Caleb Chandler Named Co-Offensive Lineman of the Week in ACC

Mark BlankenbakerOctober 25, 2021

The Atlantic Coast Conference Football Players of the Week have been recognized following their standout performances in last weekend’s games.

The selections are determined by a vote of a select media panel. The following are this week’s honorees:

QUARTERBACK – Sam Hartman, Wake Forest, So., QB, Charlotte, N.C.
Finished with career highs of 458 yards and five touchdowns on 23-of-29 passing in Saturday’s 70-56 win at Army • Also scrambled for 22 yards and another score • Sixth-most passing yards in Wake Forest single-game history and ranks second in the Dave Clawson era, trailing only John Wolford’s 461-yard performance against Louisville in 2017 • The five passing touchdowns tied the program record • Through seven games, Hartman ranks 11th in the nation with 2,073 passing yards and 10th nationally with 19 passing touchdowns.

RUNNING BACK – Jaylan Knighton, Miami, Fr., RB, Deerfield Beach, Fla.
Totaled a career-high 166 all-purpose yards in Saturday night’s 31-30 win over NC State, including 83 receiving yards and a 53-yard touchdown catch, along with a career-best 21 carries for 83 rushing yards • His six receptions versus the Wolfpack were also a career high.

RECEIVER – Dontayvion Wicks, Virginia, So., WR, Plaquemine, La.
Earned ACC Receiver of the Week accolades for the second week in a row • Finished UVA’s 48-40 victory over Georgia Tech with six receptions for 168 yards and a pair of touchdowns • Averaged 28 yards per catch on the day • His first touchdown grab came when he high-pointed the ball between two Georgia Tech defenders in the end zone on a 13-yard play • His second TD came on a catch-and-run that he turned into a 77-yard scoring play that put the Cavaliers in front to stay.

CO-OFFENSIVE LINEMAN – Caleb Chandler, Louisville, Jr., OG, Jefferson, Ga.
Didn’t allow a sack for the second-straight game in Louisville’s 28-14 win over Boston College • Graded out at 90 percent in the win • Helped a Louisville offensive attack that averaged 7.0 yards per carry while amassing 331 yards and four rushing touchdowns.

CO-OFFENSIVE LINEMAN – Carter Warren, Pitt, Sr., OT, Paterson, N.J.
Pitt’s highest-graded offensive lineman in Saturday’s 27-17 win over Clemson • Did not allow a sack and was frequently at the point of attack for a rushing game that churned out 162 yards • The Panthers totaled 464 total yards, the first time this season Clemson has yielded more than 400 yards in a game.

DEFENSIVE LINEMAN – Rondell Bothroyd, Wake Forest, So., DE, Manchester, Conn.
Recorded a game-high 10 tackles, including 1.5 tackles for loss and one sack, in Wake Forest’s 70-56 win over Army • Helped anchor a pass rush that has forced 16 turnovers on the season, tied for 10th in the country.

CO-LINEBACKER – SirVocea Dennis, Pitt, Jr., LB, Syracuse, N.Y.
Came up with perhaps the game’s most crucial play in Saturday’s 27-17 win over Clemson • With the Panthers ahead 14-7 early in the third quarter, Dennis intercepted a shovel pass at midfield and returned it 50 yards for a touchdown to give Pitt a 21-7 advantage at the 11:30 mark • Pitt’s lead did not fall below double-digits for the remainder of the game • First career touchdown for Dennis and the third defensive touchdown scored by Pitt this season, all via interceptions.

CO-LINEBACKER – James Skalski, Clemson, Sr., LB, Sharpsburg, Ga.
Registered a career-high 18 tackles in the Tigers’ loss at Pitt, tied for the third most by an FBS player in a single game this season • Fell one tackle shy of Clemson’s season high set by teammate Baylon Spector (19) at NC State in late September.

DEFENSIVE BACK – Traveon Redd, Wake Forest, Sr., SS, Martinsville, Va.
Returned an interception 83 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter of Saturday’s 70-56 win at Army • The interception return was the seventh-longest in Wake Forest program history and gave the Demon Deacons a two-score lead they never relinquished • Also registered seven tackles.

SPECIALIST – Jude Kelley, Georgia Tech, Fr., PK, Acworth, Ga.
Put Georgia Tech in position to nearly rally from a 21-point deficit with less than four minutes remaining by converting two perfectly executed onside kicks in the final two minutes of the Yellow Jackets’ 48-40 loss to Virginia • Also had a perfectly executed sky kick earlier in the second half that pinned UVA inside its own 10 yard line • Kelley is now a perfect 3-for-3 on onside kick attempts this year.

ROOKIE – Tyler Van Dyke, Miami, Fr., QB, Glastonbury, Conn.
Registered the best performance of his young career in Saturday night’s 31-30 win over No. 18 NC State • Set career marks in nearly every category, including passing yards (325), completions (25-for-33) and touchdowns (4), connecting on 75.8% of his passes and throwing zero interceptions in the upset of the Wolfpack at Hard Rock Stadium.