Mayes named Offensive Player of the Week; Lehigh has two finalists for Walter Payton Award
11/20/2017 3:03:00 PM | Football
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – After earning game MVP honors following Lehigh's Patriot League championship-clinching win over Lafayette in the 153rd meeting of college football's most-played rivalry, Lehigh junior quarterback Brad Mayes was named Patriot League Offensive Player of the Week on Monday.
Mayes completed 26-of-35 passes for 397 yards and three touchdowns, helping lead Lehigh back from a 24-14 halftime deficit. Two of Mayes' touchdown passes came in the second half where he completed 17-of-23 for 275 yards. His 41-yard touchdown pass to senior Gatlin Casey with 7:59 to play gave the Mountain Hawks the 38-31 lead which turned out to be the final score.
With Mayes winning the MVP award it marked the seventh time in Lehigh's last eight wins in the series that the MVP award went to the Mountain Hawks' quarterback.
For the season, Mayes is completing nearly 64 percent of his passes for 3,553 yards and 28 touchdowns. He now has seven 300-yard passing games this season and nine games with two or more touchdown passes. Mayes ranks fifth in the FCS in both passing yards and touchdown passes. He enters the playoffs four touchdown passes shy of Lehigh's single season record set by Chris Lum in 2011.
This is the second Offensive Player of the Week award for the Tampa, Fla. native this season and the third of Mayes' career.
Also on Monday, two Mountain Hawks were named finalists for the Walter Payton Award, presented by STATS Inc. to the outstanding offensive player in the FCS.
Senior wide receiver Troy Pelletier was named a finalist for the second straight season. Pelletier has 95 receptions for 1,198 yards and nine touchdowns in a senior season in which he became Lehigh's career leader in receptions and yards and the Patriot League's career leader in receptions and touchdown catches.
Junior Dominick Bragalone was also named a finalist. Bragalone has 230 rushes for 1,313 yards and 18 touchdowns. He leads the FCS in rushing touchdowns and total touchdowns (21) and ranks second nationally in total rushing yardage.
The 31st Walter Payton Award is voted on by a national panel of media members and sports information directors. STATS will also present the Buck Buchanan Award (top defensive player), the Eddie Robinson Award (top coach, the Jerry Rice Award (top freshman) and the Doris Robinson Scholar-Athlete of the Year. The National FCS Awards Banquet is set for Friday, January 5 in Frisco, Texas.
The Mountain Hawks will travel to Stony Brook Saturday in the opening round of the FCS playoffs, with game time set for 2 p.m. from Kenneth P. LaValle Stadium in Stony Brook, N.Y.
Like Lehigh Football on Facebook and follow on Twitter for exclusive updates throughout the season.
Mayes completed 26-of-35 passes for 397 yards and three touchdowns, helping lead Lehigh back from a 24-14 halftime deficit. Two of Mayes' touchdown passes came in the second half where he completed 17-of-23 for 275 yards. His 41-yard touchdown pass to senior Gatlin Casey with 7:59 to play gave the Mountain Hawks the 38-31 lead which turned out to be the final score.
With Mayes winning the MVP award it marked the seventh time in Lehigh's last eight wins in the series that the MVP award went to the Mountain Hawks' quarterback.
For the season, Mayes is completing nearly 64 percent of his passes for 3,553 yards and 28 touchdowns. He now has seven 300-yard passing games this season and nine games with two or more touchdown passes. Mayes ranks fifth in the FCS in both passing yards and touchdown passes. He enters the playoffs four touchdown passes shy of Lehigh's single season record set by Chris Lum in 2011.
This is the second Offensive Player of the Week award for the Tampa, Fla. native this season and the third of Mayes' career.
Also on Monday, two Mountain Hawks were named finalists for the Walter Payton Award, presented by STATS Inc. to the outstanding offensive player in the FCS.
Senior wide receiver Troy Pelletier was named a finalist for the second straight season. Pelletier has 95 receptions for 1,198 yards and nine touchdowns in a senior season in which he became Lehigh's career leader in receptions and yards and the Patriot League's career leader in receptions and touchdown catches.
Junior Dominick Bragalone was also named a finalist. Bragalone has 230 rushes for 1,313 yards and 18 touchdowns. He leads the FCS in rushing touchdowns and total touchdowns (21) and ranks second nationally in total rushing yardage.
The 31st Walter Payton Award is voted on by a national panel of media members and sports information directors. STATS will also present the Buck Buchanan Award (top defensive player), the Eddie Robinson Award (top coach, the Jerry Rice Award (top freshman) and the Doris Robinson Scholar-Athlete of the Year. The National FCS Awards Banquet is set for Friday, January 5 in Frisco, Texas.
The Mountain Hawks will travel to Stony Brook Saturday in the opening round of the FCS playoffs, with game time set for 2 p.m. from Kenneth P. LaValle Stadium in Stony Brook, N.Y.
Like Lehigh Football on Facebook and follow on Twitter for exclusive updates throughout the season.
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