Southland Conference Announces Football Players of the Week
Southland Conference
FRISCO, Texas – Nicholls senior wide receiver C.J. Bates, Houston Baptist junior linebacker Garrett Dolan and UIW senior safety Trey Colbert earned Southland Conference Football Player of the Week honors presented by UniversalCoin.com, the league office announced Monday. Bates took offensive honors while Dolan was named defensive player of the week and Colbert was tabbed the top special teams player.
Offensive Player of the Week: C.J. Bates, Nicholls
Senior wide receiver C.J. Bates tied the Colonels’ single-game program record and season-high conference mark with three touchdown catches in the win over rival Northwestern State. Bates hauled in 10 receptions for 179 yards and scored on 24-, 2- and 74-yard receptions. His first touchdown catch tied the game up at 7-7 and his second and third came in the second half to double the Colonels’ lead. Bates’ performance was the third-most receiving yards for a Southland player this season and second-best in league play.
Honorable Mention: Zach Conque, Stephen F. Austin; Hayden Hildebrand, Central Arkansas; Davion Davis, Sam Houston State; Tony Dawson, Houston Baptist
Defensive Player of the Week: Garrett Dolan, Houston Baptist
Junior linebacker Garrett Dolan led the Huskies with 14 tackles, forced a fumble, which he recovered and had a quarterback hurry. On Lamar’s opening drive of the game, He tackled the Cardinals’ Andrew Allen for a 12-yard loss, stripped the ball and recovered it, setting up B.J. Kelly’s five-yard touchdown run. Dolan leads the league in tackles for loss (10 solo, 1.62 per game) as well as leading Southland players and ranking fourth nationally in tackles per game (12.1).
Honorable Mention: Jammerio Gross, McNeese; George Stone, Stephen F. Austin; Tyler Williams, Central Arkansas
Special Teams Player of the Week: Trey Colbert, UIW
Senior safety Trey Colbert had a pivotal performance for the Cardinals on Saturday, blocking two Stephen F. Austin punts. Both of Colbert’s blocks resulted in a short field for UIW and led directly to scoring drives by the Cardinals.
Honorable Mention: Alize Ward, Stephen F. Austin; P.J. Giddens, Sam Houston State
Each school’s sports information director nominates and votes for the players of the week, though is not permitted to vote for his own player. To receive honorable mention, a player must receive votes from 25 percent of the Southland sports information directors.