Thompson Named BIG EAST Football Defensive Player of the Week
Dec 05 | Football
PISCATAWAY, N.J. - Rutgers University senior linebacker Devraun Thompson (Piscataway, N.J.) was named the BIG EAST Football Defensive Player of the Week, the league office announced.
In the No. 16 Scarlet Knights' hard-fought triple-overtime, 41-39 loss at No. 15 West Virginia last Saturday night, Thompson registered a career-high 12 tackles, including nine solo stops. He also recorded his second interception of the season, while breaking up another pass against WVU. Thompson completed the regular season tied for seventh in the BIG EAST in tackles per game (6.7). He is tied for the team lead with 80 tackles this season, including 10.5 tackles for loss and four sacks. Thompson was part of a defensive unit that limited the Mountaineers to a season-low six points in the first half.
Thompson entered the top-10 in Rutgers history in career tackles with his performance last Saturday and now has 294 career stops to rank eighth all-time. His 152 assisted tackles are fourth-best in school history.
The honor is Thompson's second BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Week award in the past four weeks. He earned conference laurels on Nov. 13 following Rutgers' victory over Louisville.
Sophomore quarterback Mike Teel (Oakland, N.J.) was named to the BIG EAST Honor Roll as well. The signal caller finished the West Virginia game 19-for-26 with a career-high 278 yards and a touchdown. His 73 percent completion rate was also a career best. Teel completed his first five passes in the contest, while orchestrating a quick opening scoring drive with completions on both of his pass attempts. Teel's 72-yard completion for a touchdown to freshman wide receiver Tim Brown (Miami, Fla.) in the third quarter was the longest offensive play for Rutgers this season and the longest pass play for the Scarlet Knights in more than two years.
In Teel's last two games, he is a combined 29-for-41 for a 70 percent completion rate with 424 yards and three touchdowns without an interception.
No. 16 Rutgers will face Kansas State in the inaugural Texas Bowl at Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas on Dec. 28 at 8:00 p.m. The game will be televised by the NFL Network.
