Playing behind the best defensive player in the league isn’t easy, especially when you’re coming off an injury and have plenty of talent yourself. Redshirt sophomore linebacker Jake Tucker was competing for a starting linebacker spot last fall when he suffered a preseason stress fracture in his foot that sidelined him for all of 2025. Landon Boss earned a starting role and wound up being the best defensive player in the MIAA and earning Consensus All-American status. Somehow, Boss exceeded that pace in 2026 with five more MIAA Defensive Player of the Week awards already this year, but when he went down with a hamstring injury against Missouri Southern a week ago, Emporia State head football coach Garin Higgins told Tucker that every Hornet and coach in the program were behind him. Making his career debut last Saturday against Central Oklahoma, Tucker didn’t disappoint.
Tucker had career highs with eight tackles, three tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, forced a fumble that was returned for a touchdown and blocked a punt to help the No. 8 Hornets stay unbeaten in a 23-16 victory over Central Oklahoma. Tucker was recognized Monday as the MIAA Defensive Player of the Week. Along with Boss’ awards, a Hornet has won the MIAA Defensive Player of the Week Award in six of the seven games this season and eight of the last nine weeks the award has been presented dating back to last season. ESU (7-0, 5-0 MIAA) hosts Central Missouri for Homecoming on Saturday at 7:00 p.m. Coverage begins at 6:00 p.m. on Mix 104.9.
