Andrew Mukuba named Thorpe Award National DB of the Week

[jarrodw]

As a Thorpe Committee Member, I am happy to see this!

TEXAS' MUKUBA NAMED PAYCOM JIM THORPE AWARD NATIONAL DB OF THE WEEK Including Morgan State's Decius as Aeneas Williams Award HBCU DB of the Week Oklahoma City – Senior defensive back Andrew Mukuba recorded his first interception as a Longhorn, along with registering four total tackles and two pass break-ups for the Longhorns in a 31-12 road win over Michigan. Mukuba led a defense that limited the defending National Champions to 284 total yards, 204 passing yards and 80 rushing yards on their home field, while forcing three turnovers. Mukuba’s interception came in the second quarter, hauling in a pass that had been batted in the air and setting up the Texas offense at the Michigan 37-yard line, leading to a field goal and a 17-3 lead. Bears cornerback Carlvainsky Decius totaled five tackles, two solo, one interception for seven yards, and a 56.3 passer rating when thrown his way against a close loss to Towson University, according to Pro Football Focus, solidifying him with the Week 2 Aeneas Williams Award HBCU DB of the Week honor.    The Paycom Jim Thorpe Award is a member of the National College Football Awards Association. Founded in 1997, the NCFAA includes college football’s most prestigious awards and its 24 awards have honored more than 900 recipients dating back to 1935. This season, 13 NCFAA awards will honor national players of the week each Tuesday. For more information about the NCFAA and its award programs, visit NCFAA.org or follow on X at @NCFAA.           The Paycom Jim Thorpe Award is awarded to the best defensive back in college football based on performance on the field, athletic ability and character. The award was established in 1986 and is named after history’s greatest all-around athlete, Jim Thorpe. Thorpe excelled as a running back, passer and kicker on the offensive side of the ball, but also stood out as a defensive back. In addition to his legendary performance on the football field, Thorpe played professional baseball and won Olympic gold medals in the decathlon and pentathlon. The Paycom Jim Thorpe Award is universally accepted as one of the nation's top collegiate sports honors. The Aeneas Williams Award is presented by the Chickasaw Nation and awarded to the best defensive back in Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Division I college football based on performance on the field, athletic ability and character. Established in 2022, this award serves as the first of its kind in HBCU history in honor of its namesake, Southern University walk-on and Pro Football Hall of Famer, Aeneas Williams. The contribution of HBCUs to the landscape of college football and the NFL has forever left an impact on the game. HBCUs hold an incredibly rich athletic tradition, tied to the game of football, that continues to exemplify the culture of these schools for over the past century. Aeneas Williams Award Players of the Week are proudly selected in partnership with DraftHBCUPlayers. 2024 THORPE AWARD NATIONAL DB OF THE WEEK Week 1 (Aug. 31)............Malaki Starks, Georgia  Week 2 (Sep. 7)..............Andrew Mukuba, Texas 2024 AENEAS WILLIAMS AWARD HBCU DB OF THE WEEK Week 1 (Aug. 31)............Terron Mallory, Norfolk State  Week 2 (Sep. 7)..............Carlvainsky Decius, Morgan State