Each week the Walter Camp Football Foundation awards one offensive and one defensive player of the week in all of college football. Eastern Michigan linebacker Great Ibe was named the defensive player of the week following a stellar senior day performance against the University of Massachusetts Minutemen.
Walter Camp, a former college player and coach was known as, ‘The Father of American Football.’ Camps’ most famous quote was, “There’s no substitute for hard work and effort beyond the call of duty. That is what strengthens the soul and ennobles one’s character.”
Ibe’s hard work didn’t go unnoticed as the redshirt senior from Philadelphia, Pa. recorded a career high 21-tackles, nine being solo tackles, as well as accounting for a nine yard sack that ended the first half of play against the Minutemen.
That performance was good enough to put Ibe tied atop the list for most tackles in a single game this season. Jalen Reeves-Maybin of the University of Tennessee also record 21-tackles against the University of Oklahoma earlier this season.
Even while missing one game this season due to a minor injury, Ibe leads the MAC in tackles with 123, which is second most in the nation, only behind Kentrell Brothers, a senior linebacker from the University of Missouri with 128.
“He’s a guy that has led within the team consistently since I’ve been here,” said EMU defensive coordinator Brad McCaslin. “Helping younger guys out, pulling guys aside, consistently getting groups together to study offenses and study film and to study what we’re trying to do.”
Great Ibe is the second EMU player in the 12-year history of the award to be named a national player of the week. On Nov. 8, 2008 EMU quarterback, Andy Schmidt, was named the national offensive player of the week. Ibe is the first defensive player to ever win the award at Eastern Michigan.
Ibe, and the EMU football team will conclude the 2015 season on Friday, Nov. 28 at Central Michigan University.
Following the senior day loss to UMass, EMU coach Chris Creighton said, “I’m thankful for everything they’ve (the seniors) done. We’re all Eastern Michigan football, and it’s been like that since day one.”
