Auburn sophomore [autotag]Keldric Faulk[/autotag] was named SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week for the first time in his career following his phenomenal performance against Kentucky in week nine.
The second-year Tiger continued a fantastic sophomore campaign on Saturday by registering his third multi-sack game of his season against the Wildcats, showcasing his presence early and often during the 24-10 win in which Auburn’s defense held Kentucky to just 224 total yards.
The 6-6, 288-pound lineman created chaos throughout the night despite only accumulating 3 tackles. After his two early sacks, Faulk consistently drew double teams from the Wildcats offensive front, allowing his teammates to win one-on-one matchups. His presence on the line helped the Tigers stuff nearly every run scheme Kentucky head coach Mark Stoops attempted, as the Tigers front seven allowed just 70 rushing yards in 60 minutes of action.
Faulk’s pair of sacks vaulted his season total up to seven this season. He trails only South Carolina’s Kyle Kennard (8), LSU‘s Bradyn Swinson (8), and stand-out Ole Miss linebacker Suntarine Perkins (8) for the top spot in the conference. With a guaranteed four games left on the schedule, Faulk has the opportunity to be the first Tiger to register double-digit sacks since 2017, when linebacker [autotag]Jeff Holland[/autotag] had 10.
If the sophomore can manage 4 more sacks, he would tie defensive tackle Nick Fairly (12) for the most in Auburn history. His next chance to register a sack will come this Saturday against a Vanderbilt squad that has only allowed 11 this season.
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