From the American:
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The American Athletic Conference has announced the winners of the league’s weekly football honors for the sixth week of the college football season.
AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Shane Carden • Sr. • QB • East Carolina • Houston, Texas
Carden accounted for 457 yards of total offense and threw four first-half touchdown passes to lead East Carolina to a 45-24 win against SMU in the Pirates’ first American Athletic Conference game. Carden completed 31 of 41 passes for 410 yards and four TDs and rushed for 47 yards on seven carries. He turned in his third consecutive game with at least 400 passing yards and became East Carolina’s career passing leader in the win. Carden has thrown for 9,134 yards in his career, passing the old mark of 9,029, which was set by David Garrard from 1998-2001.
AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Tank Jakes • Sr. • LB • Memphis • Phenix City, Ala.
Jakes led a Memphis defense that limited preseason American Athletic Conference favorite Cincinnati to 14 points and just three third-down conversions in the Tigers’ 41-14 win on the road. Jakes had a team-high 10 tackles, with three tackles for loss, two sacks, two quarterback hurries, a pass breakup and a forced fumble that set up a touchdown. Jakes is the national leader in tackles for loss (2.4 per game) and is ranked sixth nationally in sacks (1.2 per game).
AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Kyle Bullard • Jr. • K • Houston • Boerne, Texas
Bullard accounted for all of Houston’s scoring in the Cougars’ 17-12 loss to UCF, including a pair of long field goals in the fourth quarter that allowed Houston to have a chance to win on its final possession. He was 4-for-4 in field goal attempts for the game, with first-half makes from 39 and 42 yards and fourth-quarter kicks from 51 and 49 yards. Bullard, who has made a school-record 18 consecutive field goals dating to last season, is the leading scorer in the American Athletic Conference (9.4 ppg) and is the national leader in field goals (2.4 per game).
WEEKLY HONOR ROLL
Brandon Alexander • Sr. • S • UCF • Orlando, Fla.
Had nine tackles, 0.5 tackles for loss, an interception and a pivotal forced fumble inside the 1-yard line on Houston’s final series in a 17-12 win against the Cougars.
Jaryl Mamea • Sr. • DT • UCF • Fagasa, American Samoa
Had four tackles, three sacks and four quarterback hurries in a 17-12 win at Houston, leading a defense that held the Cougars without a touchdown.
Justin Hardy • Sr. • WR • East Carolina • Vanceboro, N.C.
Had eight receptions for 120 yards and three first-half touchdowns in a 45-24 win against SMU. Stands 47 receptions shy of the NCAA career record (349, Ryan Broyles, Oklahoma).
Paxton Lynch • So. • QB • Memphis • Deltona, Fla.
Threw for a career-high 311 yards with two touchdowns on 18-of-25 passing and added 45 rushing yards and two more TDs in a 41-14 win at Cincinnati.
Darius Joseph • Jr. • WR • SMU • Abilene, Texas
Had 13 receptions for 100 yards and two touchdowns in a 45-24 loss at No. 22/23 East Carolina.
