Cougar trio sweep FBS Independent Players of the Week honors

FOOTBALL BOWL SUBDIVISION INDEPENDENT PLAYERS OF THE WEEK NAMED

BYU quarterback Taysom Hill, linebacker Alani Fua and placekicker Justin Sorensen have been named FBS Independent Players of the Week for games played through Saturday, Sept. 7. Hill is cited on Offense, Fua receives honors on Defense, and Sorensen is recognized on Special Teams. Each player earned his first recognition of the season, while the awards are the second career honors for Hill and fourth for Sorensen.

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK 

BYU QB Taysom Hill

A sophomore from Pocatello, Idaho, Hill ran 17 times for 259 yards and three touchdowns, while completing 9 of 26 passes for 129 yards, as BYU defeated No. 15 Texas 40-21 in Provo. Hill’s rushing total is the second-highest by an FBS quarterback in the last 10 years, trailing only Vince Young’s 267 rushing yards in 2005. Hill’s rushing yardage tally ranks second all-time at BYU, behind Eldon Fortie’s 272-yard outing in 1962.

Hill also received Athlon Sports and CBSSports.com offensive player of the week honors.

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK

BYU LB Alani Fua

A junior from Northridge, Calif., Fua recorded seven tackles, including five solo stops and two sacks, in BYU’s 40-21 home win over 15th-ranked Texas. The two sacks double Fua’s career total, and represent the first multi-sack effort of his Cougar career.

SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK

BYU PK Justin Sorensen

A senior from South Jordan, Utah, Sorensen remained perfect on his placement kicks this season, making all four field goal attempts (34, 32, 36 and 24 yards) and all four PAT attempts, as BYU won its home-opener, 40-21 over No. 15 Texas. His four field goals are the most in a single game at BYU since Nov. 24, 2000. Sorensen added five touchbacks on nine kickoffs.

The FBS Independent Players of the Week are selected by members of a nationwide media panel, which includes equal representation from each of the independent institutions’ coverage markets.