Thom named NAIA Defensive Player of the Week
Sean Thom earns his first NAIA Defensive Player of the Week honor
November 16
Faulkner’s Sean Thom has been named the NAIA Defensive Player of the Week after picking up the same honor at the conference level. Thom had 14 total tackles, including 1.5 sacks, to help catapult the Eagles to a season-ending 24-21 win over Mid-South Conference rival UVA-Wise on Saturday.
Thom has led the nation in tackles per game for two consecutive seasons. The 14 tackles he tallied in the Eagles’ Homecoming victory over the weekend pushed him to 142 on the year. His 12.9 tackles per game average is an NAIA best and down only slightly from his 14.3 per game average last season.
The senior middle linebacker from Fort Walton Beach, Fla., also ranks 20th in the country in total tackles for a loss with 15.5 and 25th in the NAIA in tackles for loss per game with 1.4.
Thom is the nation's top defensive player for two straight seasons
Though Thom secured the Defensive Player of the Week award he also made his offensive debut against the Cavs on Saturday, rushing for the game-sealing two-point conversion with under a minute remaining in the ball game.
Thom took home the same award at the conference level in November of last year, but this is the first time that an Eagle has been recognized at the national level in football.