By Jason Pugh, Northwestern State Associate Athletic Director for External Relations; featured photo by Chris Reich, NSU Photographic Services
NATCHITOCHES – Northwestern State linebacker Blake Gotcher can add a top-10 finish for a national award to his stellar 2024 resume.
After leading the Football Championship Subdivision in tackles, Gotcher finished eighth in the voting for the Buck Buchanan Award, given to the top defensive player in the FCS.
Gotcher, a 6-foot-1, 225-pound native of Little Elm, Texas, captured four first-place votes and finished with 38 total points, which ranked him second among players from Louisiana behind Southern’s Ckelby Givens (43 points, T-6th). Overall, Gotcher was listed in the top five on 11 ballots from the national voting panel.
He was the top vote getter of the four Southland Conference nominees, which included East Texas A&M’s Brandon Tucker (26 points, 11th), Nicholls’ Eli Ennis (10 points, T-17th) and UIW’s Mason Chambers (3 points, T-28th).
Gotcher compiled 162 tackles, fourth-most in school single-season history and tops among qualifying FCS players by 29. He had 11 games of double-figure tackles, led by a 23-tackle, two-sack, forced-fumble performance against Prairie View A&M on Sept. 7 that netted him Southland Conference Defensive Player of the Week honors and honorable mention FCS National Defensive Player of the Week honors from Stats Perform, which also presents the Buchanan Award.
In addition to his tackle total, Gotcher had 4.5 sacks – two each against Prairie View A&M and two against 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 was incredibly consistent, recording at least 16 tackles in five games and 12 or more tackles in eight of his 12 games. He is Northwestern’s first finalist for the Buchanan Award since linebacker Derek Rose in 2011.
Defensive ends Jeremiah Grant of Richmond and David Walker of Central Arkansas along with Mercer cornerback TJ Moore are the top three finishers in the voting. The winner of the 2024 Buck Buchanan Award will be announced Jan. 4 in Frisco, Texas.
2024 Buck Buchanan Award voting
(Votes are listed from 1st through 5th place)
Jeremiah Grant, DE, Richmond: Jan. 4, TBA
TJ Moore, CB, Mercer: Jan. 4, TBA
David Walker, DE, Central Arkansas: Jan. 4, TBA
4. Mi’Quise Grace, DL, South Dakota: 7-5-4-1-2-71
5. Josiah Silver, DE, New Hampshire: 2-2-7-3-4-49
T6. Ckelby Givens, DE, Southern: 1-7-0-1-8-43
T6. Bryce Norman, LB, Southeast Missouri: 2-3-2-7-1-43
8. Blake Gotcher, LB, Northwestern State: 4-2-2-1-2-38
9. Brody Grebe, DE, Montana State: 4-2-2-1-1-37
10. Elijah Williams, DE, Morgan State: 1-4-3-0-1-31
11. Brandon Tucker, LB, East Texas A&M: 1-0-3-5-2-26
12. Kenny Gallop Jr., S, Howard: 2-1-0-2-1-19
13. A.J. Pena, LB, Rhode Island: 0-0-3-3-3-18
14. Eli Mostaert, DT, North Dakota State: 0-1-2-3-1-17
15. Gideon Lampron, LB, Dayton: 0-1-0-2-7-15
16. Keyshawn James-Newby, DE, Idaho: 0-1-1-2-0-11
T17. Eli Ennis, LB, McNeese: 0-0-2-1-2-10
T17. Cabel Francl, LB, South Dakota State: 0-1-1-1-1-10
T17. David Meyer, LB, UC Davis: 0-1-1-0-3-10
20. Ben Bogle, LB, Southern Illinois: 0-0-0-3-3-9
21. Noah Martin, LB, Samford: 0-0-0-3-2-8
T22. Andrew Jones, LB, Grambling State: 0-1-1-0-0-7
T22. Jalen Jones, CB, William & Mary: 0-0-1-1-2-7
T24. Brayden Manley, DE, Mercer: 0-0-0-1-3-5
T24. Saiku White, S, Lafayette: 0-0-1-0-2-5
T26. Abu Kamara, S, Yale: 0-0-0-2-0-4
T26. Finn Claypool, DE, Drake: 0-1-0-0-0-4
T28. Mason Chambers, S, UIW: 0-0-1-0-0-3
T28. Matt Jaworski, DE, Fordham: 0-0-1-0-0-3
T28. Hayden McDonald, CB, Columbia: 0-0-1-0-0-3
31. Jalen McClelland, CB, Tennessee State: 0-0-0-1-0-2
32. Kimal Clark, S, Central Connecticut State: 0-0-0-0-1-1
T33. Mike DeNucci, LB, Lehigh: 0-0-0-0-0-0
T33. Will Shaffer, LB, Abilene Christian: 0-0-0-0-0-0
T33. Jaylon Sharpe, LB, UT Martin: 0-0-0-0-0-0