Nov. 26, 2012
IRVING, Texas - Baylor junior linebacker Eddie Lackey was named Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week on Monday, two days after the football team became bowl-eligible for a third straight season with a 52-45 overtime win against Texas Tech.
A Murrieta, Calif., native, Lackey joins cornerback Joe Williams to give Baylor back-to-back Big 12 Defensive Players of the Week for the first time in school history. In fact, they're the first pair of Baylor teammates to earn the league's weekly defensive honor in the same season. Byron Landor was selected twice during the 2010 season, the only other time the Bears have won the award multiple times in a season.
Lackey had two interceptions, a fumble recovery and five tackles to help the Bears become bowl-eligible for a third straight season. He became Baylor's first player to record three takeaways in a game since Jordan Lake also had two interceptions and a fumble recovery on Sept. 22, 2007.
With the Bears trailing 21-7 in the second quarter, Lackey recovered a fumble at Baylor's 7-yard line, and the Bears converted that takeaway into a touchdown, cutting the deficit to 21-14 at the half.
Lackey returned his first interception 55 yards for a touchdown to give Baylor its first lead of the game at 35-31 early in the fourth quarter, and his second interception came with the score tied at 45-45 with less than three minutes remaining.
Lackey joins Colin Allred, Joe Pawelek and Elliot Coffey as the only Baylor linebackers to earn Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week honors. His selection marks the 12th time a Baylor player has earned the league's weekly defensive honor.
Baylor closes out the regular season at 11 a.m. Saturday against Oklahoma State at Floyd Casey Stadium. The Bears are already bowl-eligible, and if awarded a bid, would play in a bowl game for the third straight season for the first time in program history. Tickets can be purchased by calling the Baylor Athletic Ticket Office at 254-710-1000 or online at www.BaylorBears.com/tickets.
BAYLOR'S BIG 12 DEFENSIVE PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
2001 - Samir Al-Amin, FS (Nov. 24)
2004 - Willie Andrews, RS (Sept. 27)
2005 - Colin Allred, LB (Nov. 21)
2006 - Dwain Crawford, CB (Oct. 2)
2007 - Jordan Lake, FS (Sept. 24)
2008 - Joe Pawelek, LB (Nov. 17)
2009 - Joe Pawelek, LB (Sept. 8)
2010 - Byron Landor, S (Oct. 18)
2010 - Byron Landor, S (Nov. 1)
2011 - Elliot Coffey, LB (Nov. 14)
2012 - Joe Williams, CB (Nov. 19)
2012 - Eddie Lackey, LB (Nov. 26)
