Jacob Rodriguez Wins Second Coveted Award of The Season
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The Texas Tech Red Raiders have become one of the best stories in college football, pairing success from the transfer portal, with success from home-grown developed players, all of which have played a role one of their best seasons in program history.
Perhaps no one encompasses that better than linebacker Jacob Rodriguez, who continues taking the college football world by storm this season. Mixing success on the field, and one of the best mustaches in the game, he has turned into one of the best linebackers in the country.
That point is reflected by his honors of winning the FWAA Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week Award for the second time this season after his impressive performance against the BYU Cougar
Inner-Circle Career
Rodriguez continues lighting up the score box for the Red Raiders, including another dominant performance during the top-10 matchup against the BYU Cougars. He finished with 14 tackles, which led the team, while also intercepting a pass and recovering a fumble in the 29-7 victory in Lubbock.
This marks his second time this season earning the honors, after putting up nearly an identical statline from the first time he won the award in the 34-10 victory over the Utah Utes. During the victory, he once again led the team, this time with 11 tackles, including five solo, an interception, and was credited with 0.5 tackle for loss.
As the fourth Red Raider to win the award since its inception in 2001, he has now won it twice and continues to shape a career that will make him one of the best defensive players to have ever called Lubbock home. It isn't just Red Raider fans noticing everything he is doing on the field, either, as there continues to be serious movement in Rodriguez garnering Heisman conversation for the year.
He leads the FBS with seven forced fumbles and continues to find himself at the right spot on the field nearly every play, including in what was effectively the game-sealing play when he scooped up a fumble on a Lee Hunter Sack. Part of the allure for Rodriguez is the elite company he is in with his production this season, joining Khalil Mack when he was with Buffalo as the only FBS player since 2005 with five forced fumbles, three interceptions, and two fumble recoveries in the same season.
As well as Rodriguez being the first Red Raider to earn weekly honors since 2019, he will also look to make history with the award, becoming the first winner of the Bronko Nagurski award in the program. Only one other player in the program has ever even been named a finalist, Zach Thomas in the 1995 season, but he ultimately came up short in his pursuit.
For Rodriguez and the Red Raiders, this is just another game on the schedule, still far from what their goals and ambitions are for the 2025 season. The award, however, marks another notch on an illustrious career for Rodriguez, and odds are, this won't be his last award of the season.
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JD Andress is an accomplished sports writer and journalist with extensive experience covering a wide range of collegiate sports. JD has provided in-depth coverage of the TCU Horned Frogs and the Texas Longhorns. He looks forward to being part of the coverage of the Wake Forest Demon Deacons. His experience spans various sports, including football, men’s and women’s basketball, baseball, rifle, equestrian, and others, reflecting his broad interest and commitment to sports journalism.