Photo by: All Pro Photography/Dale Sparks
WVU’s Darius Stills Collects Another Weekly Honor
October 06, 2020 10:11 AM | Football, Blog
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – It's pretty clear after last weekend's Baylor performance that Darius Stills has Saturdays covered.
His 2 ½-sack, 3 ½-tackle-for-loss performance against the Bears yesterday earned him Big 12 Co-Defensive Player of the Week honors. And today, the Maxwell Football Club in Philadelphia honored the senior defensive tackle as its Chuck Bednarik Award Player of the Week.
The Big 12 Preseason Defensive Player of the Year performed like a defensive player of the year.
Stills' coach, Neal Brown, believes Stills is capable of doing this every Saturday if he continues to take care of business on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.
"He's had two really good weeks of preparation," Brown said following last Saturday's 27-21 double-overtime win over the Bears. "Darius has flashed on and off during his career on game day, he really has. Where we've really been pushing him is his preparation, taking care of his body, how he practices, and if he will do that and really devote himself all week until Saturdays, then at the end of this year he is going to get what he wants, which is an opportunity to play at the next level.
Brown added, "For two weeks he's done that. He was our captain for the (Baylor game) and that's voted on by our staff. To get that means you are in a position of trust. He was emotional after the game. When you invest that much then you are going to be a little emotional, so I'm proud of him."
For his part, Stills said he just likes to play ball.
"Football is my passion and when I see opportunity I take it," he said. "And … I just love football."
One tweak that helped him duplicate last year's Baylor performance when he made three sacks and 10 tackles was moving to the outside to play a little defensive end at times.
The first two games against Eastern Kentucky and Oklahoma State, Stills either lined up shaded in the gap or head-up on the nose.
"I usually play the 1-tech or the zero and coach (Jordan Lesley) let me have a little freedom this week, and I got to get a little love outside," Stills said. "I took advantage of that opportunity and I'm glad it happened because I actually had a little space for once to show my moves and stuff."
Because of it, Darius Stills is getting a little bit of love from everybody, including his coach.
"I thought Darius Stills played like the preseason hype he's been given," Brown said before immediately correcting himself. "He earned that, I don't want to use the word given."
His 2 ½-sack, 3 ½-tackle-for-loss performance against the Bears yesterday earned him Big 12 Co-Defensive Player of the Week honors. And today, the Maxwell Football Club in Philadelphia honored the senior defensive tackle as its Chuck Bednarik Award Player of the Week.
The Big 12 Preseason Defensive Player of the Year performed like a defensive player of the year.
Stills' coach, Neal Brown, believes Stills is capable of doing this every Saturday if he continues to take care of business on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.
"He's had two really good weeks of preparation," Brown said following last Saturday's 27-21 double-overtime win over the Bears. "Darius has flashed on and off during his career on game day, he really has. Where we've really been pushing him is his preparation, taking care of his body, how he practices, and if he will do that and really devote himself all week until Saturdays, then at the end of this year he is going to get what he wants, which is an opportunity to play at the next level.
Brown added, "For two weeks he's done that. He was our captain for the (Baylor game) and that's voted on by our staff. To get that means you are in a position of trust. He was emotional after the game. When you invest that much then you are going to be a little emotional, so I'm proud of him."
For his part, Stills said he just likes to play ball.
"Football is my passion and when I see opportunity I take it," he said. "And … I just love football."
One tweak that helped him duplicate last year's Baylor performance when he made three sacks and 10 tackles was moving to the outside to play a little defensive end at times.
The first two games against Eastern Kentucky and Oklahoma State, Stills either lined up shaded in the gap or head-up on the nose.
"I usually play the 1-tech or the zero and coach (Jordan Lesley) let me have a little freedom this week, and I got to get a little love outside," Stills said. "I took advantage of that opportunity and I'm glad it happened because I actually had a little space for once to show my moves and stuff."
Because of it, Darius Stills is getting a little bit of love from everybody, including his coach.
"I thought Darius Stills played like the preseason hype he's been given," Brown said before immediately correcting himself. "He earned that, I don't want to use the word given."
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