Rodney Stewart (Colorado), Hubert Anyiam (Oklahoma State), Earl Thomas (Texas),
Brandon Sharpe (Texas Tech) and Brandon Banks (Kansas State) have been named Big
12 Conference Football Players of the Week as selected by a media panel. Stewart
(offense), Anyiam (offense) and Sharpe (defense) picked up their first weekly
award while Thomas (defense) and Banks (special teams) were honored for the
second time this season and Banks for the third time in his career.
BIG 12 CO-OFFENSIVE PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Rodney Stewart, Colorado, TB, So, Westerville, Ohio
Rodney Stewart rushed 24 times for 108 yards and two touchdowns, including the game-winner, to lead Colorado to a 34-30 win over No. 16/15 Kansas. It was his third 100-yard game of the season and the sixth of his career. Stewart became the 49th player in CU history to rush for 1,000 career yards, ending the game with 1,040. He recorded two touchdowns for the second time in his career, also accomplishing it against Wyoming. The sophomore tail back also accounted for six first downs and is now 7-of-7 in his career in picking up a first down on 3rd-&-1.
Hubert Anyiam, Oklahoma State, WR, So, Garland, Texas
Hubert Anyiam caught 10 passes for 119 yards to help No. 15/14 Oklahoma State down No. 24 Missouri 33-17. He hauled in an 8-yard touchdown reception with eight seconds left in the first half and also had a 25-yard TD catch in the win. Anyiam entered the season with three career receptions.
BIG 12 CO-DEFENSIVE PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Earl Thomas, Texas, S, So, Orange, Texas
Earl Thomas registered a team-high seven tackles, including five solo, and three pass breakups in No. 2 Texas’ 16-13 win over No. 18 Oklahoma. He added two tackles for loss (-21 yards), forced a fumble and sealed the Horns’ victory with an interception at Texas’ 37-yard line on OU’s final drive. Thomas helped UT hold a Sooners offense that was averaging 35 points per game to 13 and a rushing attack that was averaging 187.8 yards per game to 16 yards on 22 rushing attempts. The sophomore’s five interceptions on the year are tied for first in the nation and he also has a team-high nine pass breakups.
Brandon Sharpe, Texas Tech, DE, Sr, Lyons, Ga.
Brandon Sharpe posted a career-high four sacks and seven tackles in Texas Tech’s 31-10 win at No. 19/17 Nebraska. He also had a pass breakup at the line while doubling his season sacks total in one game. The senior defensive end has eight sacks on the season, including seven in the last three games. He is second individually in the Big 12 in sacks and fourth nationally.
BIG 12 SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Brandon Banks, Kansas State, WR/KR, Sr, Garner, N.C.
Brandon Banks set a Big 12 record with his third kickoff return for a touchdown of the season in Kansas State’s win over Texas A&M. He took the second-half kickoff 97 yards for the score. The return was the fourth of Banks’ career that has gone the distance, which is a K-State record and tied a Big 12 career record. He added 60 receiving yards to record 242 all-purpose yards in the game.
2009 BIG 12 FOOTBALL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
OFFENSIVE
S8 Blaine Gabbert, MU, QB, So
S14 Taylor Potts, TTU, QB, Jr
S21 Landry Jones, OU, QB, Fr
S28 Alexander Robinson, ISU, RB, JR
Danario Alexander, MU, WR, Sr
O5 Grant Gregory, KSU, QB, Sr
O12 Steven Sheffield, TTU, QB, Jr
O19 Rodney Stewart, CU, TB, So
Hubert Anyiam, OSU, WR, So
DEFENSIVE
S8 Joe Pawelek, BU, LB, Sr
S14 Max Onyegbule, KU, DE, Sr
Lamarr Houston, UT, DT, Sr
S21 Roddrick Muckelroy, UT, LB, Sr
S28 Earl Thomas, UT, S, So
O5 Jeremy Beal, OU, DE, Jr
O12 Ndamukong Suh, NU, DT, Sr
O19 Earl Thomas, UT, S, So
Brandon Sharpe, TTU, DE, Sr
SPECIAL TEAMS
S8 Perrish Cox, OSU, DB/PR/KR, Sr
S14 Dez Bryant, OSU, WR/PR/KR, Jr
S21 Alex Henery, NU, PK/P, Jr
S28 Brandon Banks, KSU, WR/KR, Sr
O5 Emmanuel Lamur, KSU, DB, So
O12 Jordan Shipley, UT, WR/PR/KR, Sr
O19 Brandon Banks, KSU, WR/KR, Sr