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Mizzou football: Garrett named SEC Defensive Player of the Week

ByThomas Huitt-Johnson|
COLUMBIA, MISSOURI - SEPTEMBER 14: Linebacker Cale Garrett #47 of the Missouri Tigers celebrates after intercepting a pass and returning int for a touchdown against the Southeast Missouri State Redhawks during the first half at Faurot Field/Memorial Stadium on September 14, 2019 in Columbia, Missouri. (Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images)
COLUMBIA, MISSOURI - SEPTEMBER 14: Linebacker Cale Garrett #47 of the Missouri Tigers celebrates after intercepting a pass and returning int for a touchdown against the Southeast Missouri State Redhawks during the first half at Faurot Field/Memorial Stadium on September 14, 2019 in Columbia, Missouri. (Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images)

Mizzou football has taken home two individual awards on defense in four weeks.

Mizzou football middle linebacker Cale Garrett was named SEC Defensive Player of the Week on Monday.

The achievement comes after Garrett led the Mizzou defense in a 34-14 victory over SEC East rival South Carolina.

Garrett finished the game with nine tackles and a fumble recovery in the end zone. The touchdown game Mizzou a 7-0 lead, and the Tigers led from start to finish. It was one of the wackiest TDs you’ll ever see, but it was a smart play by the veteran linebacker.

He immediately knew the football was live. The referees originally threw a flag on South Carolina quarterback Ryan Hilinski for two forward passes, but it was Garrett who argued the ball went backward. After review, the call was changed. That set the tone for Saturday’s win.

The touchdown was Garrett’s second of the season. He grabbed a pick-six against SEMO in Week 3.

Garrett has 37 tackles, two for loss, one sack and one interception through four games, and leads a Mizzou defense that is one of the top units in the SEC. Mizzou leads the conference in yards allowed so far this season, and the Tigers are ranked sixth nationally in total defense.

The senior is the second Tiger to win the SEC award. Fellow linebacker Nick Bolton won the award after his Week 2 performance against West Virginia.

That’s two-for-two on SEC Player of the Week awards for Mizzou’s linebacking core. This season, the Tigers switched to a 4-2-5 defense, and the middle of that group appears to be solid after the first month of the season.

The Tigers are on a bye week, but return in two weeks to face nonconference opponent Troy.

On Monday, the SEC announced that the Missouri-Troy game set for Saturday, Oct. 5 will get a 3 p.m. kickoff time on SEC Network. That slot was the same as the South Carolina game, which was moved to SECN Alternate.

The Tigers game against Troy is the only game during that time slot, so it will be on the SEC Network.

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