NEW ORLEANS – James Madison’s Todd Centeio, Troy’s Carlton Martial and Louisiana’s Kenneth Almendares led their teams to key victories to secure Sun Belt Conference weekly honors.
Football Offensive Player of the Week
Todd Centeio, James Madison
(Gr., QB – West Palm Beach, Fla.)
Dukes graduate student quarterback Todd Centeio was named MVP of the 72nd annual Oyster Bowl following James Madison’s dominant 37-3 win over Old Dominion. The West Palm Beach, Fla., product connected on 18-of-21 passes for 306 yards, while adding 12 rushing yards and a touchdown on the ground. Centeio connected on his first 11 passes of the contest, as the Duke built a 17-0 first-half lead. The victory was James Madison’s first-ever over the Monarchs and clinched a winning season in the program’s first year competing at the FBS level.
Football Defensive Player of the Week
Carlton Martial, Troy
(Sr., LB – Mobile, Ala.)
Trojans senior linebacker Carlton Martial registered a career-high 22 tackles in Troy’s 10-9 win over Army—becoming the all-time FBS leader in career tackles in the process. The Mobile, Ala., native is the first player in Troy history to tally 20-or-more tackles in multiple games, having done so against Coastal Carolina in 2021 (21). Martial helped the Trojan defense hold Army scoreless in the second half and to just 75 rushing yards in the win, securing his fourth Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Week nod of the season. He needs just 16 tackles to surpass the all-time Troy record held by Gerrick Pimienta (1985-88).
Football Special Teams Player of the Week
Kenneth Almendares, Louisiana
(RS So., K – Clute, Texas)
Ragin’ Cajuns redshirt sophomore kicker Kenneth Almendares accounted for 18 points in Louisiana’s 36-17 victory over Georgia Southern to move within a game of bowl eligibility. The Clute, Texas, native was a perfect 5-for-5 on field goal attempts and 3-for-3 on extra points. Almendares connected from 48, 34, 27, 42 and 40 yards out to become the first player to repeat as Sun Belt Special Teams Player of the Week this season. His 18 points in a single game are tied for the most among FBS kickers this season.
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.)
Week 6 – Todd Centeio, James Madison (Gr., QB – West Palm Beach, Fla.)
Week 7 – Kyle Vantrease, Georgia Southern (6th Yr., QB – Stow, Ohio)
Week 8 – Ben Wooldridge, Louisiana (RS Jr., QB – Pleasanton, Calif.)
Week 9 – La’Damian Webb, South Alabama (Jr., RB – Opelika, Ala.)
Week 10 – La’Damian Webb, South Alabama (Jr., RB – Opelika, Ala.)
Week 11 – Todd Centeio, James Madison (Gr., QB – West Palm Beach, Fla.)
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.)
Week 6 – Tory Spears, Texas State (RS Jr., S – Houston, Texas)
Week 7 – Tre Hawkins, Old Dominion (Sr., DB – Temple, Texas)
Week 8 – Owen Porter, Marshall (RS Jr., DL – Huntington, W.Va.)
Week 9 – Shane Bruce, Coastal Carolina (RS So., LB – Carrollton, Ga.)
Week 10 – Carlton Martial, Troy (Sr., LB – Mobile, Ala.)
Week 11 – 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.)
Week 6 – Seth Keller, Texas State (RS Jr., K – Colleyville, Texas)
Week 7 – Kenneth Almendares, Louisiana (RS So., K – Clute, Texas)
Week 8 – Mike Rivers, Troy (Sr., P – Wilmington, N.C.)
Week 9 – Evan Crenshaw, Coastal Carolina (Fr., P – Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.)
Week 10 – Rece Verhoff, Marshall (Fr., K – Columbus Grove, Ohio)
Week 11 – Kenneth Almendares, Louisiana (RS So., K – Clute, Texas)