Darius Alexander, Dylan Cunanan Take MAC Player of the Week Honors

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Toledo senior defensive lineman Darius Alexander was named the Mid-American Conference Defensive Player of the Week while freshman placekicker Dylan Cunanan took the league's Special Teams Player of the Week honor, the league office announced on Monday.

Alexander earned his award after a career day in Saturday's home victory against Miami. He set career highs with seven tackles, 3.0 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks and added a pass breakup and a QB hurry to his stat totals. The Rockets held the RedHawks to just 350 yards of total offense on Saturday and without a touchdown until near the end of the third quarter.

Cunanan, who earned the special teams distinction for the second time this year, was 3-for-3 on extra points and 3-for-3 on field goals, accounting for 12 points. He delivered makes of 21, 48 and 47 yards on his field goals. Cunanan's 48-yard make was Toledo's longest field goal since Thomas Cluckey's 50-yarder on Oct. 16, 2021 and his three field goals marked the first such instance since Luke Pawlak made three on Sept. 2, 2023. He is the first Rocket to hit two field goals of 47 yards or more in a single game.

Alexander now ranks tied for fifth in the MAC in tackles for loss per game (1.25) and sixth in sacks per game (.63). Cunanan has connected on six field goals this season and is tied for fourth-most in the league in makes per game (1.2).

Both players contributed to a 30-20 victory in the conference opener, where the Rockets established a double-digit lead by the end of the first quarter and would not allow the RedHawks within 10 points the rest of the way.

Toledo (4-1, 1-0 MAC) will hit the road to face Buffalo on Saturday, Oct. 12. Kickoff is set for noon and will be broadcast on ESPNU.

Darius Alexander, Dylan Cunanan Take MAC Player of the Week Honors

Players Mentioned

Darius Alexander

Dylan Cunanan

Luke Pawlak

Footer