By Alex Boggis, UT Martin Assistant Sports Information Director
BRENTWOOD, Tenn. – Following a dominating performance on Saturday afternoon, University of Tennessee at Martin football standout Eyabi Anoma was rewarded for his play against rival Austin Peay by being named Ohio Valley Conference Defensive Player of the Week along with garnering Newcomer of the Week honors.
Anoma joins a lengthy list of Skyhawks to earn weekly recognitions from the league office this season. To date, UT Martin has seen eight different individuals stake claim to 17 OVC weekly honors while Anoma becomes the sixth player to earn multiple accolades.
Hailing from Baltimore, Maryland, Anoma played a critical role in the team’s thrilling 17-16 victory against Austin Peay. Matched up against one of the league’s top scoring offenses and most potent attacks in terms of yardage, the Skyhawks’ defense limited the Govs to just three offensive points in the contest and nearly 237 yards below their season average. Individually, the edge rusher recorded eight total tackles – including five solo stops – but his best work came behind the line of scrimmage where he had 4.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks. His personal marks ranked as the most tackles for loss by a Skyhawk in eight seasons and tops in the OVC since 2018.
On top of his work on defense, he came up clutch in the final seconds with the game on the line. With UT Martin clinging to a 17-16 lead with seven seconds to play, Anoma blocked the Govs 49-yard field goal attempt to seal the team’s comeback victory and extend the Skyhawks winning streak to seven games.
Anoma has compiled 23 total tackles on the season while recording 8.5 tackles for loss and 5.0 sacks. He has also forced three quarterback hurries. During OVC play, he leads the league in both tackles for loss (7.0) and sacks (3.5).
UT Martin will return to action on Saturday, Nov. 6 when playing host to Tennessee State. Kickoff from Hardy Graham Stadium is scheduled for 2 p.m. with Senior Day festivities scheduled prior to the game.
Graphic Courtesy of UT Martin Sports Information