University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Parham Earns C-USA Special Teams Player of the Week
9/21/2009 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 21, 2009
IRVING, Texas - After a game-changing kickoff return for a touchdown that spurred a come-from-behind win over Virginia, Southern Miss senior KR Freddie Parham has been named the Conference USA Special Teams Player of the Week.
The defensive player of the week honor went to Marshall senior DE Albert McClellan, who had 15 tackles and two sacks in a win over Bowling Green, while the offensive accolade was given to SMU senior WR Emmanuel Sanders, who set school and conference single-game records for receptions with 18 at Washington State.
Parham recorded a momentum-changing 100-yard kickoff return to help lead the Golden Eagles to a 37-34 victory over Virginia. Southern Miss was down by 17 points at the time of the return midway through the third quarter. The return ties the second-longest in school history with Herman Nall against Mississippi State back in 1964. The longest is a 103-yard return for Bubba Phillips against Southeastern Louisiana in 1948. It was the first Golden Eagle kickoff return for a touchdown since John Eubanks returned a kick against Houston 97 yards on Oct. 7, 2004. He totaled three kickoff returns for 149 yards and added one reception for eight yards.
McClellan turned in a stellar performance in Marshall's 17-10 win over Bowling Green. He was credited with 15 total tackles, two sacks, three tackles for loss, a quarterback hurry and forced a fumble. McClellan led a Marshall defense that limited Bowling Green to only 10 yards rushing in the game. Immediately following Darius Marshall's 80-yard TD run in the 4th quarter, McClellan set up another Marshall scoring drive when he sacked Bowling Green QB Tyler Sheehan for a loss of seven yards and forced a fumble that Marshall recovered at the BGSU 17 yard line. MU would connect on a field goal four plays later to go up 17-7. McClellan was in on two other sacks to bring his career total to 20 (now ranks sixth all-time in career sacks at Marshall).
Sanders had career-highs of 18 receptions and 178 yards at Washington State. His 18 receptions set new C-USA and SMU single-game records. Sanders' 178 yards receiving set a new career-high and he now owns the SMU record with 2,844 career receiving yards (passing Emanuel Tolbert 2,784 from 1976-79 and moving into 10th place in Conference USA history). Sanders extended his SMU record with his 12th career 100-yard receiving game and second this season (148 at UAB). This is his third career game with 10 or more receptions, a mark that ranks third at SMU (four each for Jerry LeVias 1966-68 and Jason Wolf 1989-92).
-southernmiss.com-
