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Burd, McLeod and Pasztor Earn ACC Weekly Honors
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CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Virginia wide receiver Kris Burd, safety Rodney McLeod and offensive guard Austin Pasztor headline a list of nine players named as the ACC Football Players of the Week, announced by the conference on Monday. Burd was named ACC Receiver of the Week, McLeod was named ACC Defensive Back of the Week and Pasztor was named Co-Offensive Lineman of the Week, sharing the honor with Miami’s Tyler Horn.
Burd (Matoaca, Va.) caught nine passes for 112 yards in Virginia’s 31-13 win at Maryland. It was the seventh 100-yard receiving day of his career. The nine receptions tied a season high and the 112-yard performance was his second best game this season. This is the first career honor for Burd, the ACC added the receiver of the week accolade for the 2011 season. Prior to this season the wide receivers were in the offensive back category.
McLeod (Oxon Hill, Md.) had three interceptions (all in the second half in an 18-minute span) against the Terps. McLeod’s first pick came set up UVa’s second TD drive of the third quarter. Both of McLeod’s fourth-quarter interceptions came on fourth-down plays. McLeod also led the Cavaliers in tackles with seven. He becomes the first ACC player this season to record three interceptions. McLeod becomes the first Cavalier to intercept three passes in a game since Anthony Poindexter (current assistant coach) against NC State in 1996. He becomes the fourth FBS player this season to record three interceptions in a single game. The honor is McLeod’s first of his career and the first defensive back of the honor by a Cavalier since Chase Minnifield and Corey Mosley shared the honor in 2010 following the Miami game.
McLeod was also named the College Football Performance Awards’ National Defensive Back of the Week on Sunday.
Pasztor (Langton, Ontario) was nearly flawless in Virginia’s victory over Maryland. Pasztor played 83 plays and graded out at 93 percent. He had six knockdown blocks as the Cavaliers rushed for 220 yards (4.9 yards per carry) and threw for 307 yards while rolling up a season-high 527 yards. Pasztor and the Cavalier line did not allow a sack as quarterback Michael Rocco attempted 36 passes. It marked the second straight game the unit has not allowed a sack. This is the first career honor for Pasztor and the fifth time in nine games UVa has had an offensive lineman win the weekly accolade.