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VT’s Grimm, Render among ACC football players of the week

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Boston College freshman outside linebacker Luke Kuechly recorded an Atlantic Coast Conference season-high 19 tackles despite the Eagles’ loss to North Carolina and Virginia Tech senior outside linebacker Cody Grimm, who forced three fumbles in the Hokies’ victory over NC State to run his season total to seven and set an ACC single-season record, highlight this week’s list of ACC Players of the Week. Grimm’s three forced fumbles also tied a Football Bowl Subdivision single-game record.

Joining Grimm among this week’s honorees is teammate Sergio Render, a senior guard, who was picked as the Offensive Lineman of the Week.

Miami also garnered two weekly selections with sophomore quarterback Jacory Harris and senior middle linebacker Darryl Sharpton being picked as the Offensive Back and Defensive Lineman of the Week, respectively.

Florida State freshman cornerback Greg Reid rounds out this week’s list as the Specialist of the Week.

OFFENSIVE BACK – Jacory Harris, Miami, QB, So., 6-4, 190, Miami, Fla. (Northwestern)
For the fourth time this season, Miami sophomore quarterback Jacory Harris had the top performance by an offensive back after completing 25-of-43 passes for 348 yards and two touchdowns in No. 20 Miami’s 34-16 win against visiting Duke. Harris’ 348 passing yards gives him four 300-yard passing games this season, including three in his last four games. Harris also went over the 3,000-yard passing mark in 2009 to become the seventh Hurricane in school history to post 3,000 passing yards in a season, and first since Ken Dorsey in 2002. Through 11 games this season, Harris has totaled 3,003 passing yards and 21 touchdown passes.

OFFENSIVE LINEMAN – Sergio Render, Virginia Tech, G, Sr., 6-3, 313, Newnan, Ga. (Newnan)
Virginia Tech senior guard Sergio Render graded out at 82 percent and recorded a season-high 10 knockdown blocks in 16th-ranked Virginia Tech’s 38-10 win over visiting NC State. Render helped the Hokie offensive line lead the way for a Virginia Tech offense that piled up 397 yards of total offense, including 200 yards on the ground and 100-yard rusher Ryan Williams (120).

DEFENSIVE LINEMAN – Darryl Sharpton, Miami, Sr., MLB, 6-0, 235, Coral Gables, Fla. (Coral Gables)
Miami senior middle linebacker Darryl Sharpton ended his last home game with a career-high 12 tackles, including a career-best 11 solo stops and two tackles for loss, in the Hurricanes’ win over Duke. Sharpton’s performance included his first career interception, which he returned for a 73-yard touchdown. He is second among Hurricanes and ninth in the ACC with 79 tackles this season, including seven for loss.

DEFENSIVE BACK – Cody Grimm, Virginia Tech, OLB, Sr., 5-11, 202, Fairfax, Va. (Oakton)
Virginia Tech senior outside linebacker Cody Grimm’s third Defensive Back of the Week honor came after he set an ACC single-season record and tied a Football Bowl Subdivision single-game record with three forced fumbles—all of which came in NC State’s first four plays—in the Hokies’ win over the Wolfpack. Grimm helped the Virginia Tech defense limit NC State’s high-powered offensive attack to just 259 yards of total offense by recording eight tackles, two sacks, a quarterback hurry, and a fumble recovery. Grimm leads the nation with seven forced fumbles.

SPECIALIST – Greg Reid, Florida State, CB, Fr., 5-9, 175, Valdosta, Ga. (Lowndes)
Florida State freshman cornerback Greg Reid earned his second Specialist of the Week honor and third weekly accolade this season (Defensive Back of the Week, Sept. 19) after racking up 113 yards on punt and kick returns in Florida State’s 29-26 bowl eligibility-clinching win over visiting Maryland. Reid returned three punts for 88 yards to take control over the national lead (18.4 yards per return), including a 48-yard return to the Terrapin 44-yard line that set up the Seminoles’ game-winning touchdown with just 1:46 to play in the fourth quarter. Reid’s first punt return was a 33-yarder in the first quarter that set up Florida State’s first touchdown of the afternoon. He also returned his lone kickoff for 25 yards. Reid leads all Seminoles in all-purpose yardage this season with 947 yards.

ROOKIE – Luke Kuechly, Boston College, OLB, Fr., 6-3, 220, Cincinnati, Ohio (St. Xavier)
Boston College freshman outside linebacker Luke Kuechly registered an ACC season-high 19 tackles, including eight solo hits and 2.5 tackles for loss, in the Eagles’ 31-13 loss to No. 25 North Carolina. Despite the loss, Kuechly helped anchor an Eagle defense that limited the Tar Heels to 278 total yards and 96 rushing yards. With a team-leading 126 tackles, Kuechly holds the school freshman record for tackles, and is looking to become the first Boston College true freshman to lead the team in tackles in school history.

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