.png&width=24&type=webp)
Princeton University Athletics
Players Mentioned
Three-Interception Effort Lands McCareins Defensive Player Of The Week Honor
September 26, 2005 | Football
Sept. 26, 2005
PRINCETON - The last Princeton player to earn Ivy League Defensive Player of the Week honors was Tim Strickland, who picked off three passes at Colgate. The formula worked again, as Jay McCareins earned the Ivy League honor following a brilliant individual effort in the 20-17 win over San Diego.
Never to be outdone, McCareins also earned The Sports Network's National I-AA Co-Defensive Player of the Week honor. He shared the honor with Pago Togafau, who tallied a career-high 13 tackles, forced a fumble, intercepted a pass and broke up two passes to lift Idaho State to a 34-30 upset win against No. 5 Eastern Washington.
McCareins, who currently leads the nation with 2.0 interceptions per game, ended the San Diego game with seven passes defensed, including the three interceptions. He also added four tackles and 229 all-purpose yards (69 on punt returns, 47 on kickoff returns, 113 on interception returns). And he ended the game by fielding San Diego's onside kick in the game's final minute.
His first interception came in the opening quarter and set up Princeton's first scoring drive of the game, a 6-play, 43-yard drive that ended on a 2-yard scoring pass from Jeff Terrell to Jon Dekker.
His second interception came late in the second quarter, after San Diego had made its way into Princeton territory.
His final interception clinched the win for Princeton, which will open the Ivy League schedule this Saturday at 1:00 against the undefeated Columbia Lions. San Diego quarterback Josh Johnson was looking for the go-ahead score when he through a deep out towards the front right corner of the end zone. McCareins made his break on the ball in time and sprinted 99 yards down the sideline for his fourth career touchdown and third in as many games. McCareins has made a career of coming up with the big interception. Princeton is 9-1 in games when McCareins records an a pick, and eight of McCareins' 13 career interceptions have come in the fourth quarter of games Princeton would go to win.