FOOTBALL: Fitzpatrick Earns Weekly GLIAC Honor

BIG RAPIDS - When you have the kind of defensive game that Ferris State University senior outside linebacker Kyle Fitzpatrick had you generally pick up some honors.

Fitzpatrick, the native of Vestaburg, earned Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Week honors for his performance in the Bulldogs' 34-14 win over Tiffin on Saturday evening at Top Taggart Field in Big Rapids.

Here is part of the press release from Ferris Athletics Communications:

Big Rapids, Mich. - Ferris State University junior outside linebacker Kyle Fitzpatrick (Vestaburg) has been tabbed as this week's (Aug. 31) Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Defensive Player of the Week as announced by the league office.

Fitzpatrick helped the Bulldogs to an impressive 34-14 season-opening home triumph over Tiffin in non-league play this past Saturday (Aug. 29) evening at FSU's Top Taggart Field in Big Rapids, Mich.

He provided one of the night's biggest highlights with his 65-yard interception return for a touchdown late in the second quarter of the contest. The TD was part of a 20-point Bulldog scoring burst over the final 4:24 of the first half.

In addition to the interception return, Fitzpatrick also compiled five total tackles with four solo stops along with both a sack and a tackle for loss. His play helped the Bulldog defense limit the Dragons to only 231 total yards for the game and FSU also forced four turnovers in the outing.

A two-year letterwinner, Fitzpatrick has currently compiled 25 total tackles in 23 contests for the Bulldogs during his career. He's twice been named to the GLIAC All-Academic Team in his career and saw action in all 11 contests a season ago.

Congratulations to Kyle on a great game. In an interview during Ferris Media Day, Kyle told me how ready he was to get his opportunity and it showed on Saturday.