CAA Football Weekly Awards – November 20th
RICHMOND, Va. (November 20, 2023) – CAA Football has announced the weekly award winners for Week 12 of the 2023 season. Elon senior quarterback Matthew Downing was named Offensive Player of the Week and UAlbany senior linebacker Dylan Kelly was named Defensive Player of the Week. New Hampshire sophomore punt returner/running back Miles Thomason was named special teams player of the week, and Elon freshman linebacker Brandon Tyson won rookie of the week honors.
CAA Football Offensive Player of the Week
Matthew Downing, Sr., QB, Elon (Alpharetta, Ga./Alpharetta)
Downing completed 10 of 18 passes for 261 yards and a career-high four touchdowns as Elon defeated Hampton 51-14. All four TD throws were of 33 yards or more and were made in the first half to give Phoenix a 44-7 halftime advantage. It was Downing’s fourth straight game in which he passed for at least 260 yards and hit four different receivers for a score.
CAA Football Defensive Player of the Week
Dylan Kelly, Sr., LB, University at Albany (Amherst, NY/Williamsville North)
Kelly recorded a team-high 11 tackles and a sack as part of a dominant defensive performance as the University at Albany shut out Monmouth 41-0 to win a share of the CAA title. This was Kelly’s ninth double-digit tackle of the season, breaking the UA single-season tackle record (145 tackles), set in 1974. The Great Danes held the Hawks to 176 total yards and had seven sacks in the game. game.
CAA Football Special Teams Player of the Week
Miles Thomason, Thor, PR, New Hampshire (Montclair, New Hampshire/Seton Hall Prep)
In the third quarter of New Hampshire’s 44-25 win over Maine, Thomasson returned a punt 89 yards for a touchdown. The sophomore had two punt returns for 108 yards (54.0 yards average) in the game, as well as 55 yards rushing and two receptions for 11 yards and a touchdown. It was Thomasson’s first career punt return for a TD.
CAA Football Newcomer of the Week
Father Brandon Tyson, LB, Elon (Whiteville, NC/Whiteville)
Tyson had a team-high 11 tackles, 2.0 tackles for loss and a forced fumble in Elon’s 51-14 win over Hampton. In the second quarter, a fumble was returned 23 yards for a touchdown. Tyson was part of a strong Phoenix defense that held Hampton to 192 total yards. He finished the season with 73 tackles and 9.0 TFL.