BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – WKU Football running back La'Vell Wright was named the Conference USA Offensive Player of the Week and left tackle Marshall Jackson was named the CUSA Offensive Lineman of the Week, the conference announced Monday.
The Hilltoppers earned the nods after defeating Missouri State 27-22 on Saturday in Springfield, Missouri, to improve to 4-1 overall and 2-0 in CUSA play.
The awards are the seventh and eighth CUSA weekly awards WKU has received this season. Wright's Offensive Player of the Week recognition is the third time a Hilltopper has received the nod – quarterback Maverick McIvor received it after Week 0 and Week 1 – and Jackson's Offensive Lineman of the Week honor is the second time WKU has received that award, following Laurence Seymore's recognition after Week 0.
Wright provided WKU with more late-game heroics for the second week in a row, this time scoring two second-half touchdowns to help lift the Hilltoppers over the Bears. Wright finished with a team-high 104 all purpose yards, including 91 yards on 10 rushing attempts. He also had a 13 yard reception.
After Missouri State took a 16-10 lead early in the second half, Wright put the Hilltoppers back ahead with a 2-yard touchdown run. Wright had touches on the last four plays and accounted for 29 yards of the 12-play, 75-yard scoring drive. The running back extended the lead with 1:16 to play in the third quarter when he took a direct snap 17 yards to the end zone to make it a 24-16 game. Wright's performance came after he scored a pair of second-half touchdowns the week prior in WKU's 31-16 win over Nevada, and he now leads the team with five touchdowns this season.
Jackson helped WKU put up 476 yards of offense in the win at Missouri State on Saturday, with 317 yards through the air and 159 yards on the ground. It was the third time this season the Hilltoppers have thrown for over 300 yards in a game, and it was the second-highest rushing yardage in a game this season.
Jackson, who played 74 snaps at left tackle, posted a 65.8 run blocking grade – the highest among WKU offensive linemen in the win – as the Hilltoppers put up 128 yards rushing in the second half, including 92 in the fourth quarter, to close out the win. Jackson also posted an 87.1 pass blocking grade for the top passing offense in CUSA, and the offensive line was presented the game ball by Head Coach Tyson Helton after the win over the Bears.
WKU will have a short week before traveling to Delaware to face the Blue Hens on Friday, Oct. 3. Kickoff in Newark, Delaware, is set for 6 p.m. CT and the game will be televised nationally on CBS Sports Network.
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