K-State’s McPherson Earns Nagurski National Player of the Week Honors

MANHATTAN, Kan. – Kansas State senior safety Jahron McPherson picked up his third honor this week and second of a national variety following his performance in K-State’s win at No. 3 Oklahoma as he was named the Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week, the Football Writers Association of America announced Tuesday.

McPherson is the first Wildcat defender to be honored for the weekly national award since Allen Chapman following the 2012 Oklahoma State game. In the last three days, McPherson has also picked up Walter Camp National Defensive Player of the Week and Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week honors.

A native of Basehor, Kansas, McPherson was all over the field as he helped the Wildcats defeat the third-ranked Sooners, 38-35, which was K-State’s first true road win over a team ranked in the top five of the Associated Press Top 25 poll. He came away with a career-high 11 tackles – including one for a loss – a forced fumble and an interception.

His forced fumble was in the third quarter and helped K-State go on a 24-point run to erase a school-record tying 21-point deficit for the victory, while his interception came with 34 seconds remaining in the game to clinch the victory.

McPherson is the first Wildcat since at least 2002 to record double-digit tackles, a tackle for loss, a forced fumble and an interception in the same game.

The Wildcats open their Big 12 home slate this Saturday by hosting Texas Tech inside Bill Snyder Family Stadium. The game will kick off at 2:30 p.m., and be shown on FS1.