Blessing named GPAC Defensive Player of the Week
SEWARD, Neb. – Another dominant defensive effort from undefeated Concordia has yielded the team’s first weekly GPAC honoree of the season. On Monday afternoon the league cited senior cornerback Derek Blessing as the GPAC/Hauff Mid-America Sports Defensive Player of the Week. Last season Blessing twice earned GPAC Special Teams Player of the Week accolades.
The Ogallala, Neb., native picked off a pair of passes and broke up a total of three tosses from Nebraska Wesleyan quarterback Tyler Francis in Concordia’s 19-3 win over the then No. 22 Prairie Wolves in the NAIA Football Game of the Week. Blessing led a secondary that held Nebraska Wesleyan to just 108 passing yards on Saturday.
On the season, Blessing and company have held opponents to an average of only 125.5 passing yards per game (second fewest in the NAIA) while limiting opposing quarterbacks to a pass efficiency of a mere 81.9. Concordia is first in the nation in scoring defense (8.8).
Blessing has 19 total tackles on the season to go with his two interceptions, which are tied with freshman Matt Keener and sophomore Tait Sibbel for the team lead.
The 14th-ranked Bulldogs (6-0, 4-0 GPAC) return to action on Saturday when they play Northwestern (3-2, 2-2 GPAC) in Orange City, Iowa, at 1 p.m.