Mountain West Conference Names Football Players of the Week

Air Force WR Hall and K/P Harrison, San Diego State LB Laolagi and P Hughes and TCU S Hodge honored

Nov. 4, 2007

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -

Chad Hall and Ryan Harrison (Air Force), Luke Laolagi and Michael Hughes (San Diego State), and Stephen Hodge (TCU) are Mountain West Conference Players of the Week for games through Nov. 3. Hall earns the Offensive Player of the Week honor, while Laolagi and Hodge share the Defensive Player award, and Harrison and Hughes share Special Teams recognition. Hall collects player of the week honors for the third time this season and third time in his career, while Laolagi, Hodge, Harrison and Hughes are all first time honorees.

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
CHAD HALL, AIR FORCE
Senior, WR, Atlanta, Ga./Wesleyan
Chad Hall set new school records with 275 rushing yards and 333 all-purpose yards in Air Force's 30-10 win over Army. Hall's 275 rushing yards on 34 carries (8.1 avg.) eclipsed his own Academy rushing record of 256 set against Colorado State earlier this season, while his 333 all-purpose yards broke a 39-year old school record set by Ernie Jennings in 1968 (315 all-purpose yards). His 275 rushing yards and 333 all-purpose yards also are the second-most in a single game in Mountain West Conference history. His 34 carries are a career-high and his one-yard touchdown run in the third quarter marked his sixth straight game with a rushing touchdown. Two of Hall's rushing attempts went for over 50 yards, and 13 of his carries went for first downs, five of which came on third down. It was his second 200-yard rushing game of the season and fourth 100-yard effort.

Co-DEFENSIVE PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
LUKE LAOLAGI, SAN DIEGO STATE
Sophomore, Linebacker, Reseda, Calif./Birmingham
Luke Laolagi recorded 10 total tackles, all solo efforts, four tackles for loss and a sack in San Diego State's 27-24 come-from-behind win over Wyoming. The 10 solo tackles and four tackles for loss are both career highs. All 10 of his tackles were on plays that resulted in gains of less than four yards, while four of his final six tackles of the game were behind the line of scrimmage. Laolagi led an Aztec defensive that held the Cowboys to just 250 yards of total offense and 91 net yards rushing, including just 80 total yards in the second half.

STEPHEN HODGE, TCU
Junior, Safety, Tatum, Texas/Tatum
In his first career start, Stephen Hodge collected a team-best seven tackles, including six solo, one sack, three pass break-ups and a forced fumble that was returned 13 yards for a touchdown by Rafael Priest. Hodge led a TCU defense that shutout New Mexico, 37-0, and limited New Mexico 119 total offensive yards.

Co-SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
RYAN HARRISON, AIR FORCE
Junior, Place Kicker/Punter, Keller, Texas/Keller
Ryan Harrison connected on a career-high three field goals and averaged 42 yards on two punts Air Force's win over Army. Harrison hit field goals from 35, 40 and 56 yards. His 56-yarder is the second-longest of his career and the fourth longest kicked by any player in the nation this season. Harrison's 57-yarder vs. TCU earlier this season ties as the longest by any player in the nation this season. He is the only player in the nation with three field goals of 50 yards or more this season. Harrison also kicked off seven times with four touchbacks. Army's average starting position in the game after the seven kickoffs was the 19-yard line.

MICHAEL HUGHES, SAN DIEGO STATE
Senior, Punter, Moreno, Calif./Canyon Springs
Michael Hughes averaged 48.1 yards on 10 punts in San Diego State's 27-24 win over Wyoming. Three of his kicks were over 50 yards, including a 56, 58 and 75-yarder. His 75-yard punt came with the Aztecs kicking from their own 10 yard line, pinning the Cowboys deep in their own territory, leading to a three-and-out series that preceded SDSU's game-winning drive. Seven of Hughes' punts were returned for a 18 total yards with one going for 11 yards and the other six going for just seven total yards. His 75-yarder was a season-best and ranks as the fifth-longest in school history. Hughes' 481 punt yards are fourth-best in the Aztec record book and fifth-most in MWC history.