Alabama A&M notebook

Huntsville Times

Banks receives league honors

Alabama A&M running back Ulysses Banks was named Southwestern Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Week, league officials announced Monday.

A 5-foot-10, 172-pound sophomore from Birmingham, Banks rushed for 112 yards on 17 carries and scored a touchdown in leading A&M to a 48-24 victory over Texas Southern. He staked the Bulldogs to a 28-17 halftime lead with 94 yards on 12 carries and a touchdown in the first half.

Banks has 491 yards on 66 carries and four touchdowns this season. He is second in the conference in rushing, averaging 98.2 yards per game, including a league-best 7.4 yards per carry. Banks is also second in the league in all-purpose yards, averaging 172 per game.

Luke, McClain, Licea on awards list: Quarterback Kelcy Luke, strong safety Bobby McClain and place-kicker Jeremy Licea were honored for their play in Alabama A&M's 48-24 homecoming win over Texas Southern.

Luke was named offensive player of the week after completing 19-of-34 passes for 206 yards, four touchdowns and one interception. It was the third time in five games Luke has thrown at least three touchdowns in the game.

McClain was named defensive player of the week after coming up with eight tackles, including four solo stops. McClain played a key role in holding the Tigers to 24 yards rushing.

Licea was named special teams player of the week after scoring 12 points against Texas Southern. He was 6-for-6 on extra points and made both of his field goals, including a career-long 42-yarder. Licea is the league's leading scoring with 39 points, an average of 7.8 per game. He has made 24-of-25 extra points and all five of his field goal attempts.

Wilson expected to play: Defensive end Byron Wilson, who was taken to Huntsville Hospital with respiratory problems during halftime of Saturday's game against Texas Southern, had an EKG Monday, trainer John Gaines said.

Wilson underwent a battery of tests and all of them came back negative, Gaines said.

"He had some unexplained shortness of breath and we wanted to make sure there was no underlying medical condition," Gaines said.

Wilson, according to Gaines, could be released in time for practice today and could play Saturday against Southern.

Wide receiver Nate Baxter, who has missed the last two games with a sprained ankle, remains questionable for the Southern game.

Malveaux likely to miss game: Linebacker Jonathan Malveaux, one of Southern's top tacklers, will likely miss the A&M game with a sprained ankle, Southern coach Pete Richardson said during the SWAC's weekly teleconference. Malveaux sustained the injury in the Jaguars' come-from-behind 41-34 victory over Florida A&M on Sept. 22 and missed Saturday's 21-2 win over Alabama State.

Reggie Benson