Barry Richardson Named ACC Offensive Lineman of the Week

Oct. 30, 2007

Senior tackle Barry Richardson was named Offensive Lineman of the Week by the Atlantic Coast Conference for his play in Clemson’s 30-17 win over Maryland on Saturday. The senior from Mt. Pleasant, SC played in 86 snaps, registering a 93 percent grade for his play along the line.

Blocking for running backs James Davis and C.J. Spiller, Richardson recorded eight knockdown blocks, including three intimidation blocks, as the Tigers piled up 249 yards on the ground and 428 overall.

Other ACC Players of the Week:

Co-OFFENSIVE BACK — Matt Ryan, Boston College, Quarterback, 6-5, 220, Sr., Exton, Pa. In possibly the biggest game of his career, Ryan led a furious Boston College comeback in the last two minutes of play to down then-No. 8 Virginia Tech 14-10 on Thursday night. Playing in a driving rain for much of the evening, the senior Heisman-candidate overcame a stingy Hokie defense late in the game for two scores and the win. His 32-yard touchdown pass to Andre Callender with 11 seconds remaining sealed the victory for his team, giving BC its eighth win of the year. On the night, Ryan completed 25 of 52 pass attempts for 285 yards and two touchdowns for the still undefeated and No. 2 ranked Boston College Eagles.

Co-OFFENSIVE BACK — Donald Bowens, NC State, Wide Receiver, 6-3, 200, So., St. Petersburg, Fla. Against No. 18 Virginia on Saturday evening, Bowens had the best game of his career with the Wolfpack, catching 11 passes for a total of 202 yards and two touchdowns as NC State upset the Cavaliers 29-24. His total of 202 yards receiving is the fifth-best single-game total ever for a Wolfpack receiver, and marked the first time since 2003 that any NC State player has eclipsed the 200-yard receiving mark.

DEFENSIVE LINEMAN — Aaron Curry, Wake Forest, Linebacker, 6-3, 240, Jr., Fayetteville, N.C. Curry, an inside linebacker for the Demon Deacons, set the tone for his team on Saturday, intercepting a North Carolina pass on the game’s first play from scrimmage. Later, he would add another interception, which he returned 77 yards for a touchdown, and seven total tackles as the Deacons defeated the Tar Heels 37-10. For the season, Curry now has three interceptions for 169 yards and two touchdowns for the 6-2 Deacons.

DEFENSIVE BACK — DaJuan Morgan, NC State, Safety, 6-1, 200, Jr., Riviera Beach, Fla. Playing against one of the hottest teams in the league on Saturday, Morgan and the Wolfpack defense came up big, allowing only 94 yards rushing and forcing two turnovers as NC State downed No. 18 Virginia 29-24. In the contest, Morgan led the Wolfpack with 13 tackles and had two pass breakups and one interception. He now leads the team with 64 tackles on the year, including 43 solo stops.

SPECIALIST — Kevin Marion, Wake Forest, Wide Receiver, 5-10, 168, Sr., St. Petersburg, Fla. In the Demon Deacons’ 37-10 win at home this weekend against North Carolina, Marion had two huge returns for a total of 181 yards and one touchdown. In the first half, he returned one 98 yards for a touchdown to give Wake Forest a 17-3 lead, and later, he returned another 83 yards to set up another Deacons score. Marion currently leads the ACC, and the nation, with an average of 33.9 yards per return for the No. 21 Demon Deacons.

ROOKIE — Jake Vermiglio, NC State, Offensive Tackle, 6-4, 297, Fr., Rochester, Mich. Vermiglio, a true freshman for the Wolfpack, played 77 offensive snaps at left tackle on Saturday against Virginia. Going up against All-American candidate Chris Long for much of the day, he earned a grade of 85, limiting Long to five tackles and one sack on the day and allowing quarterback Daniel Evans to have one of the best days of his career. With Vermiglio on the line, NC State accumulated 347 yards passing and 431 yards overall as the Wolfpack pulled off the upset win.