Deven Thompkins. Photo by Robert K. Scott
LOGAN, Utah – Shaq Bond’s stellar play on the defensive side of the ball and Deven Thompkins’ monster game on the other side of the line last Saturday against UNLV earned the duo Mountain West Defensive and Offensive Player of the Week honors, it was announced Monday by the conference office.
This is the first time this season and in their respective careers that Bond and Thompkins have won the MW Weekly award. Overall, these are Utah State’s fourth and fifth weekly honors of the season, and its 38th and 39th in its ninth season in the league.
In the Aggies’ 28-24 come-from-behind victory against the Rebels at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Bond had a career-high two interceptions and a team-best nine tackles, including 0.5 tackles for loss, to help Utah State open the season 3-0 on the road for the first time since 1978. The Aggies have now come from behind to win all four of their games this season, including rallying in the fourth quarter in all three of their road wins.
The 5-foot-11, 185-pound Bond also forced his first fumble of the season in the first quarter against the Rebels at Allegiant Stadium. Both of his interceptions came in the fourth quarter, including the game-sealing pick with 10 seconds to go.
On the season, the graduate senior safety ranks sixth on the team with 28 tackles in five games played. Bond also earned College Sports Madness MW Defensive Player of the Week honors on Sunday.
Thompkins led all receivers in the game with a career-high 12 catches for 180 yards, including an eye-popping 174 yards after the catch. He also hauled in a career-best two touchdown receptions, one from 37 yards and another from six.
The 5-foot-8, 155-pound senior wide receiver was also named to the weekly Paul Hornung Award Honor Roll on Monday.
The 12 receptions by Thompkins against the Rebels are the most by an Aggie since Hunter Sharp reeled in 13 catches against Air Force in 2015. The native of Fort Myers, Florida, leads the MW and ranks third in the nation in receiving (136.5 yards per game), leads the conference and ranks fifth in the nation in receptions (8.3 pg), and leads the league and is seventh in the nation in all-purpose yards (150.0 ypg).
UP NEXT
Utah State (4-2, 2-1 MW) welcomes Mountain Division-foe Colorado State (3-3, 2-0) to Merlin Olsen Field at Maverik Stadium on Friday, Oct. 22, at 7:30 p.m. The Aggies’ annual Homecoming game will be televised live on CBS Sports Network.
