SEC names Players of the Week
The Southeastern Conference announced its Players of the Week on Monday.
Derrick Henry of Alabama was the SEC’s Offensive Player of the Week. Henry, a junior running back from Yulee, Fla., rushed for a career-high 236 yards on 32 carries in the Crimson Tide’s 41-23 win at No. 9 Texas A&M. It was the fifth-highest single-game rushing total in school history. Henry scored two rushing touchdowns and averaged 7.4 yards per carry. He also caught a pass for 18 yards.
Henry accounted for 64.1 percent (254 yards) of the Crimson Tide’s offensive yards (396) against the Aggies.
Henry extended his school record for consecutive games with a rushing touchdown to 12 games. He now has 12 rushing touchdowns this season, which ranks fourth nationally.
LSU defensive end Lewis Neal was the SEC’s Defensive Player of the Week. Neal, a junior from Wilson, N.C., shattered his career highs with 10 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and three sacks against Florida. The three sacks were the second most in one game in LSU history. Neal and the Tigers held Florida to 55 net rushing yards on 31 carries, an average of 1.8 yards per run, which was the Gators’ lowest rushing output of the season.
Neal is second in the SEC in sacks and seventh in tackles for a loss.
Georgia kicker Marshall Morgan was chosen the SEC’s Special Teams Player of the Week. Morgan, a senior from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., connected on three field goals. He scored all nine points for the Bulldogs in a 9-6 victory over Missouri, including a game-winning 34-yard field goal with 1:44 left.
Morgan is tied for fourth on the SEC’s all-time list with former Tennessee kicker Jeff Hall with 371 career points.
Alabama cornerback Minkah Fitzpatrick was the SEC’s Freshman of the Week. Fitzpatrick returned two interceptions for touchdowns against Texas A&M, racing 33 and 55 yards to score. He is the only player in Alabama history (via records verified back to 1948) to return two interceptions for scores in the same game. Fitzpatrick added two solo tackles, as the Crimson Tide limited the Aggies to just one offensive touchdown and 316 yards of total offense, 164 yards below their season average.
LSU offensive tackle Vadal Alexander was the SEC’s Offensive Lineman of the Week. Alexander, a senior from Buford, Ga., graded out at 90 percent and posted 13 knockdowns. He did not allow any sacks or pressures against Florida. He led a Tiger offensive line unit that gave up no sacks to a Gator defense that entered the game leading the SEC in sacks. The line also helped the Tigers rack up 221 rushing yards against the league’s second-stingiest rush defense, which entered the game allowing just 99.2 yards.
Texas A&M defensive end Myles Garrett was the SEC’s Defensive Lineman of the Week. Garrett, a sophomore from Arlington, Texas, made five tackles, four unassisted, in the Aggies’ 41-23 loss to Alabama. He had one sack for six yards, a tackle for a loss of three yards, one pass broken up and one quarterback hurry. He also blocked a punt to give the Aggies excellent field position in the third quarter on special teams. Garrett now has 8.5 sacks on the season.