FRISCO – UIW quarterback Zach Calzada, Southeastern linebacker KK Reno, Southeastern kicker Riley Callaghan, and HCU running back Jesse Valenzuela are the winners of the Jersey Mike's Southland Conference’s football weekly awards for the final week of the season, as announced by the conference office Monday.
Offensive Player of the Week: Zach Calzada, UIW – QB – Gr. – Buford, Ga. (Auburn/Texas A&M/Lanier HS)
Zach Calzada led the Cardinal offense with 333 passing yards and three touchdowns, along with a rushing TD to finish the regular season undefeated in SLC play, a first in program history. Down 24-17 in the fourth quarter, Calzada led a furious comeback with 21 unanswered points to lead East Texas A&M to a 38-24 win on the road. Calzada tossed a pair of touchdowns to take the lead and put them ahead for good. The win also proved to be enough to earn UIW the No. 6 seed in the FCS Playoffs after Calzada led the Cardinals to a 10-2 record.
Honorable Mention: Kyndon Fuselier, Lamar
Defensive Player of the Week: KK Reno, Southeastern – LB – Jr. – New Iberia, La. (Catholic HS)
KK Reno led the Lions with nine tackles, a forced fumble, and an interception in SLU's 19-16 win over Nicholls in the regular season finale. With the game tied at 16-16 in the fourth quarter, the New Iberia, Louisiana native intercepted a Colonel pass at the SLU 34-yard line. The pick set up Southeastern's game-winning drive that ended with a game-winning 40-yard field goal on the game's final play. Reno finished the regular season atop the team leaderboard with 94 tackles and three forced fumbles for a Lion defense that led the SLC in scoring defense in conference games.
Co-Special Teams Player of the Week: Riley Callaghan, Southeastern – K– Jr. – Ashburn, Va. (Briar Woods HS)
Riley Callaghan capped a night that saw him connect on all four of his field goal attempts and his only PAT try with a game-winning 40-yard field goal as time expired in a 19-16 victory over Nicholls. The Ashburn, Virginia native finished the regular season 14-for-15 on field goals in Southland Conference games. His 17 made field goals overall tied a single-season school record set by Jeff Turner in 2009.
Co-Special Teams Player of the Week: Jesse Valenzuela, HCU – RB– Sr. – Oxnard, Calif. (Camarillo HS)
Jesse Valenzuela returned a kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown against Northwestern State, becoming the 3rd HCU player this season with a kickoff return touchdown. Totaled 117 yards on 2 kickoff returns. Returned 5 punts for 52 yards and finished with 174 all-purpose yards.
2024 Southland Football Players of the Week
| Date |
Offensive |
Defensive |
Special Teams |
| Sept. 2 |
Jalen Walthall, UIW |
Eli Ennis, Nicholls |
Stephen Johnson, McNeese |
| Sept. 9 |
Ron Peace, East Texas A&M |
Blake Gotcher, Northwestern State |
Chase Leon, Lamar |
| Sept. 16 |
Clifton McDowell, McNeese |
DeJuan Lewis, Lamar |
Christian Booker, Lamar |
| Sept. 23 |
DeKalon Taylor, UIW |
Mister Williams, UIW |
Cody Smith, McNeese |
| Sept. 30 |
Antonio Martin, Jr., Southeastern |
Marques Caldwell, HCU |
Finn Lappin, McNeese |
| Oct. 7 |
Eli Brickhandler, HCU |
Laurence Sullivan Jr., Nicholls |
Dillon Fedor, HCU |
| Oct. 14 |
Zach Calzada, UIW |
Dune Smith, UIW |
Darius Lewis, Southeastern |
| Oct. 21 |
Darius Lewis, Southeastern |
Jake Dalmado, Nicholls |
Ben Woodard, Lamar |
| Oct. 28 |
Sam Vidlak, SFA |
Jake Dalmado, Nicholls |
Brandon Hayes, Southeastern |
| Nov. 4 |
Roy Alexander, UIW |
Coryell Pierce, Southeastern |
Callum Eddings, SFA |
| Nov. 11 |
Zach Calzada, UIW |
Brandon Tucker Jr., East Texas A&M |
Dillon Fedor, HCU |
| Nov. 18 |
Ron Peace, East Texas A&M |
Darius Sanders, UIW |
Kyndon Fuselier, Lamar |
| Nov. 25 |
Zach Calzada, UIW |
KK Reno, Southeastern |
Riley Callaghan, Southeastern
Jesse Valenzuela, HCU |
Southland weekly award winners are nominated and voted upon by each school’s sports information director. Voting for one’s own athlete is not permitted. To earn honorable mention, a student-athlete must appear on 25 percent of ballots.