Monday 09/22/2003
Sept. 22, 2003
John Leake has been selected as the ACC Defensive Player of the Week following his 14-tackle performance against Georgia Tech. He and the Tigers will next play at Maryland on October 4, which will kickoff at 3:30 PM and it will be televised by ABC.
ACC FOOTBALL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK Monday, September 22, 2003
OFFENSIVE BACK
Florida State wide receiver Craphonso Thorpe (Tallahassee, Fla.) had a career-high 205 yards on a career-high eight catches in Florida State’s 47-7 win over Colorado. The 6-2, 175-pound junior’s 205-yard performance ranks eighth on the Florida State single game receiving yardage list and was the first 200-yard receiving game since Peter Warrick’s 249 yards at Clemson on September 20, 1997. Thorpe leads the league with 94.5 yards per game (20th nationally) and ranks third in conference all-purpose yards (111.5).
OFFENSIVE LINE
NC State’s Sean Locklear (Lumberton, N.C.) helped pave the way for 474 yards of total offense and five offensive touchdowns in the Wolfpack’s 49-21 victory over Texas Tech. The 6-5, 296-pound outside guard cleared a path for tailback T.A. McLendon to gain 124 yards rushing and provided space for QB Philip Rivers to complete 18 of 22 passes for 257 yards. The senior saw action in 64 plays and received the highest grade on the line.
DEFENSIVE LINE
Clemson linebacker John Leake (Plano, Texas) had a team-best 14 tackles to lead the Tigers to a 39-3 win over Georgia Tech. The 6-1, 225-pounder recorded three tackles for loss in the first ten minutes of the game, setting a career-high for that category during the game. Leake tallied eight first hits and six assists in his 57 snaps. The senior also had his first career interception, one that set up a touchdown for Clemson in the second period. Leake helped Clemson hold Tech to just 45 yards rushing in 33 attempts and held the Yellow Jackets to three points for the first time in five years.
DEFENSIVE BACK
NC State CB Greg Golden (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) had a 71-yard interception return for a touchdown in the Pack’s 49-21 victory over Texas Tech. The 5-11, 185-pound junior also recorded two solo tackles in 61 snaps and played a key role in the Wolfpack’s defense that kept Texas Tech from converting 10-of-15 third down conversions and 5-of-7 fourth down conversions. Golden was also a part of the defensive effort that snuffed the Red Raiders on three-of-four red zone opportunities.
SPECIALIST
North Carolina’s Michael Waddell (Ellerbe, N.C.) had four punt returns for 176 yards, including a 97-yard touchdown in North Carolina’s 27-38 loss to Wisconsin. The 5-11, 183-pound senior’s kickoff return for a touchdown was the Tar Heels’ first since Kory Bailey’s score against Georgia Tech in 1998. The 97-yard return equaled the third-longest kickoff return in school history. Waddell also added kickoff returns of 18, 35 and 26 yards. His 176 yards on kickoffs was just eight yards shy of the school record.
ROOKIE
Wake Forest wide receiver Willie Idlette (Chattanooga, Tenn.) tallied 95 all-purpose yards in the Deacs’ 34-16 win over East Carolina. The 5-11, 169-pound redshirt freshman posted nine carries for 49 yards, two catches for 11 yards, two punt returns for 14 yards and one kickoff return for 21 yards. Idlette ranks as the ACC’s top freshman in all-purpose yardage (105.5 ypg), punt returns (12.0), scoring (4.5 ppg) and is second in kickoff returns (20.8).
December 8, 2024
