University of Houston Athletics
Carrier, Keenum Earn Player of the Week Awards
10/31/2011 12:00:00 AM | Football
Oct. 31, 2011
Houston, Texas - Record setting performances highlighted this week's Conference USA Football Players of the week awards.
After setting the NCAA career record for touchdown passes and the conference single-game mark for TD tosses, Houston senior QB Case Keenum has been named the Offensive Player of the Week. It's Keenum's third weekly award of the season from C-USA.
The Special Teams Player of the Week award went to Houston senior KR Tyron Carrier, who matched the all-time NCAA record for kickoff returns for touchdowns last Thursday night.
C-USA Football Players of the Week are voted on by a panel of the league's media.
Keenum had a record night as the undefeated Cougars rolled past Rice by a score of 73-34 to improve to 8-0 overall and 4-0 in Conference USA play. Keenum threw for 534 yards and a career-high nine touchdowns, marking the second-most touchdown passes in school history and the most since 1990, while also marking the most in NCAA FBS action since 2000. The Abilene, Texas, product shattered yet another NCAA record in the 39-point win, breaking the career touchdown pass mark. He surpassed former Texas Tech signal caller Graham Harrell (134 career TDs) and currently has 139 career scoring throws. Keenum tossed 11 passes that covered more than 20 yards on Thursday night, including four touchdown passes of more than 40 yards.
Carrier added to the record-setting night that Houston enjoyed in a 73-34 victory over Rice, tying the NCAA FBS all-time record with his seventh career kickoff return (matching Clemson's C.J. Spiller). Carrier helped the Cougars set the tone early, returning the opening kick 100 yards to give Houston a quick 7-0 advantage. Carrier totaled 144 yards on three returns on the night. The Houston native also had a big night at receiver, hauling in seven catches for 85 yards and a touchdown.
2011 WINNERS:
Offensive Player of the Week
Sept. 5 - Case Keenum, QB, Houston; Sept. 12 - Patrick Edwards, WR, Houston; Sept. 19 - Case Keenum, QB, Houston and Ryan Griffin, QB, Tulane; Sept. 26 - Reggie Bullock, RB, East Carolina; Oct. 3 - Darius Johnson, WR, SMU; Oct. 10 - Austin Davis, QB, Southern Miss; Oct. 17 - J.J. McDermott, QB, SMU; Oct. 24 - Dominique Davis, QB, East Carolina; Oct. 31 - Case Keenum, QB, Houston.
Defensive Player of the Week
Sept. 5 - Cordarro Law, DL, Southern Miss; Sept. 12 - George Carpenter, LB, Marshall and Ja'Gared Davis, LB, SMU; Sept. 19 - Korey Williams, LB, Southern Miss; Sept. 26 - Jamie Bender, S, UAB; Oct. 3 - Tyson Gale, LB, Marshall; Oct. 10 - Phillip Steward, LB, Houston; Oct. 17 - Vinny Curry, DE, Marshall; Oct. 24 - Marques Wheaton, DB, Southern Miss; Oct. 31 - Milton Howell, DB, Tulsa.
Special Teams Player of the Week
Sept. 5 - Robert Kelley, KR, Tulane; Sept. 12 - Kase Whitehead, P, Marshall; Sept. 19 - Nick Adams, KR, UAB; Sept. 26 - Danny Hrapmann, K, Southern Miss; Oct. 3 - Kase Whitehead, P, Marshall; Oct. 10 - Marquese Wheaton, DB, Southern Miss; Oct. 17 - Richard Crawford, PR, SMU; Oct. 24 - Ty Long, K, UAB; Oct. 31 - Tyron Carrier, KR, Houston.
