Higgins, Lawrence, Falcinelli honored by the ACC
GREENSBORO, N.C. (theACC.com) – The Atlantic Coast Conference Football Players of the Week have been recognized following their performances in Week 13 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 – Eric Dungey, Syracuse, Sr.; Lake Oswego, Ore.
Dungey accounted for 396 yards of total offense and all six Syracuse touchdowns to lead the Orange to a 42-21 victory at Boston College • He was 21-for-34 passing for 362 yards and three TDs and rushed 18 times for 34 yards and three scores • Dungey set a new Syracuse season record for touchdown responsibility with 32, eclipsing the old mark of 30 established by Donovan McNabb in 1998 • Dungey’s 362 yards through the air marked his 11th 300-yard passing game and his second this season • The ACC Quarterback of the Week selection is his fourth of the season.
CO-RUNNING BACK – Reggie Gallaspy Jr., NC State, Sr., RB; High Point, N.C.
Gallaspy tied a school record with five rushing touchdowns in the Wolfpack’s 34-28 overtime win at North Carolina on Saturday • The five rushing touchdowns in a game are the most by any player in a Power 5 conference this year and tied for the most ever against UNC (most since 1975) • Gallaspy rushed for a career-high 129 yards on 27 carries (4.8 yards per carry) • One of his touchdowns came on a season-best 34-yard run.
CO-RUNNING BACK – Cade Carney, Wake Forest, Jr., RB; Advance, N.C.
Carney rushed a career-high 31 times for a career-best 223 yards and two touchdowns in Wake Forest’s 59-7 win at Duke • Carney scored on runs of 5 and 12 yards • Rushed for 118 yards in the first half and 105 in the second half • It was his third 100-yard rushing game of the season and the fifth of his career.
RECEIVER – Tee Higgins, Clemson, So., WR; Oak Ridge, Tenn.
Higgins gained a season-high 142 yards on six receptions, including a 22-yard touchdown catch, in Saturday night’s 56-35 win over rival South Carolina • It marked his third 100-yard receiving performance of the season • Second ACC Receiver of the Week accolade of 2018 for Higgins, who was previously recognized Sept. 10.
OFFENSIVE LINEMAN – Justin Falcinelli, Clemson, Gr., C; Middletown, Md.
Graded out at 93 percent with four knockdown blocks in the Tigers’ 56-35 win over South Carolina •Helped power Clemson to its third-highest single-game yardage total in school history, eclipsing 350 yards both passing and rushing in the contest.
DEFENSIVE LINEMAN – Ricky Walker, Virginia Tech, Sr., DT; Hampton, Va.
Walker had seven tackles, including two for loss, one QB hurry and one forced fumble in Virginia Tech’s 34-31 overtime victory over Virginia on Friday night • Walker’s seven stops ranked second on the team • With UVA driving early in the second quarter, Walker forced a fumble at Tech’s own 12-yard line that was recovered by LB Dax Hollifield • Assisted on a tackle for loss at the Hokies’ 11-yard line late in the fourth quarter that helped hold UVA to a field goal later in the drive.
LINEBACKER – Ryan Guthrie, Syracuse, Sr., LB; Cumming, Ga.
Guthrie tied his career high with 12 tackles, including one for a loss, in Syracuse’s 42-21 victory at Boston College • It was Guthrie’s fifth double-digit tackle game of the season, and his third game with a minimum of 10 tackles in the Orange’s last four contests • The Eagles managed just 105 yards on the ground, well below their season average of 196.7 yards per game coming into Saturday’s contest • The ACC weekly honor is Guthrie’s second of the season.
DEFENSIVE BACK – Andre Cisco, Syracuse, Fr., S; Valley Stream, N.Y.
Cisco tallied six tackles and two passes defended, including an interception, in Syracuse’s 42-21 victory at Boston College • Cisco’s pick of quarterback Anthony Brown late in the fourth quarter was one of four takeaways for the Syracuse defense • It was Cisco’s seventh interception of the season, the most for any freshman in the FBS, and tied him with BC’s Hamp Cheevers for the national lead • Cisco now has 16 passes defended in 2018, the highest total ever for a Syracuse true freshman.
SPECIALIST – Juanyeh Thomas, Georgia Tech, Fr., KR; Niceville, Fla.
Thomas set or matched five school records with his 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in the first quarter against No. 5 Georgia • He tied three previous Yellow Jackets for the longest in school history • He became the third player in school history with two kickoff returns for touchdowns in a single season and the first Georgia Tech freshman with two kickoff returns for touchdowns in a single game • Thomas became the first player in school history to return kickoffs for touchdowns in consecutive games (he returned a free kick – statistically considered a kickoff – 77 yards for a score on Nov. 24 versus Virginia).
ROOKIE – Trevor Lawrence, Clemson, Fr., QB, Cartersville, Ga.
Lawrence earned his fifth ACC Rookie of the Week honor after he completed 27-of-36 passes for a career-high 393 yards with one touchdown in Saturday night’s 56-35 win over South Carolina • Recorded the most passing yards by any Clemson player in its 116-game all-time series against the Gamecocks • Become the first player in school history to engineer three touchdown drives of 95 yards or more in a single game.