FORT WORTH —
TCU's Devonte Fields appears on the final watch list for the Ted Hendricks Award, presented to the nation's top defensive end.
A true freshman from Arlington, Texas, Fields tops the Big 12 in tackles for loss (15 1/2) and is third in sacks (8), trailing Meshak Williams (Kansas State) and Alex Okafor (Texas) by a half sack for the conference lead.
Fields tops all freshmen nationally in both categories and is just the seventh freshman, since the NCAA began tracking defensive stats in 2000, with at least eight sacks and 15 TFL.
Fields is chasing FBS records for tackles for loss and sacks per game by a freshman. His current mark of 1.6 TFL per game trails the 1.8 by Utah's Jason Kaufusi in 2000. Fields' 0.8 sacks per game mark is in pursuit of the 1.1 by Louisville's Dewayne White in 2000. White was a redshirt freshman. The best sacks per game average by a true freshman is 0.9 by Arizona State’s Terrell Suggs in 2000.
Fields’ eight sacks have broken the TCU freshman record of seven by eventual NFL All-Pro Aaron Schobel in 1997.
Fields has taken part in a sack in seven of 10 games. His 43 tackles top the defensive front and rank fifth on TCU. Fields’ first career interception came off Collin Klein on the opening series of the Kansas State game.
TCU's Jerry Hughes was the 2009 Ted Hendricks Award recipient.
