JONESBORO -- Arkansas State University senior quarterback Justice Hansen and sophomore linebacker Tajhea Chambers were named the Sun Belt Conference's Co-Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week, the league announced Monday.
Hansen was responsible for five total touchdowns and 333 yards in ASU's 51-35 victory Thursday against Georgia State. Hansen's first of three touchdown passes set the Red Wolves' school record for most career touchdown passes, which is now resting at 70 with five regular-season games remaining.
Hansen completed 17 of 28 passes for 257 yards and no interceptions, and his 2 rushing touchdowns tied a single-game career high.
"It's the nature of the position. And the fact that he didn't turn the ball over and ran the ball well, I could see where he'd be voted," ASU Coach Blake Anderson said. "He played really good football. He made really good decisions. He protected the football. He really only had 1-2 bad throws all night long that he'd like to have back. If he plays that well, it gives us a chance to win."
Appalachian State sophomore tailback Darrynton Evans was announced as the league's Co-Offensive Player of the Week in addition to Hansen. In his second career start, Evans had 203 all-purpose yards and 183 rushing yards on 26 carries.
Chambers acquired seven tackles and two fumble recoveries, one of which he returned for a 34-yard touchdown, his first score with ASU. Two of Chambers' seven tackles were on fourth down.
Chambers' first recovered fumble ended a Georgia State drive that reached ASU's 20-yard line and protected a 20-7 lead in the first quarter. His second, the touchdown, ballooned ASU's lead to 34-7 before halftime.
"That's pretty neat for him to get recognized for playing as well as he did," Anderson said. "He's quietly really grown into a really good leader over there."
This week, football will return to Saturday for the Red Wolves for the first time in a month. ASU's most recent Saturday game was Sept. 29 at Georgia Southern -- four Saturdays before this week's 6 p.m. kickoff at the University of Louisiana-Lafayette.
ASU now must play five games (four against West Division opponents) in 32 days until Nov. 24.
"Coming out of this one, I think the clock just speeds up so dramatically compared to what we've seen the last month," Anderson said. "I don't know, maybe that's a good thing at this point. You don't have a lot of time to think about it. You go to work, you look up and it's game time. These game weeks get really short at this point."
Sports on 10/23/2018