North Carolina A&T linebacker BJ Turner will be the first.
The CAA announced named Turner its co-defensive player of the week. As a result, Turner becomes the first Aggie football player to win a weekly honor from the CAA after leading the Aggies to their first victory of the season, a 28-26 thriller against Norfolk State.
Turner captured his weekly awards with one of the best defensive performances in recent A&T history. Turner, a Greensboro native who attended Page High School, made a career-high 19 tackles, including nine unassisted and 2 ½ for loss. He also broke up a pass.
But one of his more vital plays on the afternoon came on the Spartans’ attempt to tie the game with a two-point conversion late in the fourth quarter.
Turner came free on a blitz, disrupted Norfolk’s offense, and knocked down Norfolk quarterback Otto Khuns so his pass would fall incomplete.
The play kept the Aggies in the lead as the offense sealed the game with a big run from redshirt sophomore Kenji Christian. Turner’s 19 tackles last Saturday are tied for the second most in the FCS this season.
“He was awesome,” said NC A&T head coach Vincent Brown about Turner’s performance. “He was out there making plays, getting TFLs and running through people. He’s evolved into the heart and soul of our defense in a very short time because he loves football. He’s smart. He’s tough, and he wants to be great. He wants to win.”
Turner leads the nation in solo tackles per game (9.0), ranks third in total tackles (54) and 19th in tackles for loss per game (1.5). In addition, he leads the CAA in total tackles.
Turner spent three seasons with the Charlotte 49ers before transferring to A&T, where his father, North Carolina A&T Sports Hall of Famer Barry Turner, Sr., led the Aggies to two MEAC titles from his running back position.
Courtesy: North Carolina A&T Athletics
