Nov. 28, 2005

DALLAS (SMU) - Following a dominant performance in the season finale, SMU junior defensive tackle Adrian Haywood has been named the Conference USA Defensive Player of the Week, the league announced Monday.

Haywood starred in SMU's 40-27 win over UTEP, collecting nine tackles, two sacks, two-and-a-half tackles for loss, two forced fumbles, an interception and a pass breakup. With the win, SMU posted a three-game win streak for the first time since the 1999 and the most wins in a season since 1997. SMU also finished at .500 in conference for the first time since 2001.

Haywood finished the season as the league-leader in tackles-for-loss in C-USA games with 11, and was third in sacks with five. Perhaps most impressive was the fact that all 11 of Haywood's tackles-for-loss occurred in the last five games and four of his five sacks came in the season's final two games.