, Mercer, Sr., WR/RS, Calhoun, Ga.
Mercer wide receiver/return specialist Chandler Curtis accounted for a game-high 184 all-purpose yards in Saturday’s win over No. 25/22 Western Carolina, racking up 128 yards on kick returns and 46 on punt returns in addition to 10 receiving yards. The senior from Calhoun, Georgia, returned a first-quarter punt 39 yards to the Western Carolina 36-yard line, setting up the Bears’ second score of the day. Midway through the fourth quarter, Curtis returned a kickoff 77 yards to the WCU 17, setting up what would prove to be the decisive touchdown in the Bears’ two-point win. The 77-yard kick return was the third-longest in program history and quickly helped Mercer regain momentum after the Catamounts had pulled to within two points on a field goal.
Other nominees: Cam Jackson (The Citadel), Austin Barnard (Samford), Joshua Gibson (Western Carolina) and Luke Carter (Wofford).
2017 Southern Conference Football Players of the Week
Offense
Sept. 4 Tyrie Adams, Western Carolina
Sept. 11 Detrez Newsome, Western Carolina
Sept. 18 Dominque Allen, The Citadel
Sept. 25 Tyrie Adams, Western Carolina
Oct. 2 Devlin Hodges, Samford
Oct. 9 Andre Stoddard, Wofford
Oct. 16 Brandon Goodson, Wofford
Oct. 23 Devlin Hodges, Samford
Oct. 30 Antonio Wilcox, Furman
Nov. 6 Detrez Newsome, Western Carolina
Nov. 13 Tyrie Adams, Western Carolina
Defense
Sept. 4 Malik Rivera, Wofford
Sept. 11 Devin Watson, Wofford
Sept. 18 Dylan Weigel, ETSU
Sept. 25 Keion Crossen, Western Carolina
Oct. 2 Tahjai Watt, Western Carolina
Oct. 9 Lee Bennett, Mercer
Oct. 16 John Brannon III, Western Carolina
Oct. 23 Omari Williams, Samford
Oct. 30 Tae Davis, Chattanooga
Nov. 6 Devin Watson, Wofford
Nov. 13 Lee Bennett, Mercer
Special Teams
Sept. 4 Luke Carter, Wofford
Sept. 11 Cole Fisher, Mercer
Sept. 18 Austin Barnard, Samford
Sept. 25 JJ Jerman, ETSU
Oct. 2 Logan McCarter, Furman
Oct. 9 Luke Carter, Wofford
Oct. 16 Jon Croft Hollingsworth, Furman
Oct. 23 Joshua Gibson, Western Carolina
Oct. 30 Victor Ulmo, Chattanooga
Nov. 6 Luke Carter, Wofford
Nov. 13 Chandler Curtis, Mercer
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