Bucs Honored By Conference Following 38-7 Conference Victory

Collin Drafts

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Charleston Southern quarterback Collin Drafts and the Buccaneers’ defense have been named the Big South football Choice Hotels Offensive Player of the Week and New Balance Defensive Player of the Week, respectively, for games played the 10th week of the 2005 season, it was announced today by the Conference office. In addition, Coastal Carolina kick returner David Parker was selected as Special Teams Player of the Week, while Gardner-Webb free safety Daniel Cooke garnered Freshman of the Week honors.

Drafts, a junior from Beaufort, S.C., earns his second weekly honor after helping the Buccaneers defeat Gardner-Webb 38-7 in Boiling Springs, N.C. Drafts was 23-of-28 passing (82.1 percent) for 247 yards and two touchdowns, and rushed for 51 yards and two scores in compiling 298 yards of total offense. He completed his first 13 passes and led CSU to a 28-7 halftime lead, helping the Bucs end a nine-quarter scoreless drought against the Runnin’ Bulldogs. It was Charleston Southern’s second-ever Big South win and first on the road. Drafts also notched his sixth-straight 200-yard passing game and seventh consecutive game with a touchdown pass in the win.

The Buccaneers’ defensive unit held the nation’s No. 6 offense to just 288 yards of total offense, allowed no offensive touchdowns and intercepted three passes in the 38-7 win over Gardner-Webb. The squad held the Runnin’ Bulldogs, which entered the game averaging 465.5 yards and 38.3 points, to 1-of-13 on third down conversions and 1-of-5 on fourth down, as well as just 4.4 yards per play. Gardner-Webb quarterbacks combined for 16-of-43 passing for 37.2 percent on the day.

"This win was really a credit to this team and to this coaching staff," said Mills. "Our assistant coaches worked so hard to prepare the team and the did an excellent job of getting everyone ready for this game. I was very pleased with the way this staff went about preparing, and it paid off for us in this game."

Charleston Southern will face another conference opponent this weekend when they take on the Liberty Flames on Nov. 12 at 1:30 p.m.