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Zak Keasey Named Ivy League Defensive Player Of The Week
September 27, 2004 | Football
Sept. 27, 2004
PRINCETON - Senior linebacker Zak Keasey, a first-team All-Ivy linebacker in both 2001 and 2002, has been named Ivy League Defensive Player of the Week today by the Ivy League office after leading Princeton to a 24-17 win over San Diego this past weekend.
Keasey, a starting inside linebacker in the Princeton 3-4 defense, finished with 11 tackles, second only to teammate Justin Stull. He also recorded his first two turnovers of the season. Keasey recovered a fumble on a diving effort just before the football went out of bounds in the first half, and he ended San Diego’s best scoring effort in the fourth quarter with an interception. He finished his well-rounded defensive effort with a pass breakup.
"His two turnovers were key, especially the last one," linebackers coach Don Dobes said. "I thought he played a great all-around game with a combination of good tackles and pressure on the quarterback. They went with his two big turnovers to really help us pull out the win."
Keasey, a 6-0, 240-pound linebacker from Clarkston, Mich., had a number of NFL scouts watching him in the preseason. He led Princeton in tackles during both the 2001 and 2002 seasons, and he is expected to challenge for the Ivy League lead in tackles this season.
His efforts helped Princeton to its first 2-0 start since the Ivy League championship season of 1995. The Tigers will open their Ivy League schedule against Columbia this weekend in New York City. The two teams have played a pair of tight, high-scoring games over the last two seasons, with both road teams coming away with victories.