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Week 6 brought about a lot of wacky results and incredible statlines. So much so, we had a difficult time reducing our list down to four contenders.
Hell, there was so many good performances, even the MAC had to split the co-offensive players of the week in the MAC West.
Ultimately though, we did manage to narrow it down, and went to you, the reader, to tell us who deserved to hold the Hustle Belt for Week 6. You chose CMU running back Jonathan Ward, with a huge plurality of the votes.
Hey Belters! Time to choose the POTW for Week 6!
— Hustle BOO-lt (@HustleBelt) October 8, 2019
* BSU RB Caleb Huntley: 35 carries, 157 yards, 2 TDs
* CMU RB Jonathan Ward: 205 total yards, 3 TDs (two 60+ yard TD's)
* Toledo DB Saeed Holt: 12 tackles, 1.5 sacks
* Ohio RB O'Shaan Allison: 96 yards, 2 TDs, game-tying OT TD
Ward was absolutely electric on Saturday, picking up 12 carries for 132 yards, averaging 11 yards per carry against EMU in a must-win game for the Chippewas. He opened the scoring with a three-yard rushing touchdown on CMU’s first possession, adding on an 86-yard touchdown run which was the longest rushing attempt since 2013, when the late Zurlon Tipton did the same against... Eastern Michigan.
Ward also answered a housecall in the passing game, scoring once on a 64-yard touchdown reception. He had three catches for 73 yards overall. To put his performance in perspective, CMU’s longest offensive play of any kind in 2018 went for 43 yards.
Ward’s performance, which was his second game in a row with over 100 rushing yards and third overall, was a major part of helping CMU to collect 308 rushing yards and 587 yards overall, as they took down the 3-1 Eagles by a final score of 42-16.
The 2019 Hustle Belt Player of the Week Award List
- Week 1: Jon Wassink, QB, WMU (20-of-25, 368 yards, five touchdowns vs. Monmouth)
- Week 2: Drew Plitt, QB, Ball State (32-of-40, 439 yards, six touchdowns vs. Fordham)
- Week 3: Mike Glass III, QB, EMU (23-of-36, 316 yards, three touchdowns vs. Illinois)
- Week 4: Bryant Koback, RB, Toledo (20 touches, 236 yards, four total touchdowns vs. Colorado State)
- Week 5: Mike Brown, DB, Miami (six total tackles [1 solo, 5 assisted], two interceptions, 25-yard pick-six vs. Buffalo)
- Week 6: Jonathan Ward, RB, CMU (15 touches, 205 total yards, three total touchdowns vs. EMU)