DALLAS – WKU’s
Caden Veltkamp, NM State’s
Kale Edwards and MTSU’s
Omari Kelly earned CUSA Player of the Week honors for week eight. The weekly awards are voted on by a panel of the league’s media.
Offensive Player of the Week – Caden Veltkamp, WKU – RS So. – QB – Bowling Green, Ky.
Veltkamp had an efficient performance in WKU's 31-14 road win over Sam Houston on Wednesday. He threw for 281 yards and three touchdowns on 20-29 passing, and didn't throw an interception in the victory. He spread the ball around the offense, with five players catching three passes and two catching a pair of passes. Veltkamp also added 27 yards on the ground, with a 19-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter to help pull away for the win. It was Veltkamp's third game this season throwing for at least three touchdowns and his fourth game this season with at least one passing and one rushing touchdown.
Defensive Player of the Week – Kale Edwards, NM State – Sr. – DE – Coeur d’Alene, Idaho
Edwards had a breakout performance in the Aggies' overtime win over LA Tech on Tuesday night - recording a season-high seven total tackles, including four sacks. The four sacks marked the most in a single game from any CUSA defender this season and the first time an Aggie had at least 3.5 sacks since 2017. He was responsible for four of the Aggies' five team sacks, which was the most for the program since 2018. Prior to Tuesday night, Edwards had yet to record a sack this season and had just one tackle for loss. He tallied a sack on each of the Bulldogs’ first two drives, including one on fourth down to force a turnover on downs.
Special Teams Player of the Week – Omari Kelly, MTSU – Jr. – WR – Trussville, Ala.
The first skill position player to earn the honor this season, Kelly tallied 151 all-purpose yards, including 77 receiving yards on six receptions and 74 punt return yards. A large chunk of his punt return output came on a 61-yard return for a touchdown, which helped seal the game in the third quarter of MTSU’s 14-5 win over Kennesaw State. It was the first punt return for a touchdown by a Blue Raider since Jaylin Lane on Sept. 4, 2021, against Monmouth. Kelly had attempted just two punt returns prior to Tuesday’s contest and finished the night with four returns for 74 yards and the score.
2024 Winners
Offensive Players of the Week
S2 Hunter Watson, Sam Houston
S9 Keyone Jenkins, FIU
S16 Caden Veltkamp, WKU
S23 Reese Smith, Liberty
S30 Hunter Watson, Sam Houston
O7 Tyler Huff, Jax State
O14 Evan Bullock, LA Tech
O21 Caden Veltkamp, WKU
Defensive Players of the Week
S2 Tayden Barnes, NM State
S9 CJ Bazile Jr., Liberty
S16 Caleb Weaver, Sam Houston
S23 Devonte’ Mathews, WKU
S30 Travion Barnes, FIU
O7 Zechariah Poyser, Jax State
O14 Travion Barnes, FIU
O21 Kale Edwards, NM State
Special Teams Players of the Week
S2 Christian Pavon, Sam Houston
S9 Colin Karhu, Liberty
S16 Buck Buchanan, LA Tech
S23 Cole Maynard, WKU
S30 Christian Pavon, Sam Houston
O7 Jadon Cardell, Sam Houston
O14 Lucas Carneiro, WKU
O21 Omari Kelly, MTSU