Home ACC Football Players of the Week: Standouts from Week 13
Football

ACC Football Players of the Week: Standouts from Week 13

Chris Graham

acc networkThe ACC Players of the Week have been recognized following their standout performances in last weekend’s games.

The selections are determined by a vote of a 15-member media panel. The following are this week’s honorees:

​QUARTERBACK – Micale Cunningham, Louisville, So., QB, Montgomery, Ala.
Accounted for a career-high six touchdowns – the fourth-most in school history – in the Cardinals’ 56-34 win over Syracuse • Threw for 238 yards and a career-high five touchdowns, while rushing for 60 yards and another TD • Has thrown 12 touchdowns passes in his last four games • His 90-yard touchdown pass to Tutu Atwell was the fourth longest in Louisville history.

RUNNING BACK & CO-ROOKIE – Javian Hawkins, Louisiville, R-Fr., RB, Titusville, Fla.
Twice named ACC Running Back and ACC Rookie of the Week in 2019 • Rushed for 233 yards in Louisville’s win over Syracuse, his sixth 100-yard game of the season and his first 200-yard rushing game • First 200-yard rushing game by a Cardinal since Lamar Jackson had 226 against Texas A&M on Dec. 30, 2015 • Most rushing yards by a Louisville player since Anthony Allen rushed for 275 against Middle Tennessee on Sept. 6, 2007 • Hawkins’ 1,278 rushing yards for the season and six 100-yard games are both freshman records for Louisville.

RECEIVER – Kendall Hinton, Wake Forest, Sr., WR, Durham, N.C.
Caught six passes for a game-high and career-high 189 yards in the Demon Deacons’ 39-27 win over visiting Duke on Saturday night, including a 62-yard touchdown pass from Jamie Newman • Hinton’s big night also included a fourth-quarter reception of 57 yards.

OFFENSIVE LINEMAN – Nathan Gilliam, Wake Forest, Sr., RG, Knoxville, Tenn.
Helped Wake Forest post a season-high 334 yards rushing and 618 yards of total offense in the win over Duke • The Demon Deacons’ offensive output was their second-highest total this season • Graded out at 92 percent • Did not allow a sack or a pressure and had two knockdown blocks while playing 73 snaps.

DEFENSIVE LINEMAN – Jordan Domineck, Georgia Tech, R-Fr., DE, Lakeland, Fla.
Making only the second start of his career, set career highs with 10 tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss in Georgia Tech’s 28-26 win over NC State • Made one of the Yellow Jackets’ biggest plays of the game when he stopped NC State RB Zonovan Knight for a 1-yard loss on fourth-and-2 from the Georgia Tech 10 on the Wolfpack’s first possession of the game, providing early momentum as the Yellow Jackets went on to build at 21-3 halftime lead.

LINEBACKER – Rayshard Ashby, Virginia Tech, Jr., LB, Chesterfield, Va.
Five-time ACC Linebacker of the Week in 2019 • Tied for the team lead with seven tackles in the Hokies’ 28-0 win over Pitt on Saturday, including two solo stops • Registered 1.5 sacks for 24 yards • Forced his second fumble of the season.

DEFENSIVE BACK – De’Vante Cross, Virginia, Jr., FS, Allentown, Pa.
Came up with a key defensive play to break open a close game in UVA’s 55-27 win versus Liberty • The Flames held a 14-10 second-quarter lead and had the ball at the UVA 38 when Cross picked off a deep pass and returned it 52 yards to the Liberty 42 that set up UVA’s go-ahead touchdown• Finished the game with two interceptions (both inside the 10-yard line) and totaled 87 yards on his two returns • Liberty QB Buckshot Calvert entered the game with the nation’s longest pass streak without a pick (a Liberty-record 295-straight attempts) and had thrown just three interceptions this year prior to facing the Cavaliers.

SPECIALIST – Damond Philyaw-Johnson, Duke, So., KR, Pensacola, Fla.
Matched an NCAA record for kickoff returns for touchdowns in a game with two in the Blue Devils’ 39-27 loss at Wake Forest • Had touchdown returns of 97 and 98 yards • Returned five kickoffs for a total of 251 yards (50.20) with two TDs • Became just the second player in ACC history with multiple kickoff returns for TDs, joining Justin Miller of Clemson versus Florida State in 2004 • Set Duke single-game records for total kickoff return yardage, kickoff return average (50.20) and kickoff returns for TDs (2).

CO-ROOKIE – James Graham, Georgia Tech, R-Fr., QB, Fitzgerald, Ga.
Accounted for 241 yards of total offense (129 passing, 112 rushing) and four touchdowns (three passing, one rushing) in Georgia Tech’s 28-26 win over NC State • His three touchdown passes, four touchdown responsible for and 112 rushing yards were all career highs • Scored the Jackets’ lone touchdown of the second half on a 26-yard run • Ran for seven yards on third-and-2 on the Yellow Jackets’ final offensive possession, picking up a pivotal first down that helped Georgia Tech run the final 5:22 off the clock and seal the victory.

Support AFP

Chris Graham

Chris Graham

Chris Graham is the founder and editor of Augusta Free Press. A 1994 alum of the University of Virginia, Chris is the author and co-author of seven books, including Poverty of Imagination, a memoir published in 2019. For his commentaries on news, sports and politics, go to his YouTube page, TikTok, BlueSky, or subscribe to Substack or his Street Knowledge podcast. Email Chris at [email protected].