Pitt Football: Three Players Capture ACC Weekly Honors
By Larry Snyder
A trio of Pitt football players were honored by the Atlantic Coast Conference, Monday, for their outstanding performances in the Panthers’ 45-37 win over the Youngstown State Penguins.
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The recognition began with redshirt freshman running back Qadree Ollison being named the Rookie of the Week. Senior outside linebacker Nicholas Grigsby was lauded as the Linebacker of the Week. Rounding out the accolades was sophomore cornerback Avonte Maddox, who was named the Specialist of the Week.
The 6-foot-2, 230-pound Ollison was central to the ground game as he rushed for 207 yards and a touchdown on just 16 carries. His spectacular debut came in the second half as he entered the contest following injuries to James Conner and Chris James. The Niagara Falls, New York native set a Pitt record for rushing yards by a freshman in a season opener. He shattered the record of Dion Lewis, who had 129 yards against YSU in 2009.
The first time Ollison carried the ball he went on a 46 yard sprint. His third attempt resulted in a 71-yard touchdown. He completed the contest with a 12.9 yards-per-carry average.
Grigsby issued 10 tackles, two quarterback sacks and three total tackles for loss against Youngstown State. All three were career highs. The Trotwood, Ohio native broke up one pass and recorded one quarterback hurry against the Penguins. The 6-foot-1, 220-pound outside linebacker’s tackles-for-a-loss (TFLs) added up to 19 total lost yards.
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With the First Pick
Maddox had fans on their feet when he delivered the special teams play of the contest. After a Youngstown State touchdown interception return that made the score 17-13 with 48 seconds left until halftime, Maddox ran the ensuing kickoff back 89 yards for a score. The 5-foot-9 sophomore restored Pitt’s lead to double digits. It was Blue and Gold’s first kickoff return for a touchdown in four seasons. The Detroit, Michigan native battled leg cramps during the game and averaged 46.7 yards on three kick returns.
The remaining ACC accolades went to Florida State redshirt senior quarterback Everett Golson as the Offensive Back of the Week. Senior guard Landon Turner of North Carolina claimed the Offensive Lineman of the Week. Junior wide receiver Johnell Barnes of Duke captured the Receiver of the Week. Redshirt senior defensive tackle Mehdi Abdesmad of Boston College collected the Defensive Lineman of the Week. Junior safety Josh-Harvey Clemons of Louisville brought home the Defensive Back of the Week.
Up Next: The Panthers (1-0) battle the Zips (0-1) Saturday, Sept. 12 at Infocision Stadium. The match-up gets underway at 6 p.m. Akron defeated Pitt 21-10 last season at Heinz Field. Head coach Terry Bowden’s squad lost their season opener 41-3 against the Sooners in Oklahoma.
Next: RMU: Richards Jr. Named NEC Defensive Player of the Week