ACC Football Players of the Week: Week 4

The ACC Football 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 select media panel. The following are this week’s honorees:

QUARTERBACK – Devin Leary, NC State, So., QB, Sicklerville, N.J.

Named the Walter Camp FBS Offensive Player of the Week following his performance in Saturday’s 27-21 double-overtime win over No. 9 Clemson • Completed 32 of his 44 passing attempts for 238 yards • Threw for four touchdowns, including two in overtime.

RUNNING BACK – Pat Garwo III, Boston College, So., RB, Levittown, Pa.

Rushed for 175 yards on a career-high 25 carries in Saturday’s 41-34 win over visiting Missouri • Ripped off a career-long 67-yard run for BC’s first touchdown to cap off a 99-yard scoring drive • After entering the 2021 campaign with 195 rushing yards in 10 career games, Garwo has rushed for a total of 412 yards in the Eagles’ first four games this season.

RECEIVER – Emeka Emezie, NC State, Sr., WR, Waxhaw, N.C.

Pulled down a career-high 14 receptions in the Wolfpack’s win over No. 9 Clemson • His 116 receiving yards were also a career high, as he registered 46 yards after catch • His 22-yard touchdown catch on a pass from Devin Leary in the first quarter was the first offensive touchdown scored against the Tigers all year.

OFFENSIVE LINEMAN –  Ikem Ekwonu, NC State, So., OT, Charlotte, N.C.

Played a career-high 102 snaps in Saturday’s 27-21 double-overtime win over No. 9 Clemson • Posted the highest grade on the offensive line as the Wolfpack held the ball for 41 minutes and 48 seconds • Tallied eight pancake blocks plus three knockdowns.

DEFENSIVE LINEMAN – Cody Roscoe, Syracuse, Sr., DL, Houston, Texas

Had two sacks in the Orange’s 24-21 win over previously unbeaten Liberty on Friday night, including a crucial strip-sack of Liberty QB Malik Willis with four minutes remaining • Roscoe jarred the ball free and Syracuse recovered,, setting up the Orange’s winning field goal • Recorded six total tackles • Has 5.0 sacks in the last-two games and ranks third nationally with 5.5 sacks on the year.

CO-LINEBACKER – Baylon Spector, Clemson, Sr., LB, Calhoun, Ga.

A week after being sidelined due to a knee inflammation, returned to the lineup and recorded a team-high 19 tackles at NC State • Most tackles by a Clemson player in a single game under Dabo Swinney, one ahead of Spencer Shuey’s 18 against Georgia in 2013 • Most tackles by a Clemson player since 2002, when John Leake recorded 21 stops against Maryland • Led a defense that faced 96 plays while adjusting to the in-game losses of starters James Skalski and Bryan Bresee.

CO-LINEBACKER – Charlie Thomas, Georgia Tech, Jr., LB, Thomasville, Ga.

Perhaps the biggest contributor to Georgia Tech’s stellar defensive performance in Saturday night’s 45-22 win over No. 21 North Carolina • Stuffed the stat sheet with 2.5 sacks, 4.5 tackles for loss and eight total tackles • Marked only the 11th time since 2000 that an ACC player recorded at least eight tackles, 2.5 sacks and 4.5 tackles for loss in a single game • Only the second Power 5 conference player and fourth player in all of FBS with eight tackles, 2.5 sacks and 4.5 tackles for loss in a game this season • Led a defensive effort that saw Georgia Tech limit North Carolina’s high-powered offense to nearly 21 points and 185 yards below its season averages entering the game.

DEFENSIVE BACK – Brandon Sebastian, Boston College, Gr., CB, West Haven, Conn.

Made the interception that clinched Saturday’s 41-34 overtime win over visiting Missouri • The pickoff was the sixth of his career and second of the season • His seven tackles in Saturday’s game tied graduate linebacker Isaiah Graham-Mobley for the team lead.

CO-SPECIALIST – Tayvion Robinson, Virginia Tech, So., KR, Virginia Beach, Va.

Scored his first career TD on a 60-yard punt return in the second quarter of Saturday’s 21-10 win over Richmond • Averaged 22 yards per punt return on the day • Registered an additional 76 yards on six receptions and finished the day with 140 all-purpose yards.

CO-SPECIALIST – Nick Sciba, Wake Forest, Jr., PK, Clover, S.C.

Connected on three field goals without a miss in Friday night’s 37-17 road win at Virginia • Improved his consecutive number of field goal tries without a miss to 19, which stands as the longest active streak in the NCAA • Made good on field goals of 46, 23 and 35 yards versus the Cavaliers, with his 46-yarder matching his longest this season • Sciba owns a .901 career field goal percentage (64-of-71), the highest in NCAA history.

ROOKIE – Rodney Hammond Jr., Pitt, Fr., RB, Norfolk, Va.

Rushed for a career-high 100 yards on 17 carries (5.9 avg.) with three touchdowns in Saturday’s 77-7 win over New Hampshire • Became the first Pitt freshman to rush for three touchdowns in a game since Dion Lewis had three against Cincinnati on Dec. 5, 2009 • Hammond also became the first Pitt freshman to rush for 100 yards since V’Lique Carter had 137 against Duke on Oct. 27, 2018.