Senior safety named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week

It's been a week of long-belated distinctions for the Hoosier football team. After Saturday's defeat of then No. 24 University of Oregon, IU garnered the team's first road win over a ranked opponent since 2001, the first 2-0 start since 1996 and now the first Hoosier Big Ten Player of the Week in nearly two years. \nSenior safety Herana-Daze Jones was named as the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week after his performance in Saturday's upset versus the Ducks, the conference announced on its Web site Monday. \nJones had a career day against Oregon, logging nine tackles including one for a loss and was in on two Duck turnovers with one interception and one fumble recovery. His eight solo tackles rank as the third best of his career and his interception was only the fifth of his career.\nJones' statistics were quite impressive in their own right, but their timing was also impeccable. Jones' interception came at an extremely opportune time for the Hoosiers as IU was nursing a 30-24 lead with Oregon knocking on IU's door from the 16-yard line with just over three minutes left in the game. Jones intercepted a screen pass from Oregon quarterback Kellen Clemens, essentially securing IU's victory. \nJones said he was proud of the distinction, but also credited his teammates.\n"(The Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week award) makes me feel great," Jones said. "It wouldn't have been possible if my team didn't have such a good game."\nJones' performance was also a marked improvement over his first outing against the Central Michigan University Chippewas, when he amassed six tackles and no interceptions in the 41-10 win against CMU. Jones currently ranks among the top three on the Hoosier squad in total tackles with 15, solo tackles with 12 and interceptions and fumbles recovered with one apiece in the 2004 season. \nThis is Jones' first recognition as a conference Player of the Week and the first Hoosier defender since Kris Dielman received the distinction Sept. 2, 2002 after a 25-17 IU win against The College of William and Mary. The last IU football player, on either side of the ball, to receive the distinction was former Hoosier quarterback Gibran Hamdan, who earned the award Oct. 14, 2002 after he led IU to victory over then No. 23 Wisconsin Badgers. \nThe Oregon win also brings momentum to the Hoosier ranks as the team will battle the University of Kentucky Wildcats Saturday. If the Hoosiers are successful this weekend, it will be the first 3-0 IU football start since 1994.\n"It feels great for us. It's a good momentum booster," Jones said. "We were able to go into a hostile environment and we were able to capture a win against a pretty good team."\n-- Contact staff writer Dan Patrick at djpatric@indiana.edu.