The ACC Football Players of the Week have been recognized following their performances in Week 2 of the 2018 season. The selections are determined by a vote of a 15-member media panel. The following are this week’s honorees:
QUARTERBACK – Daniel Jones, Duke, Jr., Charlotte, N.C.
Jones completed 16 of 22 passes for 192 yards and three touchdowns before leaving Saturday’s 21-7 win at Northwestern due to injury late in the third quarter • Jones posted a pass efficiency rating of 191.04 with second-quarter touchdown passes of 7, 9 and 52 yards • He became the fourth quarterback in Duke history to throw three or more touchdown passes in a quarter.
RUNNING BACK – AJ Dillon, Boston College, So., RB, New London, Conn.
Dillon scored three times in the first quarter, on runs of 7, 74, and 7 yards in the Eagles’ 62-14 win over Holy Cross • He finished the game with six rushes for 149 yards – an average of 24.8 yards per carry – all of which came before making an early exit before the end of the first quarter • Dillion is one of only three players in college football since 1996 to score three touchdowns on six or fewer carries with an average rush of 24 yards or better in a single-game.
RECEIVER – Tee Higgins, Clemson, So., WR, Oak Ridge, Tenn.
Higgins posted the second 100-yard receiving game of his career in the Tigers’ road win over Texas A&M • Higgins gained 123 yards on three receptions, including a 64-yard touchdown catch.
OFFENSIVE LINEMAN – Mitch Hyatt, Clemson, Sr., OT, Suwanee, Ga.
Hyatt was credited by the coaching staff with a 90 percent grade in the second-ranked Tigers’ 28-26 win at Texas A&M on Saturday night • Hyatt’s effort included three knockdown blocks and no sacks allowed as he helped Clemson amass 413 total yards.
DEFENSIVE LINEMAN – Clelin Ferrell, Clemson, Jr., DE, Richmond, Va.
Ferrell recorded two sacks in a game for the third time in his career in Saturday night’s win over Texas A&M • Ferrell also caused the game’s first turnover, forcing a fumble by Texas A&M quarterback Nick Starkel that was recovered by the Tigers’ Justin Foster.
LINEBACKER – Ben Humphreys, Duke, Sr., LB, Newport Beach, Calif.
Humphreys logged a game-high 15 tackles in a 21-7 road win at Northwestern • Humphreys had five tackles for no gain and one for a loss of three yards • He was credited with tackles on two third-down stops as the Blue Devils held Northwestern scoreless for the final 54:50 and snapped the Wildcats’ winning streak at nine games (longest active streak among Power 5 teams entering the contest).
DEFENSIVE BACK – Juan Thornhill, Virginia, Sr., SS, Altavista, Va.
Thornhill had several key plays in UVA’s 20-16 loss at Indiana • He finished the game with seven tackles, including five solo stops • He blocked a PAT in the first quarter and returned it for a two-point conversion • Thornhill later intercepted a Hoosier pass in the third quarter.
SPECIALIST – Greg Dortch, Wake Forest, So., KR, Richmond, Va.
Dortch posted the most all-purpose yards of any player in the nation in Saturday’s 51-20 win over Towson • He had seven receptions for 94 yards, three kickoff returns for 85 yards (long of 38), and three punt returns for 131 yards (long of 70) • Dortch ran back two punts for touchdowns on returns of 70 and 60 yards • He became the first Wake Forest player with two punt returns for touchdowns in a game since 1927.
ROOKIE – Thayer Thomas, NC State, R-Fr., WR, Wake Forest, N.C.
Playing in just his second career game, Thomas had nine receptions for 114 yards in the Wolfpack’s 41-7 win over Georgia State • It marked the highest receiving total by a Wolfpack freshman since 2011 and the earliest that a freshman has posted a 100-yard game • He added a 56-yard pass completion on a trick play.
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