Mizzou’s Bolton is FWAA Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week

COLUMBIA, Mo. – Mizzou Football junior All-SEC LB Nick Bolton (Frisco, Texas) is the Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week, announced Tuesday (Oct. 13) by the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA). Bolton’s 11 tackles and three pass breakups keyed Mizzou to a 45-41 win over No. 17 and defending national champion LSU last Saturday. Bolton is the first Mizzou player to earn one of the FWAA’s National Player of the Week Awards since Drew Lock took home the Walter Camp Offensive Award on Sept. 3, 2017.

Bolton made one of his team-high 11 tackles and one of his three PBUs during Mizzou’s epic goal-line stand from the one-yard line to clinch the win. On second down, Bolton broke through the line to tackle Ty Davis-Price for no gain. On third down, he read a pick-play perfectly and jumped a Myles Brennan pass to the flat looking for Terrace Marshall and batted the ball down. He was also in on the first-down tackle, even though he did not get official credit in the stat book.

“That dude is straight warrior. He’s been beat up. He was beat up last game and in a green jersey all week because he was dinged. He was about 90 percent today,” Coach Eliah Drinkwtiz said during his postgame press conference. “He’s just unbelievable. He’s got incredible football smarts.”

After posting 11 more tackles and three pass break-ups vs. LSU, Bolton sits tied for seventh nationally with 36 tackles while his 12.0 tackles/game is tied for the lead nationally (players who have played multiple games).  He is tied with Arkansas’ Jalen Catalon.

In addition to excelling in traditional stats, Pro Football Focus has Bolton ranked as the ninth-highest-graded linebacker nationally (third among Power 5) at 79.2. Bolton was targeted four times in pass coverage last Saturday vs. LSU and allowed just one completion for two yards.

For all the latest on Mizzou Football, stay tuned to www.MUTigers.com and follow the team on Twitter (@MizzouFootball) and like the team on Facebook and Instagram.