White, Branch and Parker Sweeps C-USA Honors
November 21, 2001 | Football
Nov. 21, 2001
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - It was a clean sweep as Louisville football players Dewayne White, Deion Branch and Zek Parker were named Conference USA Players of the Week after helping to lead the Cardinals past East Carolina on Thursday in game which decided the regular season conference title. White earned defensive honors, Branch offensive honors and Parker special teams honors. This marks the first time a team has swept the C-USA weekly honors since ECU did the deed on October 4, 1999.
Playing much of the game with a fractured hand, White, a sophomore defensive end from Marbury, Ala., added two more sacks to his conference-leading total (14), notched five solo tackles and forced a huge second half fumble. Playing one-handed, White knocked the ball free from Leonard Henry on the ECU 33-yard line mid-way through the third quarter - that play proved to be crucial for Louisville as the Cards took the lead 10 plays later. White led a defensive effort which limited Henry, the nation's third leading rusher heading into the game, to 79 yards, 62.4 below his conference leading average.
Branch, a senior wide receiver from Albany, Ga., hauled in a career-high 10 receptions for 161 yards and two scores to help lead the Cardinals' second half surge. Branch sparked the Cards' decisive 26-0 second half run with two scores and also setup T.J. Patterson's 8-yard touchdown run with a 58-yard reception. His 11-yard touchdown mid-way through the third quarter gave the Cards the lead and his 4-yard touchdown grab in the fourth quarter proved to be the winning score.
Parker's 91-yard kickoff return for a touchdown on the first play of the third quarter turned out to be a huge momentum changer as it sparked Louisville's 26-0 run to start the second half. Parker, a senior wide receiver/kick returner from Athens, Ala., returned six kicks for 149 yards and also pulled down four catches for 54 yards.
The sweep marks the ninth time that U of L players have claimed conference honors this year. Previous winners were Michael Brown (defensive), Dewayne White (defensive), Wade Tydlacka (special teams), Anthony Floyd (special teams) and Dave Ragone (offensive) twice.
Ranked No. 17 in both the ESPN/USA Today and Associated Press polls, Louisville (10-1, 6-0) will look to conclude its regular season with an unblemished conference record at TCU on Friday.
