Football Garners Three Big South Weekly Awards
10/3/2005 12:00:00 AM | Football
Thigpen, Hoke and Jennings garner conference honors for play in win at S.C. State
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Coastal Carolina's football program was honored with three Big South Conference weekly awards, the league office announced Oct. 3, following the Chanticleers' dramatic 24-23 win at then No. 17 South Carolina State this past weekend. Quarterback Tyler Thigpen (Winnsboro, S.C./Fairfield Central) was named the Choice Hotels Big South Co-Offensive Player of the Week and placekicker Josh Hoke (Statesville, N.C./West Iredell) was selected as Special Teams Player of the Week. Defensive lineman Warren Jennings (Orangeburg, S.C./Orangeburg-Wilkinson) was named as the league's Freshman of the Week.
Thigpen, who shared the honor with VMI's Jonathan Wilson, led the Chanticleers back from a 13-point deficit at No. 17 South Carolina State. He totaled 143 yards of total offense, including 46 on the ground with a long run of 22 yards, while leading CCU to two fourth-quarter touchdown drives to win the game.Thigpen directed the Chants to a 15-play, 86-yard touchdown drive in 6:54, hooking up with WR Jerome Simpson for a three-yard score on fourth-and-goal with 17 seconds remaining. During that drive, Thigpen was 3-of-4 passing for 31 yards and also rushed for 16 yards. This is the second time this season, and third time in his career, that Thipgen has garnered the weekly honor, as he was part of the CCU Offense that earned the award for the James Madison victory, Sept. 10.
Hoke, a junior from Statesville, N.C., earns his third weekly honor of the season and seventh of his career after his 3-3 PAT performance and 39-yard field goal at South Carolina State. Last week's National Special Teams Player of Week according to Don Hansen's National Weekly Football Gazette, he became the first kicker in Big South history to record 100 PATs and did so with the game-winning point, hitting a PAT with 17 seconds to play. His second PAT kick was not easy, as Hoke was forced to hesitate due to a bad snap, but still managed a successful attempt. He also posted two touchbacks on kickoffs, and limited the Bulldogs’ kickoff returners, who were averaging more than 46 yards a return, to just 20 yards per return.
Jennings, a freshman from Orangeburg, S.C., returned to his hometown and recorded four tackles in Coastal’s 24-23 win over South Carolina State. He totaled three solo hits, as well as his first career tackle-for-loss and sack for an eight-yard loss. Jennings also recovered a fumble in the first quarter that led to CCU’s first score of the game.
The Chanticleers will take the week off and are back in action Sat., Oct. 15, hosting Gardner-Webb for the Big South Conference opener for both teams. The game, scheduled to kickoff at 3:30 p.m., will be televised as part of the Big South Television package.
