Temple University Athletics
MIKE MENDENHALL HONORED AS COLLEGE DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR BY TOUCHDOWN CLUB OF SOUTH JERSEY
12.8.05 | Football
PHILADELPHIA - Temple senior defensive end Mike Mendenhall was named the College Defensive Player of the Year Wednesday evening by the Touchdown Club of South Jersey. The Gibbstown, N.J. native received the honor at the organization's 38th annual awards banquet, held at the Woodbury (N.J.) Country Club.
Mendenhall (6-3, 250) started all 11 games at rush end this season and made 64 tackles (35 solo), 14 tackles for losses, seven sacks, five QBHs, three forced fumbles and two PBUs. He ranks tied for 41st nationally in TFLs (1.27), tied for 52nd in sacks (.64), and tied for 55th in forced fumbles (.27).
Cited by the coaching staff as the team's defensive player of the game five times in 2005, Mendenhall was one of four team captains and earned the Owls' most valuable defensive player of the year award as per a vote of his teammates.
A preseason Honorable Mention All-American selection by NationalChamps.net and preseason All-Independent choice by CollegeFootballNews.com, he was a 2004 second team All-Big East Conference honoree. The Paulsboro (N.J.) High School grad concluded his Cherry & White career by making 28 consecutive starts.
