BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – WKU Football wide receiver Malachi Corley has been named the Conference USA Offensive Player of the Week, presented by Blenders Eyewear, after his standout performance at Louisiana Tech on Thursday, CUSA announced Monday.
Corley recorded 207 receiving yards – with 142 coming after the catch, after leading the country in the category last season – and three touchdowns on eight receptions in WKU's 35-28 win over the Bulldogs at Joe Aillet Stadium in Ruston, Louisiana.
The 207 yards were a career high for the junior and marked the third 200-yard receiving game in program history. Corley's three touchdowns also tied a career high.
With his first catch of the game – a 70-yard touchdown reception – Corley claimed sole possession of second place on WKU's career receptions list. He now has 217 catches in his career. He also had touchdown receptions of 48 and 29 yards, and moved into third place on the program's career touchdown receptions list with 23.
Corley has 538 yards and five touchdowns on 37 receptions in five games played this season. He enters the week leading Conference USA in receptions per game with 7.4, receiving yards per game with 107.6 and touchdown receptions with five. Corley is second in CUSA in total receptions and total receiving yards this season, but has played at least one game fewer than the leader in each category.
In addition to the CUSA weekly honor, Corley was also named the Senior Bowl Co-Offensive Player of the Week, the East-West Shrine Bowl Offensive Breakout Player of the Week, and to PFF's Team of the Week on Monday.
It is WKU's fourth CUSA weekly award this season, and the first Offensive Player of the Week honor. Linebacker JaQues Evans and kicker Lucas Carneiro earned CUSA Defensive and Special Teams Player of the Week honors, respectively, after WKU's Week 1 win over South Florida, and linebacker Bryson Washington was named Defensive Player of the Week following the win over Middle Tennessee.
WKU is 4-2 overall and 2-0 in CUSA this fall. The Hilltoppers are off this week, and will next face Jacksonville State on the road in Jacksonville, Alabama, on Tuesday, Oct. 17, at 6:30 p.m. CT.
2023 CUSA WEEKLY AWARD WINNERS
Offensive Player of the Week
A28 – WR Smoke Harris, LA Tech
S4 – WR Kris Mitchell, FIU
S11 – RB Kejon Owens, FIU
S18 – QB Kaidon Salter, Liberty
S25 – QB Kaidon Salter, Liberty
O2 – QB Logan Smothers, Jax State
O9 – WR Malachi Corley, WKU
Defensive Player of the Week
A28 – S Jeremiah Harris, Jax State
S4 – LB JaQues Evans, WKU
S11 – LB Tyrice Knight, UTEP
S18 – LB Sam Brumfield, MTSU
S25 – DL Chris Hardie
O2 – LB Bryson Washington, WKU
O9 – DL Chris Hardie, Jax State
Special Teams Player of the Week
A28 – P Jack Dawson, Jax State
S4 – K Lucas Carneiro, WKU
S11 – K Jacob Barnes, LA Tech
S18 – K Ethan Albertson, New Mexico State
S25 – P Jack Dawson, Jax State
O2 –PR Smoke Harris, LA Tech
O9 – P Max Morgan, Liberty
For all the latest on WKU Football, follow @WKUFootball on Twitter and Instagram and like the WKU Football Facebook page.
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