Linebacker Marsel McDuffie Named UNLV Rebels On SI Defensive Player Of The Week For Week 4

Linebacker Marsel McDuffie earns UNLV Rebels On SI Defensive Player of the Week honors for Week 4.

UNLV Rebels linebacker Marsel McDuffie (38) against the Kansas Jayhawks in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports | Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

It was an up-and-down game in Week 4 for the UNLV Rebels' defense against the Miami (Ohio) RedHawks. While they struggled to stop the RedHawks in the first half, they tightened things up in the second half and came up with big play after big play when they needed them most. While there were plenty of candidates this week, we decided that linebacker Marsel McDuffie deserved to be named the UNLV Rebels On SI Defensive Player of the Week.

While he was impressive throughout the entire game, leading the team with 10 tackles (three solo), making a tackle for a loss, and defending a pass, it was his big-play heroics late in the game that gave him the edge for this honor. In the fourth quarter, as the RedHawks drove down for a potential game-winning drive late in the fourth quarter, McDuffie jumped on a loose ball and recovered a fumble that led to the Rebels' game-winning field goal. Then, after the field goal, Miami (Ohio) got the ball back one more time, and McDuffie sealed the game with an interception.

Others Receiving Consideration

Defensive Back Aamaris Brown

Brown has been having one of the most incredible seasons we've ever seen a defensive back have. He continued his streak and had another pick-six in this game. He now has an interception in every single game this season, and two of them have gone for touchdowns. His touchdown kept them in the game when the offense couldn't get anything going in the first half. However, he did only make one tackle in this game, which is surprising because he had 17 tackles in the first three games.

Safety Jaheem Joseph

After being named the UNLV Rebels On SI Defensive Player of the Week in the team's last game against the UCLA Bruins in Week 2, he came close to earning the honor again for the second consecutive game. He was the one who forced the game-saving fumble in the fourth quarter that McDuffie ended up recovering. In a game full of big plays, that play was the biggest. He also made nine tackles (seven solo) in this game, with one of them going for a loss. The way Joseph has stepped up in the past two games has had a major impact on this defense and the outcome of both the Rebels' victories.

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