Two Football Players Receive Honors

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October 27, 1998

Clemson, SC – Virginia and Florida State each had two players named in the Atlantic Coast Conference top performers of the week following actoin from last Saturday. The Seminoles controlled the offensive again as Peter Warrick got the nod as the top back and Tarlos Thomas wrapped up the line honors.

For the Cavaliers, Patrick Kearney was selected as the defensive lineman of the week and Donnie Scott was the specialist. Rounding out the top six players of the week were Ray Robinson of NC State as the best rookie and Kenan Holley of Duke was named the league’s top defensive back.

Kearney was the leading defensive lineman for Virginia as he led the Cavalier line with a career high 12 tackles, which included nine solos and three assists. The senior defensive end from Newtown, PA, recorded two tackles for loss totalling seven yards and had both Cavalier sacks for nine yards in the 23-13 victory over NC State. Kearney also had seven quarterback pressures and a pass deflectoin.

Scott punted seven times, with six of the kicks being downed inside the 20-yard-line. Four of those were stopped inside the 10, as he kept the Wolfpack in bad field position all day. The first punt by the Rockville, MD punter traveled a career long 68 yards and was downed at the three-yard-line. His average for the day was 39.3 yards a kick.

Warrick scored three of the Seminoles four touchdowns as Florida State defeated Georgia Tech and knocked the Yellow Jackets from the undefeated ranks in the ACC. The junior from Bradenton, FL caught six passes for 82 yards and ran the ball for 21 more yards. He caught a 44-yard scoring pass from Chris Weinke on a third-and-26 play to end the first quarter and tie the game at seven-all. His eight -yard scoring catch put the Seminoles up 17-7 in the fourth period and he capped the night with a 16-yard scoring run on a reverse.

Thomas, a sophomore offensive tackle from Monticello, FL, provided perfect pass protection for Weinke, while the Florida State offense was running up 397 yards. Thomas played every snap and contributed four-and-a-half intimidation blocks and three cut blocks. He graded out at 92 percent for the game.

Holley started at free safety for the injured Eric Jones and recorded a career high 14 tackles and also picked off a pair of passes. The Woodlands, TX senior returned his first interception for 40 yards, and that set up a Duke touchdown. The second interception came on Clemson’s final drive and sealed the 28-23 Blue Devil victory. He also broke up a pass.

Robinson, a true freshman from Hilton Head, SC, made his third start of the season and rushed for 202 yards on 27 carries, including an 88-yard scoring run on the Pack’s third offensive play from scrimmage. Late in the second period, Robinson again got loose in the Cavalier secondary, this time gaining 62 yards before being brought down from behind at the Virginia 29-yard-line. That set up a 29-yard field goal. Robinson had 190 yards rushing at halftime. His 88-yard run was the second longest in NC State history, and is exceeded only by a 95-yard dash by Ted Brown against Syracuse in 1977.