CEDAR CITY, Utah – Southern Utah running back Joshua Dye has been named the United Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Week following his standout performance in the Thunderbirds' 27-17 road victory over Eastern Kentucky. This is the third time this season that Dye has been named the UAC Offensive Player of the Week.
Head Coach DeLane Fitzgerald Said
"Josh's success starts with how hard he works every single day. He's one of the most consistent and driven players I've ever coached, and that shows up every Saturday. He'll be the first to tell you he couldn't do it without the guys up front. Our offensive line has been outstanding, and together they've built something really special in our run game."
Dye once again powered the Southern Utah offense, carrying the ball 33 times for 221 yards and three touchdowns. The explosive performance marked his second 200-yard rushing game of the season, as he averaged 6.7 yards per carry and helped the Thunderbirds control possession for over 16 minutes longer than the Colonels.
With Saturday's effort, Dye has now surpassed 1,500 rushing yards on the year (1,542 total) and sits just 27 yards shy of the FCS national lead. His 22 rushing touchdowns are the most of any player in Division I football this season.
Dye's remarkable campaign continues to etch his name in the Southern Utah record books. He is now tied for the second-most rushing touchdowns in a single season and ranks fifth all-time in single-season rushing yards.
Dye currently averages over 150 yards per game rushing and is on pace for a historic season. Dye has been the driving force behind one of the most productive offenses in the FCS, with the Thunderbirds averaging over 34 points per game.
This marks the fourth consecutive week that a Thunderbird has earned one of the UAC's weekly honors and the seventh time this season overall. Southern Utah and West Georgia are the only programs in the conference to have earned all four types of UAC weekly awards, Offensive, Defensive, Special Teams, and Freshman of the Week.
Next Up
Southern Utah returns to Eccles Coliseum this weekend for the final home game of the season. The Thunderbirds will take on Central Arkansas on Saturday, November 15, for Senior Day. The Game will kick off at 6:30 p.m. MT and can be streamed on ESPN+. Live stats will be available on suutbirds.com.
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