Football | 11/14/2022 9:58:00 AM
Utah Tech sophomore running back
Quali Conley and senior defensive back
Darrius Nash both earned Western Athletic Conference football weekly honors on Monday for their collective performances in the Trailblazers' 34-28 home victory over Tarleton State last Saturday.
The awards marked the third-straight week that the Trailblazer program has garnered at least the conference's offensive and defensive weekly awards.
Conley (6-0, 210; Fresno, Calif./Central HS) was named WAC Offensive Player of the Week for the second time this season after he rushed for a career-high 215 yards on 25 carries and a touchdown on Saturday afternoon.
The sophomore, who also earned the WAC's weekly offensive award back on Sept. 12, became the first running back to record a 1,000-yard season (1,034 yds) in Utah Tech's NCAA era and the first to post a 200-yard rushing game in the program's brief Division I transition. In addition, Conley's 215 yards were the fourth-most in a single game in the program's NCAA era and he became the sixth different back in program history to record at least 200 rushing yards in one game.
Conley (1,697 yds), who also scored his eighth rushing TD of the season (t-3rd on UT's single season list) in third quarter of Saturday's win, also moved to within three yards of becoming the third back in program history to rush for 1,700 career yards. Additionally, the sophomore's touchdown was his 13
th-career rushing TD (#4 on UT's career list) and 15 career score overall (t-8
th on UT's career list).
Nash (6-1, 210; Los Angeles, Calif./San Fernando HS) garnered WAC Defensive Player of the Week honors after he recorded five solo tackles, one interception and on pass break up in his final home game as a Trailblazer.
The senior turned the tide for Utah Tech late in the second quarter as he picked off Tarleton quarterback Beau Allen at the Texan 5-yard line and returned the interception a school record-tying 95 yards for his first collegiate touchdown, which gave UT a 17-14 halftime lead.
Utah Tech will close the 2022 season next Saturday with a road date at FBS member and in-state foe BYU. Kick off inside LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo is set for 1:30 p.m.
