University of Massachusets Athletics
Holmes Earns National Player Of Week, CAA Honors
November 07, 2010 | Football
Nov. 7, 2010
AMHERST, Mass. - UMass junior linebacker Tyler Holmes was named the National Defensive Player of the Week and National Linebacker of the Week by the College Football Performance Awards on Sunday. He was named the Sports Network National Defensive Player of the Week on Monday. Holmes became the first player in all of Division I (FBS and FCS) to return to interceptions for touchdowns in 2010. In addition to Holmes, redshirt freshman Ryan Carter was named a Kickoff Returner Of The Week and Kyle Havens was named an Honorable Mention Quarterback Of the Week.
The Buchanan Award Candidate, Holmes became the first player in UMass history to return two interceptions for touchdowns in the same game, and the same season as #15 UMass played a happy tune on Band Day with a 39-24 win over Maine on Saturday afternoon at McGuirk Stadium. Holmes became the first player in 2010 in all of Division I football (FBS and FCS) to return two INTs for TDs and just the 23rd all-time in all of FCS. The last player to accomplish the feat was Kellin White, Southeast Missouri State vs. UT Martin on Oct. 30, 2004.
Holmes garnered his second-straight and third CAA Football Defensive Player of the Week honor this season thanks to two interception returns for touchdowns in the Minutemen's 39-24 win over Maine at home. The junior became the third player in league history to record two interceptions returned for touchdowns in the same game, and the first since Towson's Allante Harrison did it against Elon in 2004 (Maine's Bill Curry vs. Liberty, 10/10/1992). Not only was Holmes's interception feat a league record, but he was also the first player in major college football this season to turn in such an effort. Only 22 other FCS-level players have hauled in two interceptions and took them back for six in the same game, the last being Southeast Missouri State's Kellin White in 2004.
Carter took a reverse on a kickoff return and ran 97 yards on the game's opening play to give UMass a 6-0 lead and the Minutemen never looked back.
Havens was splendid all afternoon as he threw for 213 yards on 22-of-28 and a career-high three touchdowns in the win.
