Howard Named LSC South Defensive Player of the Week
Second Time this year Senior has won the award

PORTALES, N.M. — Eastern New Mexico University senior linebacker Jeff Howard (Portales, NM/Portales, HS) has been named Lone Star Conference South Division Defensive Player-of-the-Week for the second time this season. He received this week’s award for his efforts in Eastern’s 28-21 victory over Lone Star Conference South Division rival Abilene Christian University on Sept. 25 at Greyhound Stadium. Howard scored on an interception return, set up ENMU’s winning touchdown with a fumble recovery, broke up one pass and recorded eight tackles.

Eastern improved to 2-3 on the season and opened the LSC South schedule at 1-0. ACU fell to 2-2 overall, 0-1 in the LSC South.

Howard intercepted ACU quarterback Greg Wiggins and returned the ball 41 yards for a touchdown with 8:57 left in the third quarter. The touchdown, Howard’s second interception return for a score this season, gave ENMU a 21-14 lead. Howard reached the end zone on a 48-yard interception return against Southwestern Oklahoma State University on Sept. 11, helping the Hounds defeat the Bulldogs, 39-0, at Greyhound Stadium.

The other big play provided by Howard against ACU was a fumble recovery at the Abilene Christian 19-yard line after Wiggins lost the ball as he was sacked by Courage Idemudia (Sr., LB, Glenn Heights, TX/DeSoto HS). ENMU scored three plays later for a 28-21 lead with 11:44 remaining, on an 11-yard rush by junior running back Jason Tezeno (Levelland, TX/Levelland HS).

Howard’s eight total tackles included six unassisted stops. He remained Eastern’s leading tackler this year, with 41 tackles (26 unassisted, 15 assists). Howard, who also led ENMU with 85 tackles last season, has registered 174 tackles in his career. He was named First Team All-LSC South in 2003.

The Defensive Player-of-the-Week award was the third for Howard at ENMU. He received the award for the first time last season, after recovering a fumble and making seven total tackles, including three for losses, in ENMU’s 10-3 win over LSC South foe Texas A&M University-Commerce on Oct. 25, 2003.

He also received the award two weeks ago, when ENMU defeated SW Oklahoma. In addition to scoring on an interception return against SWOSU, Howard provided eight tackles, with three tackles for losses, including one quarterback sack.