University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Jalen Richard Named C-USA Offensive Player of the Week
9/21/2015 12:00:00 AM | Football
HATTIESBURG, Miss. - Senior running back Jalen Richard (Alexandria, La.) has been named Conference USA Offensive Player of the Week after his outstanding performance last Saturday at Texas State via a vote by a panel of league media and released Monday by the league office in Irving, Texas.
Richard ran for 230 yards and four touchdowns in the 56-50 win and both his rushing yards and touchdown totals were career-highs as he posted the fourth-highest rushing total in school history. He efforts helped the Golden Eagles erase a three-point halftime deficit with three second-half touchdowns that included scoring runs of 54 and 63 yards.
The game marked the first time in his career to rush for more than 100 yards and it was only the 11th time in Southern Miss history that a rusher had tallied a 200-plus yardage performance. Richard is the first Golden Eagle running back to win Offensive Player of the Week honors since Damion Fletcher on Nov. 19, 2007, and the first Southern Miss player to earn the offensive award since quarterback Nick Mullens garnered the accolade on Dec. 2, 2013.
The four rushing touchdowns for Richard were the most by a Golden Eagle since Austin Davis ran for that many against Houston on Nov. 20, 2010.
The Defensive Player of the Week honor went to Middle Tennessee junior corner back Jeremy Cutrer, who had two interceptions and a fumble recovery in the Blue Raiders conference-opening victory over Charlotte, while the Special Teams honor went to UTEP junior punt returner Jaquan White, who had a 66-yard punt return for a touchdown in the Miners come-from-behind win at New Mexico State.
