MEAC Week 2 Football Honors
NORFOLK, Va. - North Carolina A&T State running back Tarik Cohen was selected as the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Offensive Player of the Week, the conference announced today. Teammate Jeremy Taylor (linebacker) was named Defensive Player of the Week. Taylor was also named the STATS FCS National Defensive Player of the Week.
Bethune-Cookman’s Akevious Williams earned Rookie of the Week honors, while North Carolina A&T State’s Brandon Parker received his second straight Offensive Lineman of the Week honor. Teammate Cody Jones was selected as the Specialist of the Week.
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Tarik Cohen
North Carolina A&T State
RB
5-6, 179, Sr.
Bunn, N.C.
The 2016 Preseason Offensive Player of the Year finished Saturday’s win over Kent State with 258 all-purpose yards. Cohen rushed for 133 yards on 24 carries with a touchdown while also leading the Aggies in receiving with 125 yards on nine receptions. The Bunn, N.C. native came up big in the fourth quarter with a 39-yard reception that set up his two-yard touchdown as his score brought the Aggies to within one point.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Jeremy Taylor
North Carolina A&T State
LB
5-11, 181, r-Jr.
Kinston, N.C.
Taylor led the Aggies with 15 tackles (12 solo) and helped the defense hold Kent State to 275 yards of offense. He also had two pass breakups while forcing and recovering one fumble. With Kent State in Aggie territory late in the fourth quarter, Taylor made a key interception in the end zone to stall the drive.
ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Akevious Williams
Bethune-Cookman
QB
6-2, 188, R-Fr.
Williams engineered a three-play, 87-yard touchdown drive for the Wildcats. He rushed twice, including an 83-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.
OFFENSIVE LINEMAN OF THE WEEK
Brandon Parker
North Carolina A&T State
OL
6-7, 279, Jr.
Kannapolis, N.C.
Parker earned a grade of 92-percent on his blocking assignments and had three pancake blocks as North Carolina A&T State finished with 407 offensive yards. The Aggies rushed for 167 yards and completed 22 passes with three different quarterbacks, for three touchdowns, in the quadruple overtime win against Kent State.
SPECIALIST OF THE WEEK
Cody Jones
North Carolina A&T State
PK
5-11, 141, Sr.
Gastonia, N.C.
Jones scored nine points as he finished 2-for-3 on field goals and 3-for-3 on extra points in the win at Kent State. Jones kicked the game-tying PAT late in the fourth quarter to force overtime and also connected on a 35-yard field goal in the first overtime to extend the game.
OTHER TOP PERFORMERS
Brycen Alleyne (RB/DSU) rushed for 94 yards, including one touchdown, on nine carries against Monmouth.
Jason Baxter (DB/SCSU) notched a game-high 10 tackles against Louisiana Tech.
Elijah Bell (WR/NCAT) made four catches for 33 yards in the victory over Kent State.
Larry Brihm, Jr. (QB/B-CU) passed for a team-high 74 yards at North Texas.
Frank Brown (WR/B-CU) returned a punt 88 yards for a touchdown against North Texas.
Josiah Dailey (DB/NCCU) recorded a game-high 17 tackles, including 11 solo, against Western Michigan.
Greg Gibson (LB/MSU) registered a game- and career-high 12 tackles, including one tackle for a loss, against Marshall.
Yahkee Johnson (RB/HAM) rushed for a season-high 115 yards on 12 carries, against William & Mary.
Jerome Pettiway (P/SCSU) averaged 42.6 yards on eight punts, including a 55-yarder, against Louisiana Tech.
Anthony Philyaw (RB/HOW) became the first running back in school history to rush over 100 yards against an FBS opponent in Saturday’s game against Rutgers.
Diquan Richardson (S/B-CU) registered a career-high nine tackles, five solo, against North Texas.
