The Atlantic Coast Conference Football Players of the Week have been recognized following their performances in Week 6 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 – TaQuon Marshall, Georgia Tech, Sr., Hamilton, Ga.
Marshall led Georgia Tech to scores on each of its first seven possessions of the game before being removed with more than four minutes to go in the third quarter of a 66-31 win at Louisville • Rushed for a season-high 175 yards and two touchdowns • Led a Yellow Jacket attack that amassed 542 yards on the ground, the third-highest single-game rushing total in school history and Georgia Tech’s most ever in a conference game • Has now engineered 14-straight scoring drives – the final series against Clemson on Sept. 22, six straight series to open the game vs. Bowling Green on Sept. 29 (all touchdowns) and seven straight series (six touchdowns, one field goal) to open the game at Louisville.
RUNNING BACK – Qadree Ollison, Pitt, Sr., RB, Niagara Falls, N.Y.
Ollison was Pitt’s driving force on offense, rushing for a season-high 192 yards with a touchdown on 24 carries (8.0 average) in the Panthers’ 44-37 overtime victory over Syracuse • After Pitt fell into a 14-0 first-quarter hole, Ollison seized momentum for the Panthers by ripping off a 69-yard touchdown run • With Pitt trailing 37-34 late in the fourth quarter, Ollison was the workhorse on the game-tying field goal drive, grinding out 39 of the 48 yards covered • Ollison’s 192 rushing yards are the third most by an ACC player in a game this season.
CO-RECEIVER – Kelvin Harmon, NC State, Jr., WR, Palmyra, Fla.
Harmon now ranks fourth in school history with nine career 100-yard receiving games after making nine catches for 128 yards in the Wolfpack’s 28-23 win over Boston College • Had a 34-yard touchdown reception while playing 70 snaps • Ranks first in the ACC (eighth in the FBS) with 106.8 receiving yards per game • Among his nine catches on Saturday, two resulted in third-down conversions, one came on fourth down and another was the 34-yard touchdown.
CO-RECEIVER – Damon Hazelton, Virginia Tech, So., WR, Baltimore, Md.
Hazelton had 12 receptions for 131 yards, including a three-yard touchdown catch vs. No. 6 Notre Dame on Saturday night • Has now caught a touchdown in five consecutive games, tying Isiah Ford’s program record • Hazelton’s 12 catches tied his career high set versus Toledo in 2016, when he played as a freshman at Ball State • The 12 catches night also tied for the second-most by an ACC player in a game this season • Hazelton’s three 100-yard receiving games on the season are tied for the most in the ACC.
OFFENSIVE LINEMAN – Parker Braun, Georgia Tech, Jr., LG, Hallsville, Texas
Braun was the top performer on an offensive line that paved the way for Georgia Tech to rush for 542 yards – the third-highest total in school history and its most ever in a conference game – in a 66-31 win at Louisville • Took 15 defenders to the ground despite playing only three quarters • Helped Georgia Tech average 8.3 yards per rush and record only one negative yardage play in the game.
DEFENSIVE LINEMAN – Alton Robinson, Syracuse, Jr., DE, Converse, Texas
Robinson recorded a career-high eight tackles in the Orange’s 44-37 overtime loss at Pitt, including four behind the line of scrimmage • His effort included two sacks and two forced fumbles (both of which Syracuse recovered), in addition to two quarterback hurries • Robinson’s four TFLs were the most by a Syracuse defender since 2009 and tied for fifth on the Orange single-game record list • The two turnovers Robinson caused led to 10 Orange points.
LINEBACKER – Germaine Pratt, NC State, Gr., LB, High Point, N.C.
Pratt registered a game-high 13 tackles in Saturday’s 28-23 win over Boston College • Keyed a defense that held BC to just 318 total yards – 158 yards less than the Eagles’ per game average entering the game • With BC in the midst of a potential fourth-quarter scoring drive and facing 2nd-and-2 from the State 5-yard line, Pratt stripped the ball to give the Wolfpack possession • Pratt had registered a nine-yard quarterback sack earlier on that same drive.
DEFENSIVE BACK – Damar Hamlin, Pitt, Jr., FS, McKees Rocks, Pa.
Hamlin collected a career-high 14 tackles in Pitt’s 44-37 overtime win over Syracuse • Played a key role in helping to limit the Orange to 195 passing yards, its lowest output of the season.
SPECIALIST – D.J. Matthews, Florida State, So., PR, Jacksonville, Fla.
Matthews returned four punts for 145 yards, including a 74-yard touchdown for his first career punt return score in Saturday’s 28-27 loss at No. 16 Miami • His punt return yardage ranks as the third-highest single-game total in FSU history • Matthews now holds the No. 3 and 4 spots on that list after a 138-yard game last season • Punt return touchdown was FSU’s first since 2016 • His 145 punt return yards are one shy of the most in a game for any player this season, while his 212 punt return yards and 35.3 punt return yards per game this season lead the country.
ROOKIE – Lyn-J Dixon, Clemson, Fr., RB, Butler, Ga.
Dixon gained a career-high 163 rushing yards on 10 carries in Saturday’s 63-3 win over Wake Forest, including rushing touchdowns of 65 and 52 yards • Helped Clemson post three rushers of 125-plus yards in a single game for the first time in program history.