Football Has Three Earn Big South Weekly Honors
10/9/2006 12:00:00 AM | Football
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Coastal Carolina wide receiver Jerome Simpson (Reidsville, N.C./Reidsville) and Chanticleers linebacker Jamar Leath (Elon, N.C./Western Alamance) have been named the Big South football Choice Hotels Offensive Player of the Week and New Balance Defensive Player of the Week, respectively, for games played during Week Six of the 2006 season, it was announced today by the Conference office. In addition, Coastal Carolina defensive back Sean Lundy (Fort Mill, S.C./Fort Mill (Georgia Military)) was selected as Special Teams Player of the Week.
Simpson had one of his best games of the season Saturday in Coastal's 29-27 upset win over No. 3 Furman, recording a team season-high of nine catches for 151 yards and two touchdowns. Additionally, of Simpson's catches, three of them were for 20 yards or more during the game and seven went for first downs. On CCU's opening scoring drive, the junior had two catches for 64 yards to get the Chanticleers in position for their first score of the game. He later scored the game-tying touchdown (21-21) early in the fourth quarter, then added the game-winning score (29-27) with 5:48 left to play. Most of Simpson's nine catches were acrobatic and timely, and went for distances of 42, 22, 34, 8, 16, 8, 3, 10 and 8. Simpson was also named National co-Offensive Player of the Week this afternoon by The Sports Network.
Leath recorded a season-high 14 tackles (one off his career best) to lead the Chanticleers to a win over No. 3 Furman. The senior had five solo tackles, one tackle for loss and one forced fumble in the win. He also had a hand in stopping a crucial fourth-and-nine late in the game that gave Coastal the ball back, as he defended the intended receiver. With his 14 tackles, he became just the fourth player in Big South history to record 300 career tackles and currently sits in second-place all-time at 307, needing one to tie the Big South career record and two stops to take over the career lead.
Lundy made the special teams play of the night in the thrilling 29-27 win over No. 3 Furman Saturday. With Furman taking a 27-21 lead at 9:35 in the fourth quarter, senior Quinton Teal (Bennettsville, S.C./Marlboro County) blocked the extra point attempt and Lundy scooped up the ball and scampered 85 yards to the end zone for two points -- which ended up being the difference in giving CCU the win. It was the first-ever two-point PAT return in the history of the Chanticleers’ program.
