ACC Announces Football Players of the Week

GREENSBORO, N.C. (theACC.com) – The Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Football Players of the Week have been recognized following their standout performances in last weekend’s games.

The selections are determined by a vote of a select media panel. The following are this week’s honorees:

QUARTERBACK – Sam Howell, North Carolina, Jr., QB, Indian Trail, N.C.
Accumulated 419 total yards of offense with 307 passing yards and a career-high 112 rushing yards in Saturday night’s 59-39 win over Virginia • Moved past Russell Wilson and into sixth place in ACC history with 77 career touchdown passes • Completed 14 of 21 pass attempts and threw for five touchdowns • Became just the fourth FBS quarterback ever to record back-to-back games with 300 passing yards and 100 rushing yards and joined 2016 Heisman Trophy winner Lamar Jackson of Louisville as the only other Power 5 quarterback to do so.

RUNNING BACK – Ty Chandler, North Carolina, Gr., RB, Nashville, Tenn.
Rushed for a career-high 198 yards and scored a pair of touchdowns in the 59-39 win over Virginia • Ranks third among ACC rushers with 107.3 yards per game through three contests • In addition to touchdown runs of 5 and 7 yards versus the Cavaliers, helped set the tone for the second half with a 60-yard run on the second play from scrimmage.

RECEIVER – Josh Downs, North Carolina, So., WR, Suwanee, Ga.
Led the Tar Heels with six catches for 203 receiving yards and two touchdowns in the 59-39 win over Virginia • The 203 receiving yards stand as the eighth-most in single-game program history • Became the first Tar Heel since 2011 to catch a touchdown pass in each of the first three games of a season.

CO-OFFENSIVE LINEMAN – Marcus McKethan, North Carolina, Gr., RG, Barnwell, S.C.
Graded out as the best offensive lineman during UNC’s 59-39 win over Virginia • The Tar Heels racked up 699 yards of total offense, the sixth-best single-game output in program history • McKethan graded out at 87 percent with five knockdown blocks and two pins.

CO-OFFENSIVE LINEMAN – Chandler Zavala, NC State, Gr., LG, Boynton Beach, Fla.
Tallied 10 pancake blocks from his left guard position in Saturday night’s 45-7 win over Furman • Put up the big blocking numbers despite playing just 45 snaps • Helped lead the Pack offense to 505 total yards, including 218 rushing yards.

DEFENSIVE LINEMAN – DeWayne Carter, Duke, So., DT, Pickerington, Ohio
Recorded a tackle for loss, a quarterback sack and caused two fumbles in addition to one pass breakup and a quarterback pressure in Saturday’s 30-23 win over visiting Northwestern • With Duke ahead 30-20 late in the third quarter and the Wildcats at the Blue Devils’ 34-yard line, his quarterback sack resulted in a 10-yard loss and eventual Northwestern punt • Forced the second fumble early in the fourth quarter with Duke up 30-23, and the Blue Devils recovered at their 26 to stop the Northwestern threat • His pass breakup came on third down with 7:48 remaining in the game, forcing another Wildcat punt.

LINEBACKER – LaVonta Bentley, Clemson, So., LB, Birmingham, Ala.
Led the Tigers with 13 tackles, including a team-high 3.0 tackles for loss and one sack, in Saturday’s 14-8 win over Georgia Tech • Learned he would be making his first career start after incumbent starter Baylon Spector reported knee inflammation during pregame warmup • Helped Clemson hold a third straight opponent without an offensive touchdown, the Tigers’ first time doing so at any point in a season since 1990 and their first time doing so in the first three games of a season since 1950.

DEFENSIVE BACK – Lummie Young IV, Duke, Sr., S, Anderson, S.C.
Logged seven tackles, including a tackle for loss and a sack, in addition to causing a fumble and intercepting a pass in Saturday’s 30-23 win over Northwestern • With the Wildcats facing third-and-goal at the Duke 2-yard line, registered the sack and forced the fumble (recovered by teammate Ben Frye) to halt the scoring threat • His interception in the opening minute of the second quarter set up a 23-yard field goal by Charlie Ham that gave the Blue Devils a 24-0 lead.

SPECIALIST – Grant Carlson, Boston College, Gr., P, Missouri City, Texas
Played a pivotal role in flipping the field the entire day as the Eagles held Temple to 239 yards of offense – the second-lowest total of the Jeff Hafley era – in Saturday’s 28-3 win • Punted five times for an average of 51.4 yards, including a long of 62 • Four punts covered more than 50 yards, and two were downed inside the 20-yard line.                     

ROOKIE – Will Shipley, Clemson, Fr., RB, Weddington, N.C.
Recorded career highs in rushing attempts (21) and rushing yards (88) and tied his career-high with two rushing touchdowns in Saturday’s 14-8 win over Georgia Tech • Joined Travis Etienne (three in 2017) and Deshaun Watson (two in 2014) as the only true freshmen to rush for multiple touchdowns in multiple games as a true freshman in the Dabo Swinney era • Became the first Clemson true freshman with multiple rushing touchdowns in consecutive games since Etienne accomplished the feat against Florida State and The Citadel in 2017.