NEW ORLEANS – After contributions to key conference wins, Old Dominion’s Colton Joseph, James Madison’s Jacob Dobbs and James Madison’s Cam Ross reaped the Sun Belt football weekly awards.
Football Offensive Player of the Week
Colton Joseph, Old Dominion
(RS Fr., QB – Newport Beach, Calif.)
Monarchs redshirt freshman quarterback Colton Joseph completed 20-of-26 passes for a career-high 304 yards and a career-best four touchdown passes in Old Dominion’s 47-19 win over Georgia Southern. The Newport Beach, Calif., native also rushed eight times for 69 yards and a score. Joseph’s 56-yard touchdown pass to redshirt senior tight end Pat Conroy was a career-long completion, while his 30-yard touchdown scamper was his longest career run. His 225.9 passing efficiency was the second-best this season by a Sun Belt quarterback against FBS opposition.
Football Defensive Player of the Week
Jacob Dobbs, James Madison
(RS Sr., LB – Macomb, Mich.)
Dukes redshirt senior linebacker Jacob Dobbs carded a second-straight double-digit tackle effort in James Madison’s 32-15 win over Southern Miss to clinch bowl eligibility. The Macomb, Mich., product amassed 10 tackles and 2.0 sacks in three quarters of game action, while the Dukes defensive unit registered a season-high 11.0 tackles for loss and 9.0 sacks. Dobbs leads all players with 10.8 tackles per game in Sun Belt Conference play and ranks third in the league with 9.1 tackles per outing in 2024.
Football Special Teams Player of the Week
Cam Ross, James Madison
(RS Sr., RS – Newark, Del.)
Dukes redshirt senior return specialist Cam Ross returned the opening kickoff of the second half 94 yards for a touchdown. The return was his first career kick return for a score and tied for the 10th-longest kick return in James Madison program history. The Newark, Del., native also caught a fourth-quarter touchdown pass—as part of a five-reception, 39-yard day. The performance was Ross’ second-career two-touchdown game and his first at James Madison. He finished the game with 137 all-purpose yards, as 1-of-3 Dukes to go over 100 all-purpose yards on the day.
2024 Sun Belt Football Offensive Players of the Week
Week 1 – Ethan Vasko, Coastal Carolina (RS So., QB – Chesapeake, Va.)
Week 2 – Jordan McCloud, Texas State (RS Sr., QB – Tampa, Fla.)
Week 3 – Joey Aguilar, App State (Sr., QB – Antioch, Calif.)
Week 4 – Alonza Barnett III, James Madison (RS So., QB – Whitsett, N.C.)
Week 5 – Alonza Barnett III, James Madison (RS So., QB – Whitsett, N.C.)
Week 6 – Braylon Braxton, Marshall (RS Jr., QB – Frisco, Texas)
Week 7 – Jordan McCloud, Texas State (RS Sr., QB – Tampa, Fla.)
Week 8 – A.J. Turner, Marshall (RS So., RB – Hampton, Va.)
Week 9 – Colton Joseph, Old Dominion (RS Fr., QB – Newport Beach, Calif.)
2024 Sun Belt Football Defensive Players of the Week
Week 1 – Wydett Williams Jr., ULM (Jr., DB – Lake Providence, La.)
Week 2 – Jahron Manning, Old Dominion (Jr., DB – New Orleans, La.)
Week 3 – Kevin Swint, Georgia State (Sr., LB – Carrollton, Ga.)
Week 4 – Jordan Scruggs, South Alabama (RS Jr., DB – Kansas City, Mo.)
Week 5 – J.J. Roberts, Marshall (RS Sr., DB – Ona, W.Va.)
Week 6 – Cameron Whitfield, Louisiana (RS Jr., LB – Houston, Texas)
Week 7 – Marques Watson-Trent, Georgia Southern (RS Sr., LB – Pittsburgh, Pa.)
Week 8 – Jayden Jones, Arkansas State (RS Jr., DL – Dallas, Texas)
Week 9 – Jacob Dobbs, James Madison (RS Sr., LB – Macomb, Mich.)
2024 Sun Belt Football Special Teams Players of the Week
Week 1 – Clune Van Andel, Arkansas State (So., K – Grand Rapids, Mich.)
Week 2 – Courtney Jackson, Arkansas State (RS Sr., RS – Monroeville, Pa.)
Week 3 – Devonte Ross, Troy (Jr., RS – Cartersville, Ga.)
Week 4 – Terrence Spence, James Madison (Sr., DB – Ringwood, N.J.)
Week 5 – Kenneth Almendares, Louisiana (RS Sr., K – Clute, Texas)
Week 6 – Clune Van Andel, Arkansas State (So., K – Grand Rapids, Mich.)
Week 7 – Kenneth Almendares, Louisiana (RS Sr., K – Clute, Texas)
Week 8 – Rece Verhoff, Marshall (Jr., K – Columbus Grove, Ohio)
Week 9 – Cam Ross, James Madison (RS Sr., RS – Newark, Del.)