DALLAS – After totaling four touchdowns in a thrilling conference road win at Sam Houston, Jax State
QB Logan Smotherswas voted CUSA Offensive Player of the Week. WKU
LB Bryson Washington took home Defensive Player of the Week honors following a standout performance with seven tackles, a fumble recovery and an interception on Thursday night in the Hilltoppers’ rivalry win over Middle Tennessee. LA Tech
PR Smoke Harris was named CUSA Special Teams Player of the Week after a scintillating 67-yard punt return for a touchdown in LA Tech’s road conference win over UTEP. The 2023 CUSA Players of the Week awards are presented by
Blenders Eyewear and are voted on by a panel of the league’s media.
After struggling through a first half that saw his Gamecocks fall behind 21-7 at Sam Houston on Thursday night, Smothers turned it on after the half to lead Jax State to a thrilling win. After the half, Smothers was 13-16 passing for 181 yards and three touchdowns, while also running the ball seven times for 17 yards and a score. He threw a 37-yard score to Michael Pettway to make it a 21-14 game and then scampered in from 16 yards out to cut the deficit to 21-20 midway through the fourth quarter. Facing a 28-20 deficit with 1:11 to play, Smothers drove the Gamecocks 75 yards in eight plays and just 58 seconds, going 6-8 passing for 75 yards with a 28-yard touchdown strike to Perry Carter with 11 seconds to play. That set up his scramble and pass to find Quinton Lane in the back of the end zone on the two-point conversion that sent the game into overtime, when he connected with tight end Sean Brown on a 24-yard scoring pass that ended up being the game winner.
Washington, a sixth-year linebacker at WKU, made the most of his first start with the program in WKU's 31-10 win over Middle Tennessee on Thursday at Houchens-Smith Stadium. Washington posted seven tackles, had two pass breakups, recorded one interception and came away with one fumble recovery in the victory to lead the defensive effort against the Blue Raiders.
Harris returned a punt 67 yards for a touchdown during the first quarter of the Bulldogs’ 24-10 win at UTEP on Friday. His punt return touchdown was the first by a LA Tech player since Teddy Veal accomplished the feat on Sept. 2, 2017, in a win over Northwestern State. As a result of Harris’ efforts, Tech snapped a 16-game road losing streak as the Bulldogs’ victory over UTEP was the first road win since Dec. 3, 2020.
2023 WINNERS
Offensive Player of the Week
A28 – WR Smoke Harris, LA Tech
S4 – WR Kris Mitchell, FIU
S11 – RB Kejon Owens, FIU
S18 – QB Kaidon Salter, Liberty
S25 - QB Kaidon Salter, Liberty
O2 – QB Logan Smothers, Jax State
Defensive Player of the Week
A28 – S Jeremiah Harris, Jax State
S4 – LB JaQues Evans, WKU
S11 – LB Tyrice Knight, UTEP
S18 – LB Sam Brumfield, MTSU
S25 – DL Chris Hardie, Jax State
O2 – LB Bryson Washington, WKU
Special Teams Player of the Week
A28 – P Jack Dawson, Jax State
S4 – K Lucas Carneiro, WKU
S11 – K Jacob Barnes, LA Tech
S18 – K Ethan Albertson, New Mexico State
S25 - P Jack Dawson, Jax State
O2 – PR Smoke Harris, LA Tech