NEW ORLEANS – After contributing to team wins, Coastal Carolina’s Grayson McCall, Troy’s Carlton Martial and Arkansas State’s Johnnie Lang Jr. claimed the conference’s weekly accolades.
Football Offensive Player of the Week
Grayson McCall, Coastal Carolina
(RS Jr., QB – Indian Trail, N.C.)
Chanticleers redshirt junior quarterback Grayson McCall led Coastal Carolina on three-straight fourth-quarter scoring drives in a 34-30 comeback victory over Georgia Southern. Each of the Chanticleers three fourth-quarter scoring drives took less than 2:00 off the game clock. McCall was responsible for four touchdowns—three passing and one rushing—while throwing for 335 yards and rushing for 34 more in the victory. The Indian Trail, N.C., native has thrown a touchdown pass in a program-record 18-straight games.
Football Defensive Player of the Week
Carlton Martial, Troy
(Sr., LB – Mobile, Ala.)
A week after setting the Sun Belt career tackles record, Trojans senior linebacker Carlton Martial posted a 12-tackle effort in a 34-27 victory over Western Kentucky, pulling him into the Top 10 all-time in the FBS and within 59 of the all-time record. The Mobile, Ala., product also added an interception, a pass breakup and a half tackle for loss in the win. The Trojan defensive unit held Western Kentucky to just 27 points, snapping a streak of 18-straight game with 30-or-more points scored for the Hilltoppers. Martial is the first repeat Sun Belt weekly award winner of the 2022 campaign.
Football Special Teams Player of the Week
Johnnie Lang Jr., Arkansas State
(RS Sr., RS – Palmetto, Fla.)
Red Wolves redshirt senior return specialist and running back Johnnie Lang Jr. did something that had only been done twice before in Sun Belt history, becoming the third Sun Belt student-athlete to record a kickoff return, rushing and receiving touchdown in the same game. The Palmetto, Fla., native returned a kickoff 98 yards for a score on special teams and added a 1-yard rushing touchdown and an 18-yard touchdown reception. Lang Jr. finished with 146 kickoff return yards and 254 all-purpose yards in Arkansas State’s 45-28 win over ULM.
2022 Sun Belt Football Offensive Players of the Week
Week 1 – Chase Brice, App State (RS Sr., QB – Grayson, Ga.)
Week 2 – Kyle Vantrease, Georgia Southern (6th Yr., QB – Stow, Ohio)
Week 3 – Christan Horn, App State (So., WR – Columbia, S.C.)
Week 4 – Todd Centeio, James Madison (Gr., QB – West Palm Beach, Fla.)
Week 5 – Grayson McCall, Coastal Carolina (RS Jr., QB – Indian Trail, N.C.)
2022 Sun Belt Football Defensive Players of the Week
Week 1 – Jason Henderson, Old Dominion (So., LB – Dingmans Ferry, Pa.)
Week 2 – Jalen McLeod, App State (So., LB – Washington, D.C.)
Week 3 – Nick Ross, App State (Jr., DB – Kennesaw, Ga.)
Week 4 – Carlton Martial, Troy (Sr., LB – Mobile, Ala.)
Week 5 – Carlton Martial, Troy (Sr., LB – Mobile, Ala.)
2022 Sun Belt Football Special Teams Players of the Week
Week 1 – Eric Garror, Louisiana (Sr., RS – Mobile, Ala.)
Week 2 – Matthew McDoom, Coastal Carolina (Fr., RS – Winter Garden, Fla.)
Week 3 – Natrone Brooks, Southern Miss (Sr., RS – Starkville, Miss.)
Week 4 – Caullin Lacy, South Alabama (So., RS – Mobile, Ala.)
Week 5 – Johnnie Lang Jr., Arkansas State (RS Sr., RS – Palmetto, Fla.)