Wilson Picks Up Sporting News Honor
December 17, 2009 | Football
Dec. 17, 2009
GREENVILLE, N.C. - East Carolina senior C.J. Wilson was named Conference USA Defensive Most Valuable Player for the second-straight year by Sporting News Magazine the publication announced Thursday.
The Belhaven, N.C. native, who was named first-team All C-USA by the leagues' coaches and second-team by Phil Steele Magazine, has started 36-straight games and this season has tallied 56 tackles (23 solo), 5.5 sacks and 10.5 TFLs. Wilson helped the defensive unit force at least two turnovers in eight games and hold six opponents to less than 100-yards rushing (UCF/70, SMU/28, Rice/78, Memphis/84, Tulsa/30, Houston/30).
Wilson received an ESPN GameDay Final helmet sticker for his play against Southern Miss where he recorded three stops and blocked his fourth career kick (PAT), returning it 90 yards for two points giving the Pirates a 22-20 lead with 7:35 remaining in the game.
During his four-year career, the three-time All C-USA performer has booked 191 tackles, 27.0 sacks and 45.5 TFLs in 53 career games. He currently ranks among the NCAA active leaders in assisted TFLs (first), assisted sacks (t-5th), total TFLs (t-8th), total sacks (eighth), solo sacks (10th), sack yards (12th), TFL yards (14th) and solo TFLs (t-17th).
Last week Wilson became the second Pirate (Van Eskridge) this season to accept an invitation to participate in the 85th East-West Shrine Game, which will be played on January 23, 2010 at the Florida Citrus Bowl in Orlando, Fla.
Wilson and the Pirates return to practice field this afternoon after taking a three-day break for exams to continue with bowl preparations that will pit ECU against Arkansas in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl Saturday, Jan. 2.
CONFERENCE USA AWARDS
Offensive MVP: Case Keenum, QB, Houston
Defensive MVP: C.J. Wilson, DE, East Carolina
Coach-of-the-Year: June Jones, SMU
Freshman-of-the-Year: Josh Robinson, CB, UCF
