University of North Carolina Athletics
Walker Named Thorpe Award Defensive Back Of The Week
September 10, 2014 | Football
Oklahoma City, OK - After notching two interceptions in North Carolina's 31-27 win over San Diego State, sophomore cornerback Brian Walker (Charlotte, NC) has been named the Jim Thorpe Defensive Back of the Week.
Walker's performance helped lead North Carolina to their first 2-0 start since the 2011 season.
In the opening quarter, Walker returned his first interception of the game 100 yards for a touchdown to give North Carolina an early 7-0 lead. His second interception was in the fourth quarter that set up a field goal to put the Tar Heels up by four.
Honorable Mention Players for Week Two:
Kyshoen Jarrett, Virginia Tech, Senior Rover - Jarrett came up with two big second-half interceptions at No. 8 Ohio State as the Hokies became the first opposing unranked nonconference team to win at Ohio Stadium since 1982. Jarrett had five tackles and broke up a pass as the defensive unit held Ohio State to under 400 yards of offense for just the second time in the Buckeyes' last 15 games.
Cliff Coleman, Ole Miss, Senior Defensive Back - Coleman had his first career interception and returned it 39 yards for a touchdown in the Rebels' 41-3 win over Vanderbilt. The interception return for a touchdown was the first by an Ole Miss player since 2011.
Dexter McDonald, Kansas, Senior Cornerback - McDonald had his first multi-interception game of his career to help lead the Kansas defense in their 34-28 win over Southeast Missouri State. His first interception was in the end zone and he returned it 62 yards. His second interception was early in the third quarter. McDonald also had two solo tackles and two pass breakups.
Wonderful Terry, WKU, Junior Defensive Back - Terry had a highlight reel 95-yard strip and return for a touchdown that put WKU up 24-21 at Illinois. Terry also had a career-high nine tackles including one tackle for loss. The 95-yard return tied the Hilltoppers school record for longest defensive touchdown in school history.
Elijah Shumate, Notre Dame, Junior Safety - Shumate had a career-high 10 tackles to go along with one interception, one pass break up and one quarterback hurry in Notre Dame's 31-0 win over Michigan. It was the first time the Wolverines were shutout dating back to 1984 ending an NCAA-record of 365 non-scoreless games.
About the Jim Thorpe Award:
The Jim Thorpe Award is one
of the most coveted awards in college football. The award was established in
1986 and is named after history's greatest all-around athlete, Jim Thorpe. Thorpe excelled as a running back, passer and
kicker on the offensive side of the ball, but also stood out as a defensive
back. In addition to his legendary
performance on the football field, Thorpe played professional baseball and won
Olympic gold medals in the decathlon and pentathlon.
The Jim Thorpe Award watch list is chosen by a screening committee who compile a list of 30-50 players. The list is not final, and players who have outstanding seasons are added as the season progresses. The Thorpe Award Winner is selected from three finalists and will be announced at The Home Depot College Football Awards on Thursday, December 11, 2014 on ESPN.
The Jim Thorpe Award Banquet will be held on Tuesday, February 3, 2015 in Oklahoma City, OK.
The Jim Thorpe Award is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA) which encompasses the most prestigious awards in college football. The 21 awards boast 699 years of tradition-selection excellence. Visit www.NCFAA.org to learn more about our story.
The members of the NCFAA are unveiling their preseason watch lists over a 12-day period this month. Fifteen of the association's 21 awards select a preseason watch list and the NCFAA has spearheaded a coordinated effort to promote each award's preseason candidates. Following is the complete 2014 preseason watch list calendar.
Each week, Phil Steele will be overlooking the candidates issued by the school, the conference and distinguished committee members. After including his own personal input, the winner will be announced every Wednesday at www.oksportshof.org and www.PhilSteele.com. .
