courtesy ASU Sports Information
Defensive end Jabari Fletcher became the latest Appalachian State University football player honored by the Southern Conference when the league tabbed him as its Defensive Player of the Week on Monday. At least one Mountaineer has earned SoCon Player-of-the-Week recognition following each of Appalachian’s seven games this season.
Fletcher led an ASU defense that limited Western Carolina to just 88 rushing yards in Saturday’s 37-14 win. The senior racked up a career-high 11 tackles, including 3.5 for loss (for minus-19 yards) and two sacks. He also recovered a fumble and hurried the quarterback twice to help Appalachian move to 7-0 for the first time in 15 years and only the second time since 1954.
For the season, the Buck Buchanan Award candidate is tied for 11th nationally with 6.5 sacks and 15th nationally with 11 tackles for loss. The SoCon award is the first of his career.
The SoCon has honored Mountaineers a total of eight times this season, led by quarterback DeAndre Presley, who has been the league’s Offensive Player of the Week four times.
Top-ranked ASU (7-0, 5-0 SoCon) returns to action this Saturday, October 30, when it hosts longtime rival Furman (4-3, 2-2 SoCon). Kickoff for ASU’s annual Black Saturday affair is set for 3:30 p.m. at Kidd Brewer Stadium. The game will be televised across North Carolina on WMYA (Asheville), WMYV (Triad) and WLFL (Triangle).
