Miami senior offensive tackle Jason Fox and Wake Forest senior quarterback Riley Skinner headline this week’s eight Atlantic Coast Conference Players of the Week. Fox helped the Hurricane offense defeat eighth-ranked Oklahoma, 21-20, in front of a national television audience on ESPN’s Saturday Night Football, while Skinner set a career-high in passing yards for the third consecutive week and broke school records for touchdown passes and total yards in a 30-24 victory against NC State.
This week’s honorees feature Co-Players of the Week at two positions in Georgia Tech’s Brad Jefferson and Virginia’s Matt Conrath as Co-Defensive Lineman, and Maryland’s Nick Ferarra and Virginia’s Robert Randolph as Co-Specialists of the Week. Virginia Tech’s Cody Grimm was selected as the Defensive Back of the Week with a career day against Duke, while Maryland’s Demetrius Hartsfield was the first defensive player selected this season for Rookie of the Week honors.
OFFENSIVE BACK – Riley Skinner, Wake Forest, QB, Sr., 6-1, 210, Jacksonville, Fla. (The Bolles School)
Wake Forest senior quarterback Riley Skinner earned ACC Offensive Back of the Week accolades for the second time this season (Sept. 14) after completing 31-of-45 passes for 361 yards—the second-best passing performance in the league in 2009—and three touchdowns in a 30-24 win against NC State. In the process, Skinner became Wake Forest’s all-time leader in touchdown passes (45) and total yards (8,041). Additionally, Skinner’s 45 attempts and 361 yards were both career-highs.
OFFENSIVE LINEMEN – Jason Fox, Miami, OT, Sr., 6-7, 314, Fort Worth, Texas (North Crowley)
Miami senior offensive tackle Jason Fox helped anchor an offensive front that paved the way for senior running back Javarris James’ 150 rushing yards against the nation’s top-ranked rushing defense in a 21-20 win against eighth-ranked Oklahoma. Aided by Fox’s performance at the tackle position, the 17th-ranked Hurricanes piled on 342 yards of total offense. Fox graded out at 99 percent for the game and added three pancake blocks, while not allowing a sack.
CO-DEFENSIVE LINEMAN
Brad Jefferson, Georgia Tech, ILB, Jr., 6-2, 236, Wrightsville, Ga. (Johnson County)
Georgia Tech junior inside linebacker Brad Jefferson tied a career-high with eight tackles, including seven solo stops and one for a loss, in a 42-31 win against Mississippi State. Jefferson also forced two Bulldog fumbles. Despite an injury-plagued season in 2008, Jefferson is second among Yellow Jackets with 27 tackles this season and is tied for the team-lead in tackles for loss (2.5), pass breakups (two), and forced fumbles (two).
Matt Conrath, Virginia, So., DE, 6-7, 270, Oak Lawn, Ill. (St. Rita)
Virginia sophomore defensive end Matt Conrath spearheaded a Cavalier defense that allowed only 175 total yards in a 16-3 win against North Carolina. Conrath helped the defensive front hold the Tar Heels rushing attack to just 39 yards, the fewest allowed by Virginia since giving up 19 to Richmond last season. Conrath recorded four tackles and knocked down three passes at the line of scrimmage, and helped the defense limit the Tar Heels to just nine first downs, the fewest allowed by Virginia since 2007.
DEFENSIVE BACK – Cody Grimm, Virginia Tech, OLB, Sr., 5-11, 202, Fairfax, Va. (Oakton)
Virginia Tech outside linebacker Cody Grimm registered a game and career-high 14 tackles in a 34-26 win against Duke. Among his 14 hits were two tackles for loss (six yards) and a forced fumble. Grimm helped the Hokie defense hold the Blue Devils to just 38 rushing yards on 31 attempts (1.2 yards per rush). Grimm leads the team in nearly all defensive categories with 45 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, and three forced fumbles, and is tied for the team-high with three pass breakups.
CO-SPECIALIST
Nick Ferarra, Maryland, P/PK, Fr., 6-1, 195, Hicksville, N.Y. (St. Anthony’s)
Maryland freshman placekicker Nick Ferarra handled all three phases of the kicking game in a 24-21 win against Clemson. Ferarra punted eight times and averaged 43.2 yards per punt with a long of 61—the third highest mark in the league this season—and landed three kicks inside Clemson’s 20-yard line. The true freshman was also perfect in his place-kicking duties as he converted all three of his point-after-touchdown tries and connected on a season-long 43-yard field goal that put the Terrapins on the board early in the second quarter.
Robert Randolph, Virginia, PK, So., 5-10, 160, Naples, Fla. (Naples)
Virginia sophomore placekicker Robert Randolph set a career-high by converting all three of his field goal attempts in a 16-3 win against North Carolina, a game that did not see a touchdown scored until the 5:49 mark of the fourth quarter. Randolph made a 36-yarder to give the Cavaliers a 3-0 lead early in the second quarter, then extended their lead to 6-0 on the last play of the first half with a 38-yarder. After North Carolina cut the lead in half at 6-3, Randolph again extended Virginia’s lead to six points with a career-long 43-yard field goal.
ROOKIE – Demetrius Hartsfield, Maryland, OLB, Fr., 6-2, 230, Raleigh, N.C. (Southeast Regional)
Maryland freshman outside linebacker Demetrius Hartsfield is the first defensive player this season to take ACC Rookie of the Week honors after registering a team and career-high 10 tackles, eight solo stops, 2.5 tackles for loss—including one sack—and one clutch play in a 24-21 win against Clemson. As Maryland clung to a 24-21 lead with Clemson on the Terps’ 28-yard line with less than one minute remaining in the game, Hartsfield sacked Tiger quarterback Kyle Parker, forced a fumble in the process, then recovered the loose ball to seal the win for Maryland.