Fresno State Athletics
Pinegar Earns WAC Offensive Player of the Week Honors
9/30/2002 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 30, 2002
DENVER - Fresno State quarterback Paul Pinegar, Tulsa defensive tackle Sam Rayburn and San Jose State place kicker returner Charles Pauley were named the Western Athletic Conference offensive, defensive and special teams players of the week, respectively.
Pinegar, a freshman from Woodland, Calif. (Woodland HS), threw for a career-high 325 yards, completing 18 of 29 passes and three touchdowns in the Bulldogs 31-28 win over Rice. Pinegar, who threw no interceptions, hit fellow freshman Jermaine Jamison on a 77-yard touchdown pass with 3:12 remaining in the game to give Fresno State a come-from-behind win in Houston. His 325 yards passing was the most by a freshman quaterback since Kevin Sweeney threw for 329 versus Bowling Green in 1983.
Rayburn, a senior from Chickasha, Okla. (Chickasha HS), recorded nine tackles, including six solo. He also registered four and half tackles for a loss of 18 yards. Rayburn added one quarterback sack (-10) and a hurry in the loss to Kansas.
Pauley, a senior from Duarte, Calif. (Citrus College), became just the second player in school history to have two kickoff returns for a touchdown in a season when he ran back a 98-yarder in the 58-24 win over UTEP. Pauley's return came early in the third quarter just after the Miners closed the Spartan lead to 28-24.
Other offensive nominees included senior quarterback B.J.Rhode, Boise State; sophomore wide receiver Chad Owens, Hawai'i; senior wide receiver Nate Burleson, Nevada; senior wide receiver Charles Pauley, San Jose State; sophomore wide receiver Montiese Culton, Tulsa. On the defensive side, nominees included junior corner back Julius Brown, Boise State; sophomore line backer Todd Garcia, Fresno State; senior linebacker Pisa Tinoisamoa, Hawai'i.
Special team nominations included senior place kicker Nick Calaycay, Boise State; freshman defensive back Kenny Patton, Hawai'i'; junior punter Derek Jones, Nevada
