CAA Football Weekly Awards - Sept. 2
Rob Washburn
RICHMOND, Va. (September 2, 2024) – CAA Football has announced its weekly award winners for Week 1 of the 2024 season. Rhode Island sophomore quarterback Devin Farrell was chosen as the Offensive Player of the Week honors, while Villanova senior linebacker Richie Kimmel was selected as the Defensive Player of the Week. Elon junior punter Jeff Yurk was named the Special Teams Player of the Week and Villanova freshman running back Isaiah Ragland received Rookie of the Week accolades.
CAA Football Offensive Player of the Week
Devin Farrell, So., QB, Rhode Island (Stockbridge, Ga./Milton)
Making his first career start, Farrell tallied 341 yards of offense and led a game-winning drive as Rhode Island edged Holy Cross, 20-17. The sophomore was 20-of-33 passing for a career-high 287 yards and 2 TD’s and ran for a team-best 54 yards on 13 carries. With URI down by four with 1:47 left, he converted two third downs and a 4
th-and-10 before hitting Shawn Harris for a 31-yard TD with 19 seconds to go.
CAA Football Defensive Player of the Week
Richie Kimmel, Sr., LB, Villanova (Holmes, Pa./Archbishop Carroll)
Kimmel recorded a career-high 10 tackles, recovered a fumble and sealed the victory with an interception as Villanova held off #25 Youngstown State, 24-17. The senior covered a fumble on a 4
th-and-1 play in the first quarter and picked off a pass at the VU 49 with 57 seconds left to end a potential game-tying drive by the Penguins.
CAA Football Special Teams Player of the Week
Jeff Yurk, Jr., P, Elon (Southern Pines, N.C./Pinecrest)
Playing his first game since 2022, Yurk averaged a nation’s-best 51.9 yards on seven punts in Elon’s game at ACC member Duke. The junior’s first two punts went 58 and 60 yards and he added two more that traveled over 55 yards. Three of his seven punts pinned the Blue Devils inside the 20-yard line.
CAA Football Rookie of the Week
Isaiah Ragland, Fr., RB, Villanova (Alexandria, Va./Centreville)
Ragland rushed for 65 yards and a touchdown on seven carries (9.3 ypc) in Villanova’s 24-17 win over #25 Youngstown State. The freshman gave the Wildcats a 17-3 lead with a 3-yard scoring run late in the second quarter and broke loose for a 31-yard run to help set up a Wildcats’ TD on the first drive of the third quarter. He added a five-yard reception.