App State’s Noel, ULM’s Williams, Arkansas State’s Lamar claim Sun Belt weekly honors

Published 2:05 pm Monday, September 27, 2021

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App State’s Nate Noel, ULM’s Ja’Cquez Williams and Arkansas State’s Alan Lamar ride career days to Sun Belt weekly awards.

Football Offensive Player of the Week
Nate Noel, App State
(So., RB – Miami, Fla.)

Mountaineers sophomore running back Nate Noel rushed for a career-high 187 yards in App State’s 31-30 come-from-behind victory over Marshall. The Miami, Fla., native racked up 104 of his yards in the fourth quarter, including 87 on the final drive of the game that sealed the Mountaineers’ win. On a breakaway run with less than two minutes remaining, instead of scoring and giving Marshall the ball back, Noel slid down at the 5-yard line to allow App State to kneel out the rest of the clock for the one point win.

Football Defensive Player of the Week
Ja’Cquez Williams, ULM
(Gr., LB – Hinesville, Ga.)

Warhawks graduate student linebacker Ja’Cquez Williams intercepted a Troy pass on a first-and-goal play and returned it 96 yards for a touchdown to halt a potential Trojan scoring drive with 9:50 remaining and seal ULM’s 29-16 victory in its Sun Belt Conference opener. The play was the second-longest interception return for a touchdown in Warhawk program history. Behind the Hinesville, Ga., product’s effort, ULM earned back-to-back victories for the first time since a string of four-straight from Oct. 13-Nov. 10, 2018.

Football Special Teams Player of the Week
Alan Lamar, Arkansas State
(Sr., RS – Olive Branch, Miss.)

Red Wolves senior running back and return specialist Alan Lamar registered a 93-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in Arkansas State’s 41-34 loss at Tulsa. The Olive Branch, Miss., native concluded the game with 178 yards on five returns—the fourth-most in Red Wolves program history and the third-most in the nation this season. His 93-yard return tied the ninth longest in school history, while his 352 kickoff return yards through four games are the second-most in the FBS.

2021 Sun Belt Football Offensive Players of the Week
Week 1 – Corey Rucker, Arkansas State
Week 2 – Reese White, Coastal Carolina
Week 3 – Montrell Johnson, Louisiana
Week 4 – Nate Noel, App State

2021 Sun Belt Football Defensive Players of the Week
Week 1 – Zion Williams, Troy
Week 2 – Josaiah Stewart, Coastal Carolina
Week 3 – Javon Solomon, Troy
Week 4 – Ja’Cquez Williams, ULM

2021 Sun Belt Football Special Teams Players of the Week
Week 1 – Britton Williams, Georgia Southern
Week 2 – Diego Guajardo, South Alabama
Week 3 – Calum Sutherland, ULM
Week 4 – Alan Lamar, Arkansas State

For exclusive Sun Belt football content on game days and throughout the 2021 season, follow @SunBeltFB on Twitter.Follow the Sun Belt on social media via TwitterFacebook and Instagram.