November 20, 2011

Golden Eagles Gay, Tooley receive weekly honors from OVC

Dontey Gay was named the OVC co-Offensive Player of the Week and Richmond Tooley the Defensive Player of the Week for the parts they played Saturday in Tennessee Tech's 49-7 victory over Austin Peay.

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. -- Tennessee Tech seniors Dontey Gay and Richmond Tooley have been voted as recipients of a couple of the Ohio Valley Conference weekly honors for the roles each played in the Golden Eagle victory over Austin Peay Saturday that clinched the team's first conference championship since 1975.

Gay, a runningback from Lexington, Ky., was named co-Offensive Player of the Week along with Murray State quarterback Casey Brockman. Tooley, a cornerback from Memphis, was tabbed as the Defensive Player of the Week.

Gay earned his second OVC Offensive Player of the Week honor of the season after rushing for 192 yards and a touchdown and reaching the 1,000-yard plateau. He carried the ball 25 times and averaged 7.7 yards/carry. The 192 yards was the 11th-best single-game performance in Golden Eagle history. With 1,009 yards, Gay is just the seventh player in Tech history to reach that achievement. His 2-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter was his 15th rushing touchdown of the season, which established a new TTU single-season record. Gay currently ranks eighth nationally in scoring (9.0 points/game) and his 90 points this season has tied the Tennessee Tech single-season record.

Tooley helped key a Tech defense that limited Austin Peay to 255 total yards. He had eight tackles, an interception, a 19-yard fumble recovery and return for a touchdown and a pass breakup in the game. Tooley’s touchdown came in a key third quarter stretch where the Golden Eagles scored three touchdowns in less than four minutes, turning a 21-7 lead into a 42-7 advantage. His interception came earlier in the third quarter, ending an Austin Peay drive near midfield and leading to a TTU touchdown that put the team up 28-7 just five plays later.

For the remaining OVC awards, James Esco of Jacksonville State was named the Special Teams Player of the Week and Kevin Hamlin of Eastern Kentucky won the Newcomer of the Week award.