Junior cornerback Donnell Lewis of the Towson football team earned a spot on the 2014 CFPA Defensive Back Award, it was announced today by College Football Performance Awards.
During the 2013 season, Lewis tied for first on the team in interceptions with four for 38 yards and one touchdown. A starter in 13 of 16 games he made 61 solo tackles and had 4.5 tackles for a loss. He recovered two fumbles for 43 yards.
“Congratulations to Donnell Lewis on earning a spot on this year’s watch list,” said CFPA Executive Director Brad Smith. “Lewis will be one of the nation’s top defensive backs to watch in 2014.”
Lewis’ second-quarter interception in the 44-17 win over Albany on Oct. 19 (that he returned for a touchdown) was the turning point in the victory; the Tigers had been down 7-3 in the first quarter, but the junior’s big play gave Towson a 17-7 advantage they didn’t relinquish.
He was twice named the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Defensive Player of the Week in 2013. The first came after his performance against Albany, and the second was earned after he made a career-high 10 tackles and an interception while William & Mary was in the red zone in a 15-9 win over the then-No. 16 Tribe.
Former Towson great Terrance West was a two-time winner of the CFPA Running Back Award.
The goal of College Football Performance Awards is to provide the most scientifically rigorous conferments in college football. Recipients are selected exclusively based upon objective scientific rankings of the extent to which individual players increase the overall effectiveness of their teams. Twenty-eight CFPA winners have been first-round NFL Draft selections.
The full list of 2014 CFPA winners will be announced January 14, 2015.
