Monday 11/06/2023
CLEMSON, S.C. – The Atlantic Coast Conference announced today that Clemson running back Phil Mafah (Running Back of the Week), center Will Putnam (Offensive Lineman of the Week), punter Aidan Swanson (Specialist of the Week) and linebacker Jeremiah Trotter Jr. (Linebacker of the Week) have all earned ACC Player of the Week honors in their respective categories for their performances in Clemson’s 31-23 defeat of No. 12 Notre Dame on Saturday.
Clemson’s four selections tie the school record for a single week, a feat most recently accomplished in 2013 following a win against Georgia. Clemson has earned eight ACC weekly honors this season and 573 ACC weekly honors since 1968.
Mafah earned his first career ACC Running Back of the Week award after a record-setting performance in the win against the Irish. Mafah recorded a career-high 186 rushing yards on a school-record-tying 36 carries and matched his career high with two rushing touchdowns.
Mafah’s 36 carries against the Irish tied the school record shared by Jim Shirley (36 against NC State in 1951), Ray Yauger (36 against Wake Forest in 1969) and Raymond Priester (36 against Maryland in 1997), and his 186 yards were the most by a Clemson player since Kobe Pace’s 191-yard rushing performance against Wake Forest in 2021.
Putnam earned his first ACC Offensive Lineman of the Week award of the season and the third of his career. His selection this week joins accolades garnered following games against Louisiana Tech and Miami (Fla.) a season ago.
On Saturday, Putnam graded out at 98 percent with six knockdowns according to Clemson’s coaching staff. In addition to helping Mafah to his career day on the ground, Putnam led an offensive line that helped Clemson limit Notre Dame to one sack despite starting its third different offensive line combination in as many weeks and its fifth different offensive line combination of the season. The veteran’s play contributed to Clemson’s 31 points, which more than doubled the per-game average surrendered by the Irish defense, which entered the game ranked 10th in the nation at 15.3 points per game.
Swanson’s selection as ACC Special Teams Player of the Week is the first of his career. He becomes the first Clemson player to earn the honor since Will Spiers in October 2020.
Against Notre Dame, Swanson placed a career-high five of his six punts inside the 20, and his lone punt that was not downed inside the 20 was a booming kick that resulted in a Notre Dame muff recovered by Clemson. He produced the most punts placed inside the 20 by a Clemson punter since Spiers in the National Championship Game to end the 2019 season (five vs. LSU).
Trotter’s selection was his first of the season and the third of his career. Last season, he collected ACC weekly honors for his performances against Florida State and South Carolina.
Against Notre Dame, Trotter recorded a game-high 11 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks and an interception, which he returned 28 yards for a touchdown. In doing so, he became only the fifth FBS player (and second Power Five player) since 2005 to post double-digit tackles, at least 2.5 tackles for loss, 2.0 or more sacks and a pick-six in a single game.
Today's school-record-tying four ACC Player of the Week selections represent the seventh single-week quartet of honors in Clemson history. https://t.co/5Fd83KJtyf pic.twitter.com/HM992gWA3a— Ross Taylor (@ClemsonFBRoss) November 6, 2023
Today's school-record-tying four ACC Player of the Week selections represent the seventh single-week quartet of honors in Clemson history. https://t.co/5Fd83KJtyf pic.twitter.com/HM992gWA3a
— Ross Taylor (@ClemsonFBRoss) November 6, 2023
December 8, 2024
