University of Massachusets Athletics
Nelson Named CAA Offensive Player Of Week
November 24, 2008 | Football
Nov. 24, 2008
RICHMOND, Va. - UMass junior tailback Tony Nelson was named the CAA Offensive Player of the Week and UMass/Dinn Bros. Co-Athlete of the Week after he gained a career-high 204 yards in UMass' 28-14 season-finale win over Hofstra on Saturday. He became the first UMass player with 200-plus rushing yards since 2006.
Here's the complete release from the CAA
RICHMOND, Va. (November 24, 2008) -- CAA Football announced its Player of the Week honorees, Monday, Nov. 24. Five individuals earned honors after helping each of their squads to wins on the field Saturday, including James Madison's Markus Hunter, Massachusetts' Tony Nelson, New Hampshire's Terrence Klein, Richmond's Sherman Logan and Rhode Island's Brandon Johnson-Farrell.
CAA Football Offensive Player of the Week - Tony Nelson, RB, Massachusetts
Nelson, the CAA Football Offensive Player of the Week, helped Massachusetts end its 2008 season with a 28-14 win over Hofstra. The Germantown, Md., native rushed for 204 yards on 28 carries, accounting for all but 32 of UMass' rushing yards. The junior, who scored two touchdowns on one-yard runs, also hauled in three catches for 16 yards in the win. Through the first half Nelson had carried the ball just 16 times, but had generated 111 yards and two touchdowns for an average of 6.9 yards a carry. Nelson ended the day averaging 7.3 yards per carry, while his mark of 204 yards in a game was the first for a UMass running back since Steve Baylark rushed for 200 yards in a game during the 2006 season.
CAA Football Defensive Player of the Week - Terrence Klein, LB, New Hampshire
Klein grabbed one of two CAA Football Defensive Player of the Week honors after helping secure a 28-24 road-win for New Hampshire at Maine. The Westwood, N.J., native recorded two key interceptions on the day, catapulting the Wildcats to their fifth-straight berth in the postseason. Both of Klein's picks came in the fourth quarter as the Black Bears were trying to assemble game-winning drives. The first came with 3:02 left in the game, halting a two-play Maine drive inside Black Bear territory. After a UNH punt on the ensuing possession, Klein again single-handedly stopped a Maine drive by intercepting a pass inside of New Hampshire territory with just 18 seconds left in the game. The junior finished the day with three total tackles to go with the two game-saving interceptions.
CAA Football Defensive Player of the Week - Sherman Logan, DL, Richmond
Logan notched the second of two CAA Football Defensive Player of the Week honors after he had a hand in pushing Richmond to a 23-20 overtime win at William and Mary. The Virginia Beach, Va., native led a Spider defensive effort which limited the Tribe to just 12 yards of offense in the first half. The sixth-year senior, who finished the day with four total tackles and a sack for 10 yards, played a huge role during the game's overtime period. William and Mary took possession first in overtime and managed just two yards, before calling for a 39-yard field-goal attempt. Logan got pressure up the middle and was able to get his left hand on the kick, logging the first blocked kick of his career and giving the Spiders an opportunity for their second-straight trip to postseason play. Richmond then took its ensuing drive five yards before Andrew Howard connected on the game-winning field goal.
CAA Football Special Teams Player of the Week - Markus Hunter, DB, James Madison
Hunter, the CAA Football Special Teams Player of the Week, helped James Madison's special teams in the Dukes' 58-27 win on the road at Towson -- a win which gave JMU the outright 2008 CAA Football Championship. The High Point, N.C., native was in on three special teams tackles in the win, while also contributing a blocked punt and blocked-punt recovery. The redshirt freshman logged the blocked punt recovery with a 1:47 left in the first quarter, which gave the Dukes the ball at the Towson 34. Four plays after the blocked punt James Madison scored a touchdown to go ahead 20-7. Towson's first possession of the second half ended with another blocked punt, this time it was Hunter who got his hand on the kick which again gave the Dukes the ball inside of Towson territory.
CAA Football Rookie of the Week - Brandon Johnson-Farrell, WR, Rhode Island
Johnson-Farrell earned CAA Football Rookie of the Week honors after helping Rhode Island to its first conference win of the season, topping Northeastern on the road, 24-19. The Odenton, Md., native caught one pass for eight yards and rushed once for six yards in the win. The freshman's biggest impact on the game came with 7:50 left in the first half. With a 7-0 lead, Northeastern was punting from its own 40-yardline when Rodney Mitchell got a hand on Ron Conway's kick. Johnson-Farrell picked up the loose ball and ran it back 32 yards for a touchdown knotting the score at 7-7. For the year, Johnson-Farrell has logged 1,478 all-purpose yards which places him second among freshmen in the category.
