By Chris Reich, Northwestern State Associate Athletic Director for External Relations; featured photo by Chris Reich, NSU Photographic Services
NATCHITOCHES – After one of the most productive seasons in school history by a defensive player, the acclaim and awards continue to roll in for Northwestern State linebacker Blake Gotcher.
After recording 162 tackles – the fourth most in Northwestern single-season history – Gotcher was named a second-team All-American by The Associated Press on Tuesday, giving the Demons their first All-American since the spring 2021 season when Jomard Valsin earned honors from the American Football Coaches Assocation.
Gotcher is the first Demon defensive player to earn All-American honors in a full season since cornerback Imoan Claiborne in 2014.
A 6-foot-1, 225-pound native of Little Elm, Texas, Gotcher finished eighth in the voting for the Buck Buchanan Award, which is given to the top defensive player in the Football Championship Subdivision.
Gotcher’s 162 tackles, in addition to being fourth in school single-season history, topped qualifying FCS players by 29. Through the FCS semifinals, Gotcher’s tackle total remains tops in the country by 25.
In his first season at Northwestern, Gotcher collected double-figure tackles in 11 of his 12 games, topped by a 23-tackle, two-sack, forced-fumble performance against Prairie View A&M on Sept. 7 that earned him Southland Conference Defensive Player of the Week honors. That game also led Gotcher to net honorable mention FCS National Defensive Player of the Week honors from Stats Perform.
In addition to his 162 tackles, Gotcher had 4.5 sacks – two each against Prairie View A&M and Weber State – and 10 tackles for loss for 31 yards. He added two forced fumbles, two pass breakups, an interception he returned 24 yards against McNeese on Nov. 16 and a quarterback hurry.
Gotcher recorded at least 16 tackles in five games and 12 or mor tackles in eight games. He was Northwestern’s first Buchanan Award finalist since linebacker Derek Rose in 2011.
He is the seventh linebacker in Demon history to earn All-American honors, joining Sammy Joe Odom (1963), Gary Reasons (1981, 82, 83), Andre Carron (1991), Jamall Johnson (2003, 04), Rose (2010, 11) and Valsin (2021).