CLEMSON FOOTBALL

Watkins, Boyd named ACC Players of the week


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GREENSBORO, N.C. – Clemson sophomore quarterback Tajh Boyd Tajh Boyd

RS So. Quarterback

#10 6-1, 230

Hampton, VA

View Full Profile and freshman wide receiver Sammy WatkinsSammy Watkins

Fr. Wide Receiver

#7 6-2, 200

Fort Myers, FL

View Full Profile headline a list of seven players announced Monday as the Atlantic Coast Conference Football Players of the Week. Boyd, the ACC quarterback of the week, tallied 416 yards of total offense, the fourth most in Clemson history in the Tigers’ 38-24 win over defending national champion Auburn. His teammate Watkins picked up honors for both the receiver and the rookie of the week for his performance in the game.

Florida State teammates Bjoern Werner and Dustin Hopkins were named defensive lineman and specialist of the week respectively. Georgia Tech’s Omoregie Uzzi won offensive lineman of the week honors for helping the Jackets break an NCAA record with 12.1 yards per rushing attempt. Finally, Boston College’s Luke Kuechly was named linebacker of the week for the second time this season and North Carolina’s Matt Merletti picked up defensive back of the week honors.

OFFENSIVE BACK – Tajh Boyd, Clemson, QB, So., 6-1, 225, Hampton, Va.

Boyd completed 30-42 passes for 386 yards and four touchdowns without an interception in Clemson’s 38-24 victory that ended Auburn’s 17-game winning streak. Boyd led the Clemson offense to 624 yards of total offense, the third highest total in Clemson history. Boyd’s 386 yards passing were the second most in Clemson history. He also rushed for 30 yards giving him 416 yards of total offense, fourth most in Clemson history.

RECEIVER and ROOKIE – Sammy Watkins, Clemson, WR, Fr., 6-1, 200, Fort Myers, Fla.

Watkins caught 10 passes for 155 yards and two touchdowns in Clemson’s 38-24 victory over Auburn. The freshman from Florida established Clemson freshman records for receptions, reception yards and touchdown receptions in a game with the performance. He also had 44 yards rushing on seven attempts, giving him 199 yards from scrimmage, the most by a Clemson player since the 2009 ACC Championship game when C.J. SpillerC.J. Spiller

Pro Running Back

#28 5-11, 195

Lake Butler, FL

View Full Profile had 238 against Georgia Tech. Watkins had a 65-yard touchdown reception on Clemson’s first drive of the second half that gave the Tigers the lead for the first time at 28-21.

OFFENSIVE LINEMAN – Omoregie Uzzi, Georgia Tech, OG, Jr., 6-3, 300, Lithonia, Ga.

Uzzi and the Yellow Jacket offensive line dominated the line of scrimmage in Georgia Tech’s 66-24 win over Kansas. The Jackets broke an NCAA record for yards per rushing attempt (12.1), broke an ACC record for rushing yards (604) and smashed a school record for total offense (768). Tech allowed only one sack on the day.

DEFENSIVE LINEMAN – Bjoern Werner, Florida State, DE, So., 6-4, 273, Berlin, Germany

Werner was a pivotal performer from his left end position as the Seminoles held the Sooners to 310 total yards; their lowest output since the 2009 season. A first-year starter, Werner posted a career-high six tackles (5 solos, 1 assist), which included two tackles for loss and a sack of OU quarterback Landry Jones. He was also credited with one quarterback hurry. Werner leads FSU with 3.5 tackles for loss and 2 sacks this season.

LINEBACKER – Luke Kuechly, Boston College, LB, Jr., 6-3, 237, Cincinnati, Ohio

Junior LB Luke Kuechly recorded 23 tackles in Boston College’s 20-19 loss to Duke, marking a career high and tying Stephen Boyd for second on the school’s all-time single-game list. Boyd recorded 23 tackles against Virginia Tech in 1993. The 23 tackles ties for fourth most tackles in a BC game (three players recorded 25). Saturday’s game marked the third game of Kuechly’s career with 20 or more tackles. The Cincinnati, Ohio native previously recorded 21 tackles at Duke (2010) and 20 tackles at NC State (2010). Kuechly now has 399 career tackles. He is positioned to become the fifth Eagle and 32nd player from the ACC to ever record 400 career tackles.

DEFENSIVE BACK – Matt Merletti, North Carolina, S, Sr., 5-11, 205, Cleveland, Ohio

Senior Matt Merletti made seven tackles and intercepted two passes in Carolina's 28-17 win over Virginia. Merletti's two interceptions came on Virginia's final two possessions to help the Tar Heels secure the victory.

SPECIALIST – Dustin Hopkins, Florida State, K, Jr., 6-2, 190, Houston, Texas

Hopkins extended his streak of consecutive field goal conversions to 13, connecting from 53 and 46 yards against Oklahoma. Hopkins’ 53-yarder was the second-longest of his career. He also helped keep the Sooners bottled off by continuing his kickoff prowess. Hopkins kicked off four times and registered two touchbacks. Oklahoma’s longest return was 18 yards and they never began a series following a kickoff beyond its own 20-yard line. Hopkins is 6-of-6 on field goal attempts this season and has converted all 13 of his PAT attempts. In addition to his streak of 13 consecutive successful field goals, Hopkins has now converted 99 consecutive PATs and is just nine shy of tying the Florida State record held by Derek Schmidt since 1986.

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