NEWBERRY — Newberry College inside linebacker Taylor McDonnell has been named the South Atlantic Conference AstroTurf Defensive Player of the Week.
McDonnell, a senior from Bluffton, had a total of 11 tackles in the 17-14 loss to Division I-FCS Jacksonville on Saturday. That mark tied for the most by any player in the conference last week and his 10 solo stops were by far the most in the conference.
He had a “trifecta” sack/forced fumble/fumble recovery on JU quarterback Kade Bell in the third quarter. He totaled two sacks, three tackles for loss and three quarterback hurries as well.
For the season, McDonnell ranks second in the conference in tackles per game at 9.0 stops per contest, and his two sacks ranks first in the league.
Also earning SAC AstroTurf Player of the Week honors this week were Cary Littlejohn of Catawba and Keshaun Taylor of Mars Hill on offense, and Christopher Birozes of Wingate on special teams.