Murray State University Athletics
Williams Named National FCS Defensive Player of the Week by The Sports Network
9/17/2008 5:00:00 AM | Football
After putting together one of the best single-game tackle performances in Murray State football history, senior linebacker Nathan Williams has been named the National FCS Defensive Player of the Week by The Sports Network on Monday. This honor comes on the heels of Williams being named the Ohio Valley Conference Defensive Player of the Week on Sunday.
Williams (Murray, Ky.) received this honor posting a college football-best (all levels) 23 tackles in game against Illinois State on Saturday. He was consistent throughout the ball game as he posted eight stops in the first quarter, seven in the third and six more in fourth. He also added a sack and a fumble recovery. The school record for tackles in a game at MSU is 26 set by Frank Head against Eastern Kentucky in 1969.
"It is certainly well deserved. The kid played a solid football game," said head coach Matt Griffin. "The greatest thing about Nathan is that he would trade all these accolades and stats for a win."
It was the second double-digit tackle performance this season and the 10th of his career. After missing all but one quarter of the 2007 season, Williams began the 2008 season by tieing his career high with 17 tackles against Lambuth and nine against Indiana. On the season, Williams has 49 tackles, 23 solo, 3.5 tackles-for-loss, 1.5 sacks, two fumble recoveries and a forced fumble. He leads the FCS in total tackles and tackles per game (16.33), while ranking second in solo tackles.
For his career, Williams has 266 tackles (155 solo), 10.5 tackles-for-loss, 4.5 sacks, five fumble recoveries and two forced fumbles.
