Photo by: Crimson Tide Photos / UA Athletics
Football’s Metz, Thompkins and Woodson Earn SEC Weekly Honors
9/14/2026 11:00:00 AM | Football
The defensive trio was vital to the Crimson Tide’s 45-17 win at Kentucky to open SEC play
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Alabama's Luke Metz, Devan Thompkins and Caleb Woodson all earned Southeastern Conference Player of the Week honors, the league office announced Monday morning.
Metz and Woodson were both named Co-Defensive Player of the Week while Thompkins was honored as Co-Defensive Lineman of the Week.
The weekly accolades are the first in the careers of all three UA defenders and are the first for the Crimson Tide this season.
Co-Defensive Player of the Week
- Directed an Alabama defense that limited UK to only 209 yards of offense and 17 points
- Recorded a pick-six from 34 yards out midway through the first quarter for the Tide's first score of the day
- It was Alabama's second-pick six in as many games
- Added eight tackles, good for second on the team, to go with one quarterback hurry
Co-Defensive Lineman of the Week
- Finished third on the defense with six total tackles, including a team-high tying two sacks (-12 yards)
- Added a forced fumble on his sack midway through the third quarter
- The fumble gave UA the ball back deep in Kentucky territory and led to the eventual go-ahead touchdown
- Including the touchdown Thompkins set up, the Crimson Tide went on to score 26 unanswered points across the final two quarters for the dominant win
Co-Defensive Player of the Week
- Led all Alabama defenders with 12 total tackles, including a game-high tying two sacks (-13 yards)
- His 12 stops were a new career-high mark for the senior, spanning his time at Virginia Tech and in Tuscaloosa
- The two sacks also matched his career output across three seasons in Blacksburg
Players Mentioned
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