Georgia running back Todd Gurley was one of four players nationally who provided game-changing plays and have been named to the Paul Hornung Award Weekly Honor Roll for the opening week of the 2014 season. The weekly recognition honors versatile, single-game performances around the nation by FBS student-athletes.
The Paul Hornung Award, presented by Texas Roadhouse, is awarded annually to the most versatile player in major college football. The winner and his family will be honored in late January 2015 at a banquet presented by KentuckyOne Health at the Galt House Hotel and Suites in downtown Louisville.
Gurley set a school record with 293 all-purpose yards and scored four touchdowns to help the Bulldogs down Clemson 45-21. He notched his 14th career 100-yard rushing game with a career-high 198 yards and three scores on just 15 carries, including a 51-yard touchdown on his final carry. Gurley also returned a kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown, his second career 100-yard return for a score.
Georgia (1-0, 0-0 SEC) has a bye week before traveling to Columbia, S.C., to face South Carolina (0-1, 0-1) on Sept. 13. Rockin’ 106.3 FM (WGMK-Donalsonville) will broadcast the game with kickoff at 3:30 p.m.
BIRMINGHAM, AL. — With the first week of college football in the books, the Southeastern Conference released its first football weekly honors list. The players acknowledged for their accomplishments in week one represented a total of six SEC teams.
CO-OFFENSIVE PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Kenny Hill, QB, Texas A&M
• Hill established a new single-game passing mark by completing 44-of-60 passes for a record 511 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions. (old record was held by Johnny Manziel with 464 passing yards against Alabama in 2013.)
• Hill became only the sixth SEC quarterback to pass for more than 500 yards in a game.
• He also rushed seven times for a net five yards.
• His played helped snap the nation’s longest home winning streak as the Gamecocks had won 18-straight at home.
Todd Gurley, RB, Georgia
• Finished with a school record 293 all-purpose yards (former record 290, Rodney Hampton, 1987) and scored four touchdowns to help down the Tigers 45-21.
• He finished with his 14th career 100-yard rushing game after going for a career-high 198 yards and three scores on just 15 carries (13.2 average).
• He had scoring runs of 23 and 18 yards and a 51-yard touchdown midway through the fourth quarter on his final carry.
• Gurley also tied an NCAA record by returning a kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown. This marked his second career 100-yard return for a score after he returned one against Buffalo during his first game as a Bulldog versus Buffalo.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Amarlo Herrera, LB, Georgia
• Tied his career high and posted his ninth career game with 10+ tackles after recording 12 stops, including two sacks and 3.5 tackles for loss.
• Anchored a defense that held #16 Clemson scoreless in the second half and to just 15 yards of total offense in the final two quarters.
• Led a defense that featured a new defensive coaching staff and three new starters in their first game together.
SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Adam Griffith, PK, Alabama
• Perfect 4-4 on field goals from 47, 41, 27 and 45 yards.
• Averaged 64.7 on kickoffs with 3 touchbacks on 7 attempts.
FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK
Daniel Carlson, P, Auburn
• In his first career game, averaged 53.3 yards on three punts with two inside the 20.
• Punt of 62 yards was the longest by an Auburn player since 2006.
• Seven-of-eight kickoffs were for touchbacks.
• Six-for-six on PATs and connected on 1-of-2 field goals.
• Handles all punts, kickoffs and placekicking duties for the Tigers.
On Saturday, September 6, the Auburn Tigers host San Jose State in Auburn. Listen to the game live on Classic Hits 99.3 FM / 930 AM and WSEM 1500AM!
OFFENSIVE LINEMAN OF THE WEEK
Jon Toth, C, Kentucky
• Graded at 91 percent in UK’s 59-14 win over UT Martin.
• Had no penalties or missed assignments and did not allow a quarterback sack.
• Credited with three knockdown blocks.
• Part of the UK attack that generated 656 yards total offense, the fourth-highest game in school history.
DEFENSIVE LINEMAN OF THE WEEK
Preston Smith, DE, Mississippi State
• Smith picked off his first career pass early in the first quarter that halted a Southern Miss drive and then blocked a 30-yard field goal attempt in the third quarter to preserve MSU’s first shutout since 1999.- The blocked FG was picked up by Jay Hughes and returned 70 yards for a touchdown.
• Smith also added two tackles, one quarterback hurry and one pass breakup. It was Smith’s second career blocked field goal.
• Smith was part of an MSU unit that limited USM to just 2.2 yards per carry and 71 yards on the ground.
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