Auburn linebacker Eugene Asante was named the SEC’s Co-Defensive Player of the Week Monday morning after a brilliant performance against on the west coast.

When asked what it meant to him to be recognized by the SEC, Asante didn’t have much interest in talking about himself, but rather his late father, who died in February of 2022.

“It’s surreal, to be honest with you,” Asante said Monday. “I’m grateful to God that I didn’t give up on myself. When I first got here, my dad passed away in February, I had to go through spring ball battling a whole lot of things and as a young man in this world, you need your father. It was a hard thing losing him because he was my best friend. So just to experience being the SEC Player of the Week, I’m just praying I made him proud.”

As Asante watched as the Tigers’ offense floundered against Cal Saturday night, never once did he find himself getting frustrated with the Auburn offense’s lack of production.

Instead, Asante chose to dial into the things he could control on the defensive side of the ball.

“I think the biggest thing is in the midst of chaos, there’s opportunity,” Asante said after Saturday’s win. “Everybody sees this chaotic scene, but there’s an opportunity to put water to the fire and cover our brothers’ backs. We are our brother’s keeper. That’s the biggest thing, just not being frustrated. Not being disappointed. But just going out there with a positive mindset and just playing play after play.”

And not only did Asante play play after play, but he also capitalized on every opportunity tossed his way.

Against Cal, Asante led the Auburn defense with 12 total tackles, a sack and a pair of quarterback hurries — a stat line that earned him SEC Co-Defensive Player of Week honors.

“What a night he had,” Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze said of Asante. “I don’t know how many tackles he had, but he was in on a lot. He played really, really hard.”

Asante’s quantity of plays was impressive, but it was the quality and the timing of Asante’s plays that was the difference maker Saturday night as he made five stops on third down — two of which led to Cal settling for field goals but only making one.

The ascension of Asante comes after a 2022 season that saw him spend much of his time on the bench, making Monday morning’s announcement that much more special for the junior linebacker.