Though the Red Raiders now sit at a surprising 0-2 record, I honestly think the defense has faired pretty well for the most part. A couple of big plays have been given up here and there, but I do think the days of consistently allowing 550+ yards of offense is over with.

After losing a key piece in Jacob Rodriguez week 1 against Wyoming, I thought Bo Nix was going to have a field day on us. While he had a few runs that burnt us, I thought we kept him relatively contained in the pocket. The linebackers are the thinnest position on this team and Rodriguez is arguably the best of the bunch. With little to no proven production behind him, the staff was forced to turn to a Redshirt Freshman.

Ben Roberts is the selection for defensive player of the week, and it’s one that I did not anticipate showing up here. Filling in for Rodriguez was going to be a challenge for anyone, but I really think Roberts stepped up to the plate. With minimal action against Wyoming, he was tasked with playing full minutes against a Heisman candidate in Bo Nix and a high-powered Oregon offense. Roberts finished with a team-high 12 tackles (6 solo), 1 sack and 2 TFL’s. For his first real collegiate game as a linebacker, I’d say he faired pretty well.

Roberts will be heavily relied upon moving forward with Rodriguez’s injury lingering for at least another month. While I don’t anticipate him putting up the same stats every game, I do hope he’s able to get some valuable experience in his position while in the increased role. I would be on the lookout for him to start making a name for himself soon, as he’s going to continue in the starting role for the foreseeable future.