By Alex Boggis, UT Martin Assistant Sports Information Director
BRENTWOOD, Tenn. – Following a comeback road victory at Eastern Illinois to push the nationally ranked University of Tennessee at Martin football team’s winning streak to five games, the Skyhawk duo of running back Zak Wallace (Offensive and Newcomer) and linebacker D’Carrious Stephens (Defensive) claimed three of the four Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Week honors on Sunday afternoon.
This marks the sixth week in which the Skyhawks have garnered multiple weekly honors while the team has earned a total of 15 this season.
A freshman tailback from Benton, Ark., Wallace has posted back-to-back explosive performances for the Skyhawks to earn his first OVC Offensive Player of the Week honor of his career and second straight OVC Newcomer of the Week award. After a dynamic three-touchdown outing last week against Murray State, he followed that up by setting career-highs in carries (21) and rushing yards (125) along with a pair of touchdowns in the comeback win. His first score of the day was a big one as UT Martin trimmed its second-quarter deficit to 17-14 just before halftime. Then with the Skyhawks clinging to a four-point advantage with just over three minutes to play, he ripped a 29-yard run on 4th-and-2 to extend the drive before punching it in for a two-yard score on the following play.
Hailing from Union City, Tenn., Stephens claimed his second OVC Defensive Player of the Week honor this season after a big performance against Eastern Illinois. The linebacker played a big part in a strong defensive performance for the Skyhawks which produced a score and held the Panthers scoreless over the final 37-plus minutes of the contest. He put the team on the board in the first quarter by scooping up a blocked punt and returning it 34 yards for a touchdown. He finished the day with six total tackles – including four solo – while recording 1.0 tackle for loss. He posted a game-high two pass breakups with one coming on fourth down to force a turnover on downs in the fourth quarter.
UT Martin will open a season-long three-game homestand with a matchup against Southeast Missouri on Saturday, Oct. 23. Kickoff from Hardy Graham Stadium is scheduled for 2 p.m.
Graphic Courtesy of UT Martin Sports Information