SPARTANBURG, S.C. – On Monday, the Southern Conference named its Football Player of the Week awards presented by GEICO for all games played April 3. ETSU running back Quay Holmes was named the Offensive Player of the Week and Bucs defensive back Alijah Huzzie was named the Defensive Player of the Week. Mercer punter/kicker Caleb Dowden was named the Special Teams Player of the Week. The awards are selected by the league office.
 
ETSU moved into the national rankings after its 24-20 win at then-No. 10/10 VMI on Saturday, as the Bucs entered the Stats Perform FCS Top 25 at No. 21 this week. In addition, Holmes has been named the Stats Perform FCS National Offensive Player of the Week and Mercer quarterback Carter Peevy has been named the Stats Perform FCS National Freshman of the Week after throwing for a school-record 406 yards and accounting for three total touchdowns in the Bears’ 26-14 win over then-No. 17/21 Furman on Saturday.
 
 
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Quay Holmes, ETSU, R-Jr., RB, Powder Spring, Ga.
ETSU running back Quay Holmes ran for 135 yards and two touchdowns on 29 carries as the Bucs moved to 4-1 on the season with a 24-20 win at No. 10/10 VMI on Saturday. The redshirt junior from Powder Springs, Georgia, who recorded his 11^th career 100-yard rushing game, scored on a 4-yard run at the start of the fourth quarter to put ETSU on top for good. Holmes also added 158 yards on five kick returns, including a 51-yarder to start the second half, giving him 293 all-purpose yards on the afternoon.
 
Other nominees: Clay Harris (The Citadel), Carter Peevy (Mercer) and Irvin Mulligan (Wofford).
 
 
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Alijah Huzzie, ETSU, R-Fr., DB, Franklin, Ga.
ETSU defensive back Alijah Huzzie had a career-high 13 tackles, including 10 solo stops, as the Bucs held VMI’s high-octane offense nearly 12 points below its seasonal average. The redshirt freshman from Franklin, Georgia, also hauled in his third interception of the season, picking off a pass to end VMI’s first drive of the second half.
 
Other nominees: Anthony Britton Jr. (The Citadel), Solomon Zubairu (Mercer) and Joe Beckett (Wofford).
 
 
SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Caleb Dowden, Mercer, R-So., P/K, Statesboro, Ga.
Mercer punter/kicker Caleb Dowden accounted for eight points in the Bears’ 26-14 win over No. 17/21 Furman on Saturday, connecting on field goals of 23 and 31 yards and two extra points. Both field goals came in the third quarter and initiated a 19-0 game-ending run for the Bears. Dowden, a redshirt sophomore from Statesboro, Georgia, also punted three times for 115 yards, downing one inside Furman’s 20-yard line.
 
Other nominees: Landon Parker (Wofford).
 
2020-21 SoCon Football Players of the Week presented by GEICO
Offensive
Feb. 22             Quay Holmes, R-Jr., RB, ETSU
March 1            Liam Welch, Sr., QB, Samford
March 8            Ryan Miller, Jr., TE, Furman
March 15          Donnavan Spencer, Sr., RB, Western Carolina
March 22          Liam Welch, Sr., QB, Samford
March 29          Jakob Herres, Jr., WR, VMI
April 5               Quay Holmes, R-Jr., RB, ETSU
 
Defensive
Feb. 22             Donovan Manuel, R-So., LB, ETSU
March 1            Connor Riddle, R-Sr., LB, VMI
March 8            Chris Edmonds, So., S, Samford
March 15          Chris Edmonds, So., S, Samford
March 22          Ty Boeck, Jr., LB, Chattanooga
March 29          Christian Snyder, Jr., LB, Chattanooga
April 5               Alijah Huzzie, R-Fr., DB, ETSU
 
Special teams
Feb. 22             Paxton Robertson, Fr., K, Western Carolina
March 1            Gabe Boring, Jr., P, Chattanooga
March 8            Timmy Bleekrode, R-So., PK/P, Furman
March 15          Mitchell Fineran, Jr., PK, Samford
March 22          Caleb Dowden, R-So., P/K, Mercer
March 29          Tyler Keltner, So., K, ETSU
April 5               Caleb Dowden, R-So., P/K, Mercer