Wingate University senior defensive lineman Ray Edwards (Sacramento, Calif.) was named the SAC Defensive Player of the Week on Monday, earning the honor for the first time in his career.
Edwards collected eight tackles in Saturday afternoon's 29-16 victory at Carson-Newman. He had three tackles for loss on the day, adding a forced fumble, fumble recovery, sack and two quarterback hurries. Edwards and the Bulldog defense forced five turnovers on the day, holding the league's top offense 161 yards below its season average in total yards.
Edwards ranks second on the team with 39 tackles this year, piling up a team-best 13.5 tackles for loss, ranking third in the SAC. He also leads the Bulldogs and ranks fourth in the conference with 4.5 sacks on the season, adding seven quarterback hurries and three forced fumbles. Edwards and the Wingate defense lead the league in total defense, allowing only 249.4 yards per game while also allowing a conference-low 17.3 points per game.
