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FINCH (Patrick Semansky/AP Photo) |
OFFENSIVE BACK – Rolandan Finch, Boston College, So., RB,
5-10, 209, New Albany, Ind. Finch rushed for 243 yards and two touchdowns on 39
carries in Boston College’s 28-17 win at Maryland, establishing career highs
for yards, carries and touchdowns and achieving the most yardage by a running
back in the ACC this season. Finch’s rushing yardage ranks third on the
school’s single-game list.
RECEIVER – Tommy Streeter, Miami, Jr., WR, 6-5, 215, Miami,
Fla. Streeter ended the game with 176 yards on seven receptions and two
touchdowns in the loss to Virginia on Thursday night. Entering the game, the
Miami native ranked fifth nationally with a 20.4 yards per reception average.
Of Streeter’s 28 receptions on the season, 12 have gone for 25-yards or more,
including catches of 57, 51 and 26 yards against Virginia. Streeter’s 176 yards
were a career-game high and his first 100-yard receiving game.
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STREETER (Joel Auerbach/Getty Images) |
OFFENSIVE LINEMAN – Oday Aboushi, Virginia, Jr., OT, 6-6,
310, Staten Island, N.Y. Aboushi graded out 89 percent on 64 plays and had 11
knockdown blocks to lead the UVa offensive line as it controlled the line of
scrimmage in the Cavaliers' 28-21 victory at Miami. Virginia managed to rush
for 207 yards, pass for 263 yards and pile up 470 yards of total offense
against the Hurricanes. Aboushi and his line mates did not allow a sack against
a Miami defense ranked No. 3 in the ACC, averaging 2.71 sacks per game.
DEFENSIVE LINEMAN – Timmy Jernigan, Florida State, Fr., DT,
6-3, 297, Lake City, Fla. Continuing his impressive true freshman campaign,
Jernigan was once again a force in the middle from his defensive tackle
position. Jernigan finished with a season-high five tackles (3 solos, 2
assists), including two tackles for loss and one sack for minus-9 yards. He
also scooped up a Mike Glennon fumble and returned it 12 yards to set up a
score as the ‘Noles forced a season-high three turnovers against NC State.
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BROWN (Robert Willett/Raleigh News & Observer) |
LINEBACKER – Zach Brown, North Carolina, Sr., LB, 6-2, 230,
Columbia, Md. Senior linebacker Zach Brown finished with nine tackles,
including 2.5 tackles for loss, an interception, a sack, a forced fumble and a
fumble recovery, in North Carolina's 49-24 win over Wake Forest. UNC scored on
both of the possessions following Brown's turnovers. Brown now has a team-high
62 tackles this season with team-highs of 5.5 sacks and 9.5 tackles for loss.
DEFENSIVE BACK – Jemea Thomas, Georgia Tech, So., DB, 5-10,
190, Fitzgerald, Ga. Thomas, who made his first career start, recorded the
first two interceptions of his career en route to arguably Georgia Tech’s top
individual defensive performance of the season. Thomas had five tackles, a
tackle for loss, forced a fumble, broke up two passes and was the first Tech
player in more than a year to pick off two passes in a game. Both of his INTs
came in the fourth quarter – the first one in the end zone that foiled Clemson’s
chance to pull within a touchdown.
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JERNIGAN (Phil Sears/AP Photo) |
SPECIALIST – Shawn Powell, Florida State, Sr., P, 6-4, 235,
Rome, Ga. Powell punted only three times for a 41.3 yard average, but his
contributions far exceeded the numbers. Two of his punts were of the rugby
variety, aimed at neutralizing NC State return sensation T.J. Graham, and
proved quite successful. Graham managed just one punt return for 1 yard. His
41.0 net punting average for the game matches FSU’s net punting average on the
season, which ranks sixth among all FBS schools. Powell continues to lead the
ACC with a 45.2 punting average and is currently the top-ranked punter, by
average, in Florida State history.
ROOKIE – Giovani Bernard, North Carolina, Fr., TB, 5-10,
205, Davie, Fla. Redshirt freshman tailback Giovani Bernard had 27 carries for
154 yards and two rushing touchdowns in North Carolina's 49-24 victory over
Wake Forest. Bernard also had his first touchdown reception, a 7-yard catch in
the first quarter. Bernard’s 154 rushing
yards were the most by a Tar Heel against Wake Forest since Ronnie McGill
rushed for 244 yards in 2003. It was the most rushing yards allowed by the
Deacons this year (previous was 136 by Virginia Tech’s David Wilson). Bernard
has rushed 168 times for 965 yards and 11 touchdowns this year, an average of
5.7 yards per carry and 107.2 yards per game.