University of North Texas Athletics

Photo by: Manny Flores
Dion Novil Named C-USA Defensive POTW
11/23/2020 12:01:00 PM | Football
DALLAS - Mean Green senior defensive lineman Dion Novil was named Conference USA Defensive Player of the Week, Â the league office announced Monday. Novil was a force up front for the Mean Green defense, helping lead UNT to a 27-17 win over Rice on Saturday afternoon.
Novil wreaked havoc all afternoon in the win over the Owls. The Abilene, Texas, native led North Texas with a season-high eight tackles, seven solo, a career-high 5.0 tackles for loss, two forced fumbles and a sack on Senior Day. His 5.0 tackles for loss put him in 11th place all-time in program history with 28.0 in his career and marked the second-most in a single-game for the Mean Green in program history. The Mean Green defense held the Owls to just 49 yards rushing, 132 below their season average through the season's first two games (181.0). Â
Earlier in the day Novil was named the Pro Football Focus National Defensive Player of the Week, after earning a PFF grade of 98.4 for his performance.
2020 WINNERS:
Offensive Player of the Week – Sept. 7 – Grant Wells, QB, Marshall; Sept. 14 – Sincere McCormick, RB, UTSA; Sept. 21 – Frank Harris, QB, UTSA; Sept. 28 – Luke Anthony, QB, Louisiana Tech; Oct. 5 – Tyrrell Pigrome, QB, WKU; Oct. 12 – Aaron McAllister, RB, Charlotte; Oct. 19 – Jason Bean, QB, North Texas; Oct. 26 – Sincere McCormick, RB, UTSA; Nov. 2 – Aaron Allen, QB, Louisiana Tech; Nov. 9 – Grant Wells, QB, Marshall; Nov. 16 - Grant Wells, QB, Marshall; Nov. 23 – Sincere McCormick, RB, UTSA.
Defensive Player of the Week – Sept. 7 – KD Davis, LB, North Texas; Sept. 14 – Tyler Murray, LB, Charlotte; Sept. 21 – Tavante Beckett, LB, Marshall; Sept. 28 - Jamal Ligon, LB, UTSA; Oct. 5 – Leighton McCarthy, OLB, Florida Atlantic; Oct. 12 – Tavante Beckett, LB, Marshall; Oct. 19 – Eli Neal, LB, Marshall; Oct. 26 – Trey Baldwin, LB, Louisiana Tech and Antonio Parks, S, UTSA; Nov. 2 – Bee Jay Williamson, CB, Louisiana Tech; Nov. 9 – DeAngelo Malone, DE, WKU; Nov. 16 – Rashad Wisdom, S, UTSA; Nov. 23 – Dion Novil, DL, North Texas.
Special Teams Player of the Week – Sept. 7 – Matt Quinn, K, UAB; Sept. 14 – Hunter Duplessis, K, UTSA; Sept. 21 - Jacob Barnes, K, Louisiana Tech; Sept. 28 - Lexington Joseph, KR, FIU; Oct. 5 – Brayden Narveson, K, WKU; Oct. 12 – Duron Lowe, KR, UTEP; Oct. 19 – Nikia Eason, Jr., OLB, UAB; Oct. 26 – Jalen Jackson, CB, Middle Tennessee; Nov. 2 – Jacob Barnes, K, Louisiana Tech; Nov. 9 – Matt Hayball, P, Florida Atlantic; Nov. 16 – Robert LeFevre, P, Marshall. Nov. 23 – John Haggerty, P, WKU.
Novil wreaked havoc all afternoon in the win over the Owls. The Abilene, Texas, native led North Texas with a season-high eight tackles, seven solo, a career-high 5.0 tackles for loss, two forced fumbles and a sack on Senior Day. His 5.0 tackles for loss put him in 11th place all-time in program history with 28.0 in his career and marked the second-most in a single-game for the Mean Green in program history. The Mean Green defense held the Owls to just 49 yards rushing, 132 below their season average through the season's first two games (181.0). Â
Earlier in the day Novil was named the Pro Football Focus National Defensive Player of the Week, after earning a PFF grade of 98.4 for his performance.
2020 WINNERS:
Offensive Player of the Week – Sept. 7 – Grant Wells, QB, Marshall; Sept. 14 – Sincere McCormick, RB, UTSA; Sept. 21 – Frank Harris, QB, UTSA; Sept. 28 – Luke Anthony, QB, Louisiana Tech; Oct. 5 – Tyrrell Pigrome, QB, WKU; Oct. 12 – Aaron McAllister, RB, Charlotte; Oct. 19 – Jason Bean, QB, North Texas; Oct. 26 – Sincere McCormick, RB, UTSA; Nov. 2 – Aaron Allen, QB, Louisiana Tech; Nov. 9 – Grant Wells, QB, Marshall; Nov. 16 - Grant Wells, QB, Marshall; Nov. 23 – Sincere McCormick, RB, UTSA.
Defensive Player of the Week – Sept. 7 – KD Davis, LB, North Texas; Sept. 14 – Tyler Murray, LB, Charlotte; Sept. 21 – Tavante Beckett, LB, Marshall; Sept. 28 - Jamal Ligon, LB, UTSA; Oct. 5 – Leighton McCarthy, OLB, Florida Atlantic; Oct. 12 – Tavante Beckett, LB, Marshall; Oct. 19 – Eli Neal, LB, Marshall; Oct. 26 – Trey Baldwin, LB, Louisiana Tech and Antonio Parks, S, UTSA; Nov. 2 – Bee Jay Williamson, CB, Louisiana Tech; Nov. 9 – DeAngelo Malone, DE, WKU; Nov. 16 – Rashad Wisdom, S, UTSA; Nov. 23 – Dion Novil, DL, North Texas.
Special Teams Player of the Week – Sept. 7 – Matt Quinn, K, UAB; Sept. 14 – Hunter Duplessis, K, UTSA; Sept. 21 - Jacob Barnes, K, Louisiana Tech; Sept. 28 - Lexington Joseph, KR, FIU; Oct. 5 – Brayden Narveson, K, WKU; Oct. 12 – Duron Lowe, KR, UTEP; Oct. 19 – Nikia Eason, Jr., OLB, UAB; Oct. 26 – Jalen Jackson, CB, Middle Tennessee; Nov. 2 – Jacob Barnes, K, Louisiana Tech; Nov. 9 – Matt Hayball, P, Florida Atlantic; Nov. 16 – Robert LeFevre, P, Marshall. Nov. 23 – John Haggerty, P, WKU.
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