WALESKA, Ga. – The nation's leading passer and a newcomer who is a kicking standout have been named AAC players of the week in their respective categories.
 
Quarterback Xavier Malone and placekicker Isaac Smith were players of the week in the conference.
 
Malone, a 6-1, 187 graduate student from Knoxville, Tenn., was named offensive player of the week.
 
On Saturday night against No. 20 Campbellsville, Malone was 37 of 53 for 437 yards and two touchdowns. Malone's yardage was a career high and the eighth most in school history.
 
Through two games this season, Malone has thrown for 844 yards, which is more than any UPike signal caller in the first two of a campaign.
 
Also, his average of 422 yards per game leads the nation and is 59 yards per game higher than the player in second place.
 
Malone now has four 300-yard passing games in his career and three of them have gone for more than 400.
 
Smith is a 6-1, 175-pound redshirt freshman from Hixson, Tenn. On Saturday, he scored 10 points for the Bears, nailing two field goals and going 4 of 4 on extra points.
 
Smith's field goals covered 19 and 33 yards and both came in the second quarter. The 33 yarder, which came with 22 seconds left in the half, is a season long for the kicker who is 3 of 4 through two games this season.
 
He has scored 15 points this season, which is second on the team.
 
UPike will play its home opener on Saturday night. The Bears will host Cumberland (Tenn.) University in a 7 p.m. start at the W.C. Hambley Athletics Complex.