SALT LAKE CITY — Utah State Aggies linebacker David Woodward had one of the best games in both school and Mountain West Conference history last Friday night, and on Tuesday he received national recognition for his performance.
Woodward racked up a career-high 24 tackles (including 3.5 for loss and a sack) in a 38-35 loss to the Wake Forest Demon Deacons, which tied him for the second-most in a game in both Utah State and Mountain West Conference history, and he also forced two fumbles.
As a result, Woodward was named the Chuck Bednarik Award Player of the Week Tuesday.
“I knew he played well watching from the sidelines, but his stats are off the charts,” Aggies head coach Gary Andersen said. “He’s a tremendous player. … He is a guy we’ll continue to work to put him in positions to make plays. We didn’t do a lot to put Woodward in special plays in that game. He’s a baller, a playmaker and makes a bunch of tackles.”
While weekly honors called the Bednarik Award are given weekly throughout the season, it is an end-of-season award given to the nation’s best defensive player.