**NEW ORLEANS** – After guiding their teams to victories in non-conference matchups, Alonza Barnett III from James Madison, J.J. Roberts from Marshall, and Kenneth Almendares from Louisiana have been recognized with weekly honors by the Sun Belt Conference.
**Football Offensive Player of the Week**
**Alonza Barnett III, James Madison**
(RS So., QB – Whitsett, N.C.)
The Dukes’ redshirt sophomore quarterback, Alonza Barnett III, followed his record-setting seven-touchdown game with another impressive performance, throwing for six touchdowns in a 63-7 win over Ball State. Barnett completed 20 of 28 passes for 280 yards, added 44 rushing yards, and scored a touchdown. His outstanding efforts contributed to a two-game total of 133 points for James Madison, marking the first time since LSU in 2019 that a team has scored 63 or more points in consecutive games.
**Football Defensive Player of the Week**
**J.J. Roberts, Marshall**
(RS Sr., DB – Ona, W.Va.)
Marshall’s redshirt senior defensive back, J.J. Roberts, recorded a game-high 15 tackles, with 10 occurring in the second half, during the Thundering Herd’s 27-20 win over Western Michigan. The Ona, W.Va., native made a crucial play in the fourth quarter, bringing down a Bronco ball carrier for one of his 1.5 tackles for loss, forcing a turnover that led to Marshall’s winning score. He also forced a fumble during the game.
**Football Special Teams Player of the Week**
**Kenneth Almendares, Louisiana**
(RS Sr., K – Clute, Texas)
Ragin’ Cajuns redshirt senior kicker Kenneth Almendares kicked a decisive 31-yard field goal with 52 seconds left, securing a 41-38 win against Wake Forest. The Clute, Texas, native also hit a season-long 50-yard field goal and converted all five of his extra-point attempts. His 11 points brought his career total to 272, moving him into sixth place in the program’s history. Almendares’ season-high four touchbacks kept the Demon Deacons to an average of 16.3 yards on three returns.
