BIRMINGHAM, Ala.- The Southwestern Athletic Conference has named Southern’s Devon Benn and Jordan Lewis, Arkansas-Pine Bluff’s Tyrin Ralph and Alabama State’s Ryan Nettles it’s SWAC Football Players of the Week for their outstanding performances during conference play this past week the league announced on Monday.
Offensive- Benn (New Orleans, La.) rushed for 75 yards on 18 total carries versus Jackson State on Saturday. He was a significant contributor for a Southern offense that amassed 294 total rushing yards and won the time of possession battle 42:49 to 17:11. He tallied two rushing touchdowns with a long TD run of 20-yards. Benn averaged 4.2 yards per carry during the Jaguars 34-14 victory over JSU.
Defensive- Lewis (Ocala, Fla.) contributed a solid outing during Southern’s 34-14 victory over Jackson State. He tallied four total tackles on Saturday including 3.5 tackles for loss (20 yards). Lewis was a significant contributor for a Jaguars defense that held Jackson State to 66 total rushing yards and limited JSU to converting 1-of-8 third down attempts.
Specialist- Ralph (New Orleans, La.) totaled a career-high 279 all-purpose yards in UAPB's 24-17 win at Mississippi Valley State. He caught four passes for 61 yards, returned four kickoffs for a career-high 85 yards (21.2 avg.), and had a career-high 142 yards on five punt returns with one touchdown. Ralph's career-long 77-yard punt return for touchdown with 1:54 remaining in the game proved to be the game-winning score for the Golden Lions.
Newcomer- Nettles (Evergreen, Ala.) finished 20-of-37 for 191 yards with one touchdown during Alabama State’s non-conference game versus South Carolina State this past weekend. He finished the game with a long pass of 24 yards while targeting seven different receivers. He also finished the day with a team-high 44 yards rushing on six carries with a long run of 20 yards.
About the SWAC
The Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) is considered one of the premier HBCU conferences in the country and currently ranks among the elite in the nation in terms of HBCU alumni playing with professional sports teams.