Utah State linebacker Kyler Fackrell has been named the College Sports Madness Mountain West Defensive Player of the Week following the Aggies’ 52-26 victory at home against No. 21 Boise State on Friday night.
Overall, it is the third time in his career that the 6-foot-5, 250-pound senior from Mesa, Arizona, has been tabbed the CSM Mountain West Defensive Player of the Week. In addition, Fackrell earned first-team all-Western Athletic Conference honors from CSM following his redshirt freshman season in 2012.
Fackrell helped anchor a dominant defense performance against Boise State as he was one of two Aggies to record double-digit tackles with a season-high 11 stops, including 2.5 tackles for loss.
Fackrell also had two quarterback hurries and recovered two fumbles as part of eight takeaways by Utah State against the Broncos, the most turnovers in a single game in the program’s Football Bowl Subdivision history (since 1996), and the most since committing 12 at Montana in 1989. The Broncos entered the game having committed just six turnovers in their first six games.
Utah State’s defense forced a school-record tying eight turnovers in nine Boise State possessions between the first and second halves. The Aggies, who snapped a 12-game losing streak to the Broncos, turned seven first half turnovers into 35 points.
According to ESPN, the seven turnovers by the Broncos were the most by an FBS team in a first half in 10 years. Prior to Friday night, the last FBS team to force eight turnovers in a single game was Arkansas State against Idaho during the 2014 campaign.
Fackrell’s first fumble recovery led to a late first-quarter touchdown that gave the Aggies a 17-3 lead over Boise State. With less than two minutes remaining in the first half, Fackrell forced a fumble that was recovered by Utah State senior cornerback Bryant Hayes. The Aggies scored one play later to open up a 38-10 advantage.
On the season, Fackrell leads the team in tackles for loss (10.5), quarterback hurries (10) and fumble recoveries (four). He also shares the team in lead in forced fumbles (two) and sacks (3.0), and his 37 total tackles ranks third.
The Aggies (4-2, 3-0 Mountain West) return to action on Oct. 23, when they take on San Diego State (3-3, 2-0) at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California, in the second of three-consecutive Friday night contests for Utah State. The game kicks off at 8:30 p.m. MT, and will be televised on ESPN2.