RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – The Great American Conference announced the football players of the week for the fifth week of the 2024 season. Henderson State’s Andrew Edwards and Jody Easter earned Offensive and Special Teams Player of the Week, respectively, while Arkansas Tech’s Diego Sanchez claimed Defensive Player of the Week.
#theGAC FOOTBALL OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Andrew Edwards, QB, Henderson State, Jr., Bentonville, Arkansas
Edwards threw a career-high six touchdown passes in leading the Reddies to a 52-7 home win against Oklahoma Baptist. He completed 15-of-21 passes for 242 yards. He added a game-high 73 yards on the ground. His previous high for touchdown passes, five, came last season against Northwestern Oklahoma State.
#theGAC FOOTBALL DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Diego Sanchez, DB, Arkansas Tech, Fr., Houston, Texas
Sanchez recorded the Wonder Boys’ first defensive touchdown of the season as he returned a first-quarter interception 62 yards for a score as part of their 44-21 road win against Northwestern Oklahoma State. He added three solo tackles in the victory. He notched Tech’s first interception return for a touchdown since K.J. Reid on October 7, 2017.
#theGAC FOOTBALL SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Jody Easter, KR, Henderson State, Jr., McGehee, Arkansas
Easter opened the Reddies’ victory against Oklahoma Baptist with a 93-yard kick return touchdown. He became the first Reddie player to return a kick back for a touchdown since Cameron Thomas did so against Northwestern Oklahoma State on October 28, 2023.
OTHERS NOMINATED
Judd Barton, QB (Southern Arkansas), Luke Gall, RB (Arkansas Tech), Brodey Johnson, QB (Northwestern Oklahoma State), Cole Keylon, QB (Harding), Sergio Kennedy, QB (East Central), Eli Livingston, QB (Ouachita Baptist)
Tyler Johnson, LB (Oklahoma Baptist), Gary Lewis, DE (Henderson State), Jax Miller, LB (Ouachita Baptist), Cayden Pierce, LB (Harding), Coby Tillman, LB (Northwestern Oklahoma State)
Christopher Baldazo, K (Arkansas Tech), Jordan Mays, ST (Harding), Brandon Perez, K (East Central), Andrew Schreiner, P (Southern Arkansas), Tom Weston, P (Ouachita Baptist)
A three-person committee selects all GAC Athletes of the Week