By: Paxton Ritchie
CSC Sports Information Director
CHADRON, Neb. – After another prolific performance, this time against one of the top rushing attacks in Division II, Logan O'Brien has been named the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Week for the third time this season.
O'Brien finished with a game-high 11 tackles (including seven solo stops) along with one tackle for loss and one sack to add to his league-leading totals in those categories during CSC's 37-20 win over New Mexico Highlands last Saturday. O'Brien was one of three RMAC players this week with double-digit tackles and the only one of the three to add a sack or tackle for loss to his ledger.
The redshirt senior linebacker racked up his stats on Saturday while leading the Eagles' response to New Mexico Highlands's vaunted rushing attack. The Cowboys entered the game averaging 309.4 rushing yards per contest, the third-most in Division II, and featured standout freshman running back Jeffrey Jones, the nation's leading rusher in yards per game at 223.3.
O'Brien made 10 of his 11 tackles on rushing plays as Chadron State held Jones to only 16 yards in the second half and 38 in the final three quarters. The slowing of the run game coincided with Chadron State turning around a 14-3 deficit into the 37-20 final score, as the Eagles outscored the Cowboys 27-6 over the final three quarters.
The 11 tackles are also a single-game career high for the Kearney native, who is putting together a breakout senior season. O'Brien ranks fourth in the RMAC in total tackles with 53 and is third in solo tackles with 30. He leads the conference and ranks fifth in Division II with 13 tackles for loss and is tied for the league lead with five sacks.
With his win, O'Brien becomes the conference's first three-time winner of an RMAC weekly award this season. O'Brien previously took home the honor on September 15 (after eight tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and a pick-six against Black Hills State) and the following week on September 22 (eight tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss and two sacks against then-No. 23 Colorado School of Mines).
The other RMAC weekly awards this week went to Western Colorado quarterback Drew Nash on offense and South Dakota Mines punter Bryson Patten for special teams.
The Chadron State defense is one of the more statistically impressive units in the RMAC. The Eagles rank third in the league in scoring defense (allowing 23.3 points per game), second in total defense (allowing 294.1 yards per game). The Eagles are the stingiest defense in the league against the pass, allowing only 146 yards per contest through the air (45 yards per game fewer than any other RMAC program) and rank No. 5 in the league against the running game.
Chadron State (5-2, 5-0 RMAC) will face Fort Lewis (1-5, 0-4 RMAC) on the road this upcoming Saturday, with kickoff slated for 12 p.m.