Mountain West Conference Names Football Players of the Week

Utah QB Johnson, TCU DE Hughes and Utah PK/P Sakoda honored

Sept. 1, 2008

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -

Brian Johnson (Utah), Jerry Hughes (TCU) and Louie Sakoda (Utah) are Mountain West Conference Players of the Week for games through Aug. 31. Johnson earns the Offensive Player of the Week honor, while Hughes garners the Defensive Player award and Sakoda receives Special Teams recognition. Sakoda collects his eighth career player of the week honor, while Johnson and Hughes capture their second and first career weekly accolade, respectively.

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
BRIAN JOHNSON, UTAH
Senior, Quarterback, Baytown, Texas/Robert E. Lee HS
Brian Johnson helped lead Utah to a 25-23 season-opening win on the road at No. 24 Michigan. The senior quarterback threw for 305 yards and a touchdown, while completing 21-of-33 passes. In the first half, Johnson completed 15-of-23 passes for 253 yards to help Utah build a 22-10 lead at the break. He led the Utes to a score on the first offensive series, highlighted by a 55-yard pass to Jereme Brooks, after Michigan had scored to take the early lead. Johnson helped Utah keep Michigan's offense off the field via a 35:54-24:06 advantage in time of possession.

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
JERRY HUGHES, TCU
Junior, Defensive End, Sugar Land, Texas/Austin HS
Jerry Hughes keyed a TCU defense which limited New Mexico to nine first downs and 186 yards of offense in the Horned Frogs' 26-3, conference-opening win over the Lobos in Albuquerque. The junior defensive end totaled six tackles, including 1.5 for a loss and one sack to go with an interception, forced fumble and fumble recovery.

SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK
LOUIE SAKODA, UTAH
Senior, Place Kicker/Punter, San Jose, Calif./Branham HS
Louie Sakoda accounted for 13 of Utah's 25 points in the win at No. 24 Michigan. The senior place kicker/punter converted all four field goal attempts (28, 43, 41 and 53 yards) and tied his own school record for field goals in a game. His career-long 53-yard field goal in the third quarter proved to be the difference in the game. With his efforts, Sakoda moved into second place in Utah's record books for career made field goals (39). Sakoda also had an outstanding night punting, averaging 47 yards on six punts while placing three of those inside Michigan's 15-yard line. Three of his kicks went for 50 yards or more, including a long of 59 yards and a 52-yarder kicked from Utah's end zone.