Demons’ linebacker Peyton Guidry wins national award

NATCHITOCHES – Northwestern State senior linebacker Peyton Guidry, a leader in a dominant defensive performance by the Demons in last Saturday’s win at Houston Baptist, has been named national FCS Defensive Player of the Week by CollegeSportsMadness.com.

He was also one of nine honorable mention choices for the STATS FCS Defensive Player of the Week award announced Monday.

Guidry, a Cut Off-South Lafourche product, had a game-high 14 tackles Saturday night. He made 1.5 sacks for 13 negative yards and forced two fumbles, both recovered by NSU. He also broke up a pass.

That performance helped the Demons’ Purple Swarm defense make 13 tackles for loss, including nine sacks. NSU held HBU to 259 total yards and did not allow the Huskies inside the red zone (inside the NSU 20) until the game’s final two minutes, when a 71-yard drive prolonged by a fourth-down pass interference penalty produced the home team’s only score.

Guidry is NSU’s second-leading tackler with 50 stops. He has 138 in his four years.

The 259 yards allowed is the lowest yield by the Demons to an FCS opponent since 2014, when Southeastern Louisiana managed only 235.

Guidry is a candidate for the Louisiana Sports Writers Association state Defensive Player of the Week honor to be announced late this afternoon.

Guidry and the Demons play at home Saturday afternoon, hosting Southland Conference visitor Abilene Christian in a 4 o’clock contest at Turpin Stadium.