Nov. 21, 2011
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -
Brett Smith (Wyoming), Tank Carder (TCU) and Ross Evans (TCU) are the Mountain West Players of the Week for games through Nov. 19. Evans is being honored for the fourth time in his career, while Carder and Smith are receiving the accolade for the second time.
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
BRETT SMITH, WYOMING
Freshman, Quarterback, Salem, Ore./West Salem HS
Brett Smith accounted for 352 of the team's 462 yards of total offense in Wyoming's 31-10 victory over New Mexico. In addition to rushing for a career-high 140 yards and two touchdowns, Smith completed 23-of-38 passes for 212 yards and a touchdown. It was Smith's fifth game of the season with 300 or more total yards total offense. He now has 2,744 yards total offense in 2011, setting a new MW record for most by a freshman. His 69-yard touchdown run was Wyoming's longest run of the season. Smith became the first Mountain West quarterback to rush for a 100 yards in a game since the Cowboys' Austyn Carta-Samuels did so against New Mexico in 2010.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
TANK CARDER, TCU
Senior, Linebacker, Sweeny, Texas/Sweeny HS
Tank Carder returned an interception 69 yards for a touchdown and tied a season-high with nine tackles (one for loss) in TCU's 34-10 win over Colorado State. Carder now has two interception return TDs for the season and three for his career, ranking third in the Mountain West in both categories. His 69-yard return was TCU's longest interception return for a touchdown since Quincy Butler went 99 yards against Southern Mississippi in 2004.
SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK
ROSS EVANS, TCU
Senior, Placekicker, Burnet, Texas/Burnet HS
Ross Evans accounted for 10 points (4 PATs, 2 FGs) in TCU's 34-10 victory against Colorado State. His two field goals of 21 and 46 yards gave him 55 for his career, moving him past BYU's Matt Payne (54, 2001-04) into second place on the MW's career chart. Evans is 13-of-16 on field goal attempts this season and has made 11 in a row.
