GLIAC -- The Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) has announced its weekly awards following Week 6 of the 2024 football season. Ferris State junior quarterback Trinidad Chambliss was selected GLIAC Offensive Player of the Week for the second consecutive week, Wayne State senior linebacker Carl Ware was named GLIAC Defensive Player of the Week and Grand Valley State sophomore wide receiver/returner Kellen Reed was awarded GLIAC Special Teams Player of the Week honors.
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Trinidad Chambliss, Ferris State
Ferris State University junior quarterback Trinidad Chambliss led the fourth-ranked Bulldogs to a league road win over Wayne State this past weekend despite battling adversity. The Bulldogs pulled out a 27-14 road win in a game that began on Saturday evening before being halted due to weather and resumed on Sunday. Chambliss accounted for 383 yards of total offense, including a season-high 148 rushing yards from the quarterback position on 16 carries and a score. He also completed 22-of-38 passes for 235 yards and a touchdown. The Bulldog signal caller led FSU on a scoring drive to make it a 10-0 game just before lightning hit on Saturday evening and then extended the lead with a scoring drive late in the opening half after play resumed to give Ferris State a 17-0 halftime lead. After WSU trimmed the deficit to three points, Chambliss responded with a 73-yard run that ended at the two-yard line, setting up FSU for a big score late in the third period to push the margin back to two scores. He played a large role in setting up all five Bulldog scoring drives in the game and averaged 9.3 yards per carry while helping Ferris State roll up more than 500 yards of total offense.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Carl Ware, Wayne State
Wayne State University senior linebacker Carl Ware (Detroit, Mich. / Redford Union [Madonna]) has been selected GLIAC Defensive Player of the Week for the first time in his Warrior career. Ware totaled six tackles, including one for loss, in the 27-14 setback to No. 4-Ferris State on Saturday and Sunday. In addition, he was credited with a forced fumble, an interception, a pass break-up and a quarterback hurry against the Bulldogs. Ware has forced a fumble in three consecutive games, and has a GLIAC-leading four forced fumbles this season.
SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Kellen Reed, Grand Valley State
Grand Valley State sophomore wide receiver Kellen Reed returned the opening kickoff 92 yards for a touchdown in the #2 Lakers’ 49-17 victory over Northern Michigan. The kickoff return for a TD was the third of his career. In addition, Reed returned a second kickoff for a touchdown, but a penalty limited the return to 32 yards. Reed is averaging 28.9 yards per return (7-198) in 2024 despite teams kicking away from him.
HONORABLE MENTION
Offense: D'Wan Mathis (Davenport), Avery Moore (Grand Valley State), Terrance Brown (Saginaw Valley State)
Defense: Kobe Howard (Grand Valley State), Adom LeDuc (Saginaw Valley State), Sefa Saipaia (Ferris State)
Special Teams: Antjuan Collins (Davenport), Tyler McCoon (Saginaw Valley State), Mitchell Middleton (Ferris State)
