Villanova's Christian Benford
CAA Football Weekly Awards - Nov. 5
Rob Washburn
CAA FOOTBALL WEEKLY RELEASE (PDF format)
RICHMOND, Va. (November 5, 2018) – CAA Football has announced its weekly award winners for Week 10 of the 2018 season. Earning honors are Elon freshman running back Jaylan Thomas, Elon senior linebacker Warren Messer, Villanova junior kicker Drew Kresge, Villanova freshman defensive back Christian Benford and Maine freshman running back Ramon Jefferson.
CAA Football Offensive Player of the Week
Jaylan Thomas, Fr., RB, Elon (Carrollton, Ga./Carrollton)
Thomas rushed for a career-high 222 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries to lead Elon past Rhode Island, 24-21. The 222 yards were the most by a CAA player this season and the 3
rd-most by a freshman in FCS in 2018. Thomas broke loose for an 86-yard TD run that snapped a 7-7 tie in the second quarter and averaged 12.3 yards per carry in a game in which the Phoenix only passed eight times.
CAA Football Defensive Player of the Week
Warren Messer, Sr., LB, Elon (Garner, N.C./Garner)
Messer recorded a team-high 14 tackles, 2.5 TFL, 2.0 sacks and returned an interception 86 yards for a touchdown in Elon’s 24-21 win over Rhode Island. The interception return was the 2nd-longest in the Phoenix’s Division I history and gave them a 21-7 lead going into halftime. Messer’s 14 stops were one shy of his career high and his two sacks were part of a season-high seven by the Elon defense.
CAA Football Special Teams Player of the Week
Drew Kresge, Jr., PK, Villanova (Douglasville, Pa./Daniel Boone)
Kresge booted a career-high three field goals and contributed 13 points in Villanova’s 45-21 victory at Richmond. The junior connected on kicks of 40, 22 and 28 yards after having made just two all season coming into the contest. The three FG’s in a game were the most by a Wildcats’ kicker since 2013.
CAA Football Co-Rookie of the Week
Christian Benford, Fr., DB, Villanova (Randallstown, Md./Randallstown)
Benford intercepted three passes and added three tackles in Villanova’s 45-21 triumph at Richmond. The freshman was the first VU player to pick off three passes in a game since 2011 and the three interceptions are tied for the most by any player in FCS this season. Benford tops the CAA with five interceptions for the season.
CAA Football Co-Rookie of the Week
Ramon Jefferson, Fr., RB, Maine (Bronx, N.Y./Harry S. Truman)
Jefferson rushed for a career-high 121 yards and three touchdowns on 14 carries to lead No. 23 Maine to a 35-28 road victory over No. 15 Towson. The freshman had a career-long 64-yard TD run in the second quarter and then contributed a game-winning 6-yard TD run that snapped a 28-28 tie with 6:29 to play.