CougCenter Player of the Week: Frankie Luvu

You’d probably guess that, on a rain-soaked, windswept night on the Palouse, a defensive player would be the odds-on-favorite to take home the internet’s highest honor. You’d be right. Those conditions weren’t exactly conducive to chucking the ball around the yard, as high winds create some serious havoc for the passing game.

The fact that Colorado didn’t score a point drives home the thought that the game’s biggest stars shined for #SpeedD. That’s not to say the offense was a garbage barge. Jamal Morrow had another solid game, averaging 6.6 yards on 11 carries, scoring a touchdown and picking up another 28 yards through the air.

Boobie Williams also looked like his old self on the ground, also averaging 6.6 yards on nine carries. Morrow’s and Boobie’s solid rushing numbers point to a nice game by the offensive line, and truth be told, I thought that was the best the line has played all season. But Saturday was for the defense, so let’s get to it.

2nd Runner-Up: Davontavean “Tay” Martin

When Martin signed out of Louisiana, I thought he was almost certainly headed for a redshirt season. While he showed a ton of athleticism, his body didn’t seem to be ready for major college football. Well, I was wrong again. Martin stepped in for suspended receiver Tavares Martin, Jr., tied for the team lead in catches, led the team in yards and roasted the Colorado defense on a 50-yard post pattern, collecting his first touchdown. Tay’s ceiling is in the stratosphere.

1st Runner-Up: Hunter Dale

Like Garrett McBroom, Dale is having a quietly excellent season. Unlike McBroom, who is good at clogging lanes along the line, Dale is everywhere, making plays from sideline to sideline. Dale finished with a modest five tackles, one pass broken up and one quarterback hit. That doesn’t begin to describe the impact he’s having on this defense. He makes at least one play per game where you sit back and say “whoa.”

Winner: Frankie Luvu

If anybody epitomizes this defense’s speed-first philosophy, it’s Frankie Luvu. If you don’t believe me, just watch the explosiveness in this clip. He spies the quarterback, sees an alley and takes off like a roided-up Ben Johnson.

Luvu collected a sack earlier in the game as well, giving him two against Colorado and 5.5 for the season. He also hits like a runaway freight train. If you ask me, Luvu should be in line for at least 2nd-team all-conference honors. He’s that good. Congratulations, Frankie. My man-crush continues unabated.