Players of the Week -- Nov. 14
RICHMOND, Va. (November 14, 2011) -- CAA Football announced its Player of the Week honorees, Monday, Nov. 14. Five individuals earned honors after showcasing superb efforts in contests played in Week 11 of the 2011 season, including Maine's Troy Russell, Towson's Derrick Joseph, Tye Smith and Terrance West and Old Dominion's Eriq Lewis.
CAA Football Offensive Player of the Week - Terrance West, RB, Towson
West led the Tigers' offense to a 56-42 shootout win over New Hampshire and earned his second-straight CAA Football Offensive Player of the Week honor. The freshman carried the ball a season-high 23 times gaining a season-high 261 yards and four touchdowns in the victory. West, who has now won six CAA Football weekly honors as a freshman, has rushed for 1,190 yards in nine games this season and leads the country with 25 touchdowns. His 2.7 touchdown/game average is currently better than Omar Cuff's league record of 2.3 touchdowns a game for Delaware in 15 games during the 2007 season.
CAA Football Defensive Player of the Week - Eriq Lewis, CB, Old Dominion
Lewis hauled in two pivotal interceptions during the final quarter of Old Dominion's 35-31 win at William and Mary and earned CAA Football Defensive Player of the Week honors. The first came on the Tribe's second-to-last drive of the game after ODU had taken a four-point lead. His second pick ended the game as William and Mary was again marching down the field in search of a game-winning touchdown with less than 30 seconds left on the clock. Lewis is the first Monarch to ever record two interceptions in one game, and now has four INTs on the year. The freshman also forced a fumble on the Monarch goaline in the first quarter. The turnover, recovered by Carvin Powell, halted an eventual touchdown and resulted in a touchback.
CAA Football Defensive Player of the Week - Troy Russell, LB, Maine
Russell earned CAA Football Defensive Player of the Week honors after forcing one turnover and scoring on another in Maine's come-from-behind, 32-21, win over Massachusetts. Russell's touchdown, which helped pull the Black Bears to within two, came late in the third quarter when he scooped and scored following a forced fumble by his teammate Erwin Roach at the Maine 40-yardline. His forced fumble came in the endzone with just over a minute remaining in the game. Maine's Michael Cole fell on the loose ball for a Black Bear touchdown.
CAA Football Special Teams Player of the Week - Derrick Joseph, KR, Towson
Joseph's kick return efforts in Towson's 56-42 win over New Hampshire helped him log the CAA Football Special Teams Player of the Week honor. Joseph returned five kicks for a total of 167 yards, including a 93-yarder for a touchdown to open the second half. Joseph's return for a touchdown marked only the sixth such feat in school history and the first since Maurice Sydnor returned an 89-yarder for a touchdown against Butler in 1995.
CAA Football Rookie of the Week - Tye Smith, CB, Towson
Smith was responsible for three turnovers in Towson's 56-42 win over New Hampshire, helping him earn CAA Football Rookie of the Week accolades. The frosh gave the Tigers a 21-7 lead in the first quarter when he picked off a Kevin Decker pass and returned it 45 yards for a touchdown. In the third quarter he fell on a fumble forced by teammate Frank Beltre in Towson territory and in the fourth quarter he hauled in another pick. His final interception happened in the endzone ending what figured to be a New Hampshire scoring drive with just under two minutes left in the contest.
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