DALLAS – Delaware’s Nick Minicucci and Kevin Moore, Kennesaw State’s Tywon Christopher and Davis Bryson, and Jax State’s Lance Johnson earned CUSA Player of the Week honors for week nine. The weekly awards are voted on by a panel of the league’s media.
 
Offensive Player of the Week – Nick Minicucci, Delaware – Sr. – QB – Midland Park, N.J.
Minicucci set a pair of Delaware records in the Fightin' Blue Hens' (4-4, 2-2 CUSA) 35-21 win at WKU. The gunslinger completed his first 18 passes of the game to lock in the program record for consecutive passes overall and consecutive passes to start a game. He became the first CUSA QB to hit 18 straight to begin a game since MTSU's Brent Stockstill in September 2016 and first to connect on 18 consecutive overall since Bailey Zappe in October 2021. Minicucci finished 32-38 to rank sixth in program history with a .842 completion percentage. He added four touchdowns through the air and 414 passing yards, just eight shy of his career-best mark. It is the second-straight game he had at least four passing touchdowns. Minicucci finished the night 16-18 for 200 yards on first downs.
 
Defensive Player of the Week – Tywon Christopher, Kennesaw State – R-So. – LB – Thomasville, Ga.
Christopher helped lead the Owls (2-6, 1-3 CUSA) to a 44-28 road victory over MTSU. He led a defense that was on the field for a whopping 40:19. Christopher finished with eight tackles, a tackle for loss and a pick six. He’s the only CUSA defender to record at least eight tackles, a TFL and an interception this season – the first since teammate Baron Hopson in 2025 – and the eighth CUSA player since 2020 with eight tackles, a TFL and a pick six. Christopher injected a jolt of energy into the game with his 59-yard interception return and score in the third quarter It marked the second defensive score for KSU in the last two years and first pick six since 2024. He forced one of two Blue Raider interceptions after they only had two on the year entering the game. Christopher helped lead Kennesaw State to a win in the first game in program history with less than 20 minutes of possession.
 
Special Teams Player of the Week – Davis Bryson, Kennesaw State – R-Sr. – WR – Woodbridge, Va.
Bryson helped jolt Kennesaw State to a 44-28 victory over MTSU with 147 all-purpose yards, including a career-high 71 return yardage on kickoffs. He also finished with 30 rushing yards and 46 receiving yards. Bryson became only the 11th player in CUSA history since 2000 to record 70 return yards, 30 rushing yards, 40 receiving yards and a score and is the first since 2011 (Trey Watts, Tulsa). He’s one of only two players in FBS this season with the stat line (Michael Scott, James Madison). Bryson bookended a drive for the Owls with a 52-yard kickoff return before scoring on a 23-yard pass from QB Rickie Collins in the second quarter – the first TD reception of his career.
 
Freshman of the Week – Kevin Moore, Delaware – Fr. – S – Coram, N.Y.
Rookie safety Kevin Moore snagged his first career interception in the Fightin' Blue Hens' 35-21 win at WKU to go along with three tackles. He played a career high in snaps as he aided the UD defense to a second-half shutout of the Hilltoppers. With WKU driving early in the game, Moore stepped in front of a Brock Glenn pass to halt the Tops at the UD 22-yard line. In coverage, he was targeted three times and allowed just one catch for four yards. Moore logged the second-best PFF coverage grade on the team (79.9).
 
Offensive Lineman of the Week – Lance Johnson, Jax State – So. – LG – Birmingham, Ala.
Johnson played a pivotal role in the trenches as the Gamecocks (6-2, 4-0 CUSA) shutout New Mexico State, 24-0, on the road to secure bowl eligibility for the fourth consecutive season. Jax State ran for a season-high 324 yards and did so against the league’s best run stopping defense coming into the contest. Johnson helped clear the way for Caden Creel to rush for a career-high 213 yards, a program record for a quarterback. Johnson recorded an 82.9 PFF pass block grade as he didn’t allow a pressure on 22 drop backs.  
 
2026 Weekly Award Winners
 
Offensive Players of the Week
A31     Trey Hedden, NM State
S7      Jamill Williams, Jax State
S14     JJ Kohl, FIU
S21     Sean Wilson, Delaware
S28     Caden Creel, Jax State
O5      James Jones, NM State
O12    Caden Creel, Jax State
O19    Roman Gagliano, MTSU
O26    Nick Minicucci, Delaware
N2      Nick Minicucci, Delaware
 
Defensive Players of the Week
A31     Gabe Peterson, NM State
S7      Nick Session, NM State
S14     Elisha Baldridge, FIU
S21     Jackson Lowe, MTSU
S28     Ronald Moore Jr., Liberty
O5      Aidan Vaughan, Liberty
O12    Tywon Christopher, Kennesaw State
O19    Jared Lloyd, Missouri State
O26    Jawarren Corbin, Delaware
N2      Tywon Christopher, Kennesaw State
 
Special Teams Players of the Week
A31     Conor Donaghy, Jax State
S7      Triston Morgan, Kennesaw State
S14     Dominic Bourgeois, MTSU
S21     Caleb Nix, Jax State
S28     Garrison Rippa, Jax State
O5      Chase Reeves, Liberty
O12    Robert Czeremcha, FIU
O19    Yousef Obeid, Missouri State
O26    Dominic Bourgeois, MTSU
N2      Davis Bryson, Kennesaw State
 
Freshmen of the Week
A31     Carson Su’esu’e, NM State
S7      Kevin Moore, Delaware
S14     Felix Visser, FIU
S21     Tristan Lyles, Jax State
S28     Jonathan Stafford Jr., WKU
O5      Jonathan Stafford Jr., WKU
O12    Jonathan Stafford Jr., WKU
O19    Tyler Bell, Delaware
O26    Xavier Rucker, NM State
N2      Kevin Moore, Delaware
 
Offensive Linemen of the Week
A31     Ma’kyi Lee, NM State
S7      Lance Johnson, Jax State
S14     Zaire Flournoy, FIU
S21     Reese Tripp, MTSU
S28     D.J. Geth, Liberty
O5      Alex Birchmeier, Liberty
O12    D.J. Geth, Liberty
O19    Ryan Walker, Jax State
O26    Steven Demboski, Delaware
N2      Lance Johnson, Jax State