Cook Named FCS National Co-Offensive Player of the Week by The Sports Network
October 20, 2014 | Football
PHILADELPHIA – Gardner-Webb All-America receiver Kenny Cook was named FCS National Co-Offensive Player of the Week Monday afternoon by The Sports Network.
Cook (Cross Hill, S.C. / Clinton HS) shared the award with Idaho State quarterback Justin Arias.
The 6-foot-4, 218-pound redshirt senior was spectacular in Gardner-Webb's 47-41 win at VMI in double overtime. He caught 12 passes for 251 yards and two touchdowns, including a leaping grab for the game winner.
His yardage total shattered both Gardner-Webb and Big South Conference single-game marks and also established a new Foster Stadium/Alumni Memorial Field facility record. Cook's big day was the best for a receiver nationally in the FCS this season, and ranks second only to Washington State's Vince Mayle had 263 against Cal on October 11.
Cook caught nine balls on Saturday that either went for first downs or touchdowns and posted five catches for 90 yards in the opening half – including a diving 49-yard catch at the end of the first quarter.
He wasted little time getting into the end zone once the second half started. Cook caught a sideline pass from Lucas Beatty early in the third quarter, stepped out of a tackle and raced 80 yards to paydirt for a 28-13 Gardner-Webb lead with 14:05 on the clock.
His third-down catch on a pass from Tyrell Maxwell on Gardner-Webb's next drive moved the chains on a drive that resulted in a Paul Schumacher field goal and a 31-13 lead midway through the third quarter.
Cook saved the dramatic segment of his performance for the final four minutes, after VMI had rallied to take a 34-31 lead.
He hauled in a 14-yard pass from Beatty to get GWU near midfield on what would wind up as the game-tying drive, and made the most of his chances in overtime. Cook's 23-yard catch on the first play of overtime set up J.J. Hubbard's go-ahead touchdown.
After a VMI field goal miss in the second overtime, Cook sprinted down the near sideline and leapt in the end zone for a 25-yard catch and score from Beatty to win the game.
Cook, who missed 10 quarters and two entire games early in the season with an injury, nearly matched his entire season yardage total (260) on Saturday. Cook is just the third Gardner-Webb receiver to top 200 yards in a game, joining Duvaughn Flagler (14 catches, 210 yards vs. Wofford on Nov. 19, 2005) and William Andrews, Jr. (12 catches, 203 yards at #23 New Hampshire on Nov. 11, 2000).
He is now tied with former Stony Brook standout Kevin Norrell with seven career games with 100+ yards receiving and is tied with former Coastal Carolina All-America receiver Jerome Simpson for eighth in league history with 161 receptions.
The Walter Payton Award candidate ranks seventh in league annals with 2,185 yards and sixth with 20 career touchdowns – all accomplished in only 28 career games.
This season, he leads Gardner-Webb with 37 catches for 511 yards and four touchdowns in five games played.
Gardner-Webb (4-3) opens Big South Conference play on Saturday, October 25, at 3:30 pm in Williams Stadium. The game will air live on ESPN3 and wgwg.org.
