GREENSBORO, N.C. – Three Virginia Tech student-athletes earned Atlantic Coast Conference weekly football honors following the Hokies’ 17-10 road win at Georgia Tech on Thursday night, and two apiece were recognized from Florida State and Duke.
Virginia Tech guard Andrew Miller was named the ACC Offensive Lineman of the Week after posting 11 knockdown blocks in Thursday night’s win, while defensive tackle Derrick Hopkins, who led an effort that limited the Yellow Jackets to 129 rushing yards, was named ACC Defensive Lineman of the Week. Cornerback Brandon Facyson (a key fumble recovery and an interception) earned Co-Rookie of the Week accolades.
Florida State redshirt freshman quarterback Jameis Winston, who threw for 330 yards and four touchdowns in the Seminoles’ 48-34 win at Boston College, was named the ACC Offensive Back of the Week. Winston received his third weekly honor of the season after twice being named the ACC Rookie of the Week. The Seminoles’ Telvin Smith was named the ACC Linebacker of the Week after making 10 tackles, including a quarterback sack, in the win over the Eagles.
Duke’s Jamison Crowder was named the ACC Receiver of the Week and joined Winston in earning conference weekly honors for the third time. Crowder, named ACC Specialist of the Week on two prior occasions, had seven catches for 149 yards and a touchdown in the Blue Devils’ 38-31 win over Troy. Duke safety Jeremy Cash (14 tackles and a key interception) was voted the ACC Defensive Back of the Week.
NC State’s Rashard Smith was named the ACC Specialist of the Week after his 87-yard punt return for a touchdown in a 48-14 win over Central Michigan. Miami’s Stacy Coley was named the ACC Co-Rookie of the Week after catching two touchdown passes in the Hurricanes’ 49-21 win at South Florida.
OFFENSIVE BACK – Jameis Winston, Fr.-R, QB, Florida State, 6-4, 225, Hueytown, Ala.
Winston led the Seminoles to a come-from-behind 48-34 victory at Boston College by completing 17-of-27 passes for 330 yards and four touchdowns, while rushing for a team-high 67 yards on 14 carries. The Seminoles trailed 17-3 in the second quarter, but took a 24-17 lead into halftime after Winston evaded two defenders and threw a 55-yard “Hail Mary” touchdown pass to senior wide receiver Kenny Shaw as time expired at the end of the second quarter. Three of the four longest passes of his career were completed in the game, as the Alabama native also tossed a 56-yard touchdown and had a 41-yard completion. Winston finished with his second 300-yard passing game and set a new career-high in rushing yards.
OFFENSIVE LINEMAN – Andrew Miller, Virginia Tech, Sr., OG, 6-4, 304, Bassett, Va.
Miller had a solid game up front as the Hokies went on the road and defeated previously unbeaten Georgia Tech, 17-10, in ACC action. The senior played all 55 offensive snaps, grading out at 87 percent with 11 knockdowns in the win.
RECEIVER – Jamison Crowder, Duke, Jr., WR, 5-9, 175, Monroe, N.C.
Crowder averaged 21.3 yards per reception in Saturday’s 38-31 win over visiting Troy, and six of his seven receptions produced Duke first downs. Crowder’s big day included a touchdown reception of 60 yards, which extended his school record for touchdown receptions of 50 yards or more to seven. With 149 receiving yards, Crowder posted his third triple-digit yardage receiving game this season and the eighth of his career. Crowder also returned two punts for 31 yards to finish with 180 all-purpose yards.
DEFENSIVE LINEMAN – Derrick Hopkins, Virginia Tech, Sr. DT, 6-2, 312, Highland Springs, Va.
Hopkins was a force against Georgia Tech's potent option attack as the Hokies limited the Yellow Jackets to 129 rushing yards in last Thursday night’s 17-10 ACC road win. The senior was credited with a team-high seven tackles (five solo) with three exceptional plays, including a key stop on fourth down late in the game to stop a Georgia Tech drive and turn the ball back over to Virginia Tech. Hopkins scored a career-high 54 points in the Hokies’ coaching staff’s grading system.
LINEBACKER – Telvin Smith, Florida State, Sr., OLB, 6-3, 218, Valdosta, Ga.
Smith led Florida State defensively in a 48-34 victory at Boston College by making a game-high 10 stops and matching his career-best with two tackles for loss. Smith also had a sack, and his 10-tackle performance was a season high.
DEFENSIVE BACK – Jeremy Cash, Duke, So., S, 6-2, 210, Plantation, Fla.
Cash helped Duke to a 38-31 win over Troy by registering 14 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss and one interception. The interception – the first of Cash’s career – came at the Blue Devils’ 6-yard line following the game’s final snap and preserved the win. Cash, who established career single-game bests for total tackles and tackles for loss, leads the ACC in both tackles (51) and tackles per game (10.2).
SPECIALIST – Rashard Smith, NC State, Sr., WR, 5-9, 175, Dublin, Ga.
Smith returned a punt 87 yards for a touchdown in the second quarter of the Wolfpack’s 48-14 win over visiting Central Michigan on Saturday. The return tied as the third-longest in school history. Smith also rushed for 41 yards on five carries and had three catches for another 39 yards to tally 167 all-purpose yards for the game.
CO-ROOKIE – Stacy Coley, Miami, Fr., WR, 6-1, 173, Pompano Beach, Fla.
Coley hauled in career highs for receptions (4), receiving yards (96) and receiving touchdowns (2) in Miami’s 49-21 road win at USF. Coley led the Hurricanes with 96 receiving yards, hauling in touchdowns of 34 and 11 yards. Coley ranks fourth on the team with 131 receiving yards and leads the team with three touchdown receptions. It marked the second straight game that Coley had multiple touchdowns, as he had one receiving touchdown and one kick return for a touchdown versus Savannah State on Sept. 23.
CO-ROOKIE – Brandon Facyson, Virginia Tech, Fr., CB, 6-2, 173, Newnan, Ga.
Playing in front of nearly 40 friends and family less than 30 miles from home in last Thursday night’s 17-10 win at Georgia Tech, the true freshman recovered a fumble on the opening drive that set up a Hokies touchdown. Facyson then forced a fumble on the next drive that was recovered by Georgia Tech, but eventually ended that drive with his fourth interception of the season. For the game, he had three tackles, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, an interception and two pass breakups.
