DALLAS – Conference USA announced Monday its weekly award winners for week nine. The weekly awards are voted on by a panel of the league’s media.
 
Offensive Player of the Week – Jacob Clark, Missouri St. – Sr. – QB – Rockwall, Texas
After missing a game-and-a-half with an injury, Clark made the most of his return to the starting rotation for the Bears (4-3, 2-1 CUSA), throwing for 283 yards and three touchdowns to lead Missouri State to an overtime win at New Mexico State and the club's third road win of the 2025 campaign. In the process, Clark tied the Missouri State record for touchdown passes with the game-winning, seven-yard strike to Ronnel Johnson in overtime for the 47th scoring pass of his career. In just his 22nd career start, Clark also eclipsed 6,000 career passing yards, 6,000 career total offense yards and surpassed 100 career scoring drives.
 
Defensive Player of the Week – Thomas Anderson, Missouri St. – Sr. – CB – Kansas City, Kan.
Anderson logged a career-high 11 tackles in the squad's overtime win at New Mexico State, including another career-best 10 solo stops. Anderson's dazzling interception late in the second quarter at the MSU five-yard line killed an Aggie drive there and preserved a 7-7 deadlock heading into the half. His first pick as a Bear was also rated #3 on SportsCenter's Top 10 plays on Wednesday night. He is just the second MSU player this season to post double-figure tackles in a game.
 
Special Teams Player of the Week – Koron Hayward, WKU – R-So. – DE – Jacksonville, Fla.
Hayward played a major role in WKU’s 28-27 overtime road win against Louisiana Tech on Tuesday at Joe Aillet Stadium. Hayward blocked the potential game-winning kick as time expired in regulation to send the game to overtime, where the Hilltoppers came away with the win to improve to 6-2 overall – becoming bowl eligible for the seventh time in as many seasons under head coach Tyson Helton – and 4-1 in Conference USA play. Hayward added four tackles in the victory as well. 
 
Freshman of the Week – Rodney Tisdale Jr., WKU – R-Fr. – QB – Jacksonville, Fla.
In the first start of his collegiate career, Tisdale posted 300 yards of offense in WKU’s 28-27 overtime road win over Louisiana Tech on Tuesday at Joe Aillet Stadium. Tisdale threw for 227 yards and a touchdown on 21-34 passing and rushed for a game-high 73 yards on 12 attempts. Tisdale completed passes to nine different receivers as the Hilltoppers put up 340 yards in the win. Tisdale completed a pass to Moussa Barry for the game-winning two-point conversion, helping the program reach bowl eligibility for the seventh time in as many seasons under Helton while the team improved to 4-1 in Conference USA play this fall.
 
Offensive Lineman of the Week – JaDarious Lee, Kennesaw St. – R-Jr. – LT – Nashville, Tenn.
In 60 snaps at left tackle, Lee did not surrender a single sack, QB hit, hurry or pressure and paved the way for the Owls (5-2, 3-0 CUSA) to win its fifth-straight game, dismantling FIU on the road, 45-26. He helped KSU roll up 498 yards of total offense, including a season-best 225 yards of rushing – CUSA’s highest rushing mark for week nine. The Owls averaged 5.2 yards per rush and did not have a negative rush between the tackles the entire game, excluding kneel downs. KSU scored its most points against an FBS opponent (45) in program history. Despite limited offensive snaps for KSU, Lee posted top-10 grades in both run blocking (64.5) and pass blocking (81.2), according to Pro Football Focus.
 
2025 Weekly Award Winners
 
Offensive Players of the Week
A25     Maverick McIvor, WKU
S1      Maverick McIvor, WKU
S8      Cam Cook, Jax State
S15     Kejon Owens, FIU
S22     Amari Odom, Kennesaw State
S29     La’Vell Wright, WKU
O6      Maverick McIvor, WKU
O13    Cam Cook, Jax State
O20    Kejon Owens, FIU
O27    Jacob Clark, Missouri State
 
Defensive Players of the Week
A25     Jaylen Lewis, WKU
S1      Mekhi Mason, LA Tech
S8      Kanye Young, Missouri State
S15     Juwon Gaston, MTSU
S22     Kolbe Fields, LA Tech
S29     Caleb Offord, Kennesaw State
O6      Naeten Mitchell, NM State
O13    Tylon Dunlap, Kennesaw State
O20    Jessiah McGrew, FIU
O27    Thomas Anderson, Missouri State
 
Special Teams Players of the Week
A25     Cole Maynard, WKU
S1      John Hoyet Chance, LA Tech
S8      Garrison Rippa, Jax State
S15     John Hoyet Chance, LA Tech
S22     Kyre Duplessis, Delaware
S29     John Hoyet Chance, LA Tech
O6      Ryan Hawk, NM State
O13    Garrison Rippa, Jax State
O20    Julian Gray, Liberty
O27    Koron Hayward, WKU
 
Freshmen of the Week
A25     Marvis Parrish, WKU
S1      Caden Williams, Liberty
S8      Jeron Askren, Missouri State
S15     Shamir Sterlin, FIU
S22     Wondame Davis Jr., UTEP
S29     Alonzo Jackson Jr., LA Tech
O6      Marvis Parrish, WKU
O13    Deuce Bailey, Missouri State
O20    Mac Sanders, Jax State
O27    Rodney Tisdale Jr., WKU
 
Offensive Linemen of the Week
A25     Laurence Seymore, WKU
S1      Fintan Brose, Delaware
S8      Bubba Grayson, Jax State
S15     Steven Demboski, Delaware
S22     J.T. Pennington, Kennesaw State
S29     Marshall Jackson, WKU
O6      Laurence Seymore, WKU
O13    J.T. Pennington, Kennesaw State
O20    Julius Pierce, FIU
O27    JaDarious Lee, Kennesaw State