The Official Website of the Southeastern Conference
The Official Website of the Southeastern Conference

Week 13: Football Players of the Week

70 days ago
SEC Staff
Photo: SEC Staff

OFFENSIVE

 Devon Achane, RB, Texas A&M

  • The junior running back compiled 215 net rushing yards on 38 carries to go along with two, 10-yard touchdown scampers on the evening against LSU, ranked No. 5 in the latest CFP rankings.
  • The carries and yardage are both game career-highs for the two-sport standout (All-American sprinter as well as football player).
  • The 38 carries by an Aggie running back is the most since Darren Lewis toted 38 times against Texas back in 1988.
  • After being injured in the Florida contest and missing the last two games against Auburn and UMass, Achane eclipsed the 1,000-yard standard on the season with his first 200-yard rushing game as an Aggie and finishes with 1,102 yards on the ground this year.
  • The all-purpose back put together a season with 1,610 all-purpose yards, ninth on the Aggie all-time single-season list, and his 3,543 career all-purpose yards ranks 12th all-time at Texas A&M.

DEFENSIVE

 Marcellas Dial, DB, South Carolina

  • Dial was targeted 11 times, according to PFF, in the Gamecocks' 31-30 win over No. 7 Clemson on Saturday.
  • He allowed just one completion for 11 yards while recording three pass breakups and one interception.
  • He was also credited with two solo tackles, as the Gamecock defense held Clemson to just 8-of-29 passing for 99 yards.
  • In the second half, Clemson was just 3-of-16 passing for just 13 yards with Dial's interception.

 Demani Richardson, DB, Texas A&M

  • The senior defensive back played his final game at Kyle Field and tallied eight stops on the day and had the play of the game with a scoop and score in the third quarter with the game tied.
  • Linebacker Edgerrin Cooper caused the LSU quarterback to fumble and Richardson came in to scoop it up and returned it 27 yards for a touchdown to put the Aggies ahead to stay.

SPECIAL TEAMS

 Kai Kroeger, P, South Carolina

  • Kroeger showed why he's a semifinalist for the Ray Guy Award. Kroeger booted seven punts for a 53.7-yard average, including three of 60-yards or more with a long of 63, in the Gamecocks' 31-30 win over No. 7 Clemson.
  • Five of his seven punts pinned the Tigers inside the 10, including 3 inside the 5, as the Gamecocks netted 48.6-yards per punt.

FRESHMAN

 Conner Weigman, QB, Texas A&M

  • The true freshman quarterback from Cypress managed the game for the Aggies in the upset win over LSU.
  • Weigman was 12-of-18 passing for 155 yards and two touchdowns and did not throw an interception.
  • He also rushed seven times for a net of 21 yards picking up several crucial first downs.
  • The youngster has not thrown an interception during the 2022 season ending up 73-of-132 passing for 896 yards and eight touchdown passes.

 Dylan Sampson, RB, Tennessee

  • Sampson rushed for a career-high 131 yards on 12 carries and one touchdown as Tennessee dominated Vanderbilt, 56-0, for its first 10-win regular season since 2003.
  • It was Sampson's first career 100-yard game as he averaged 10.9 yards per carry.
  • A total of 118 of his 131 yards came after contact according to PFF.
  • Sampson's score came as he broke a tackle and dashed 80-yards in the fourth quarter.
  • That represented the second-longest rush by a freshman in UT single-game history behind only Eric Gray's 94-yard run vs. Vanderbilt in 2019.

OFFENSIVE LINE

 LaQuinston Sharp, C, Mississippi State

  • Started and played 79 snaps in State's victory over No. 20 Ole Miss in the Egg Bowl.
  • Posted the highest pass blocking grade (82.3) of any SEC center, according to PFF.
  • Did not allow a single sack or hit on the quarterback.

DEFENSIVE LINE

 Roman Harrison, DE, Tennessee

  • Harrison finished with career highs in tackles for loss (2.5) and sacks (2.0) to go along with four total tackles and a quarterback hurry as Tennessee shutout Vanderbilt, 56-0, for its first 10-win regular season since 2003.
  • The Vols posted their second shutout of the Josh Heupel era, and UT recorded its first shutout in an SEC game since blanking Vanderbilt, 48-0, on Nov. 22, 2003.

 Deone Walker, DL, Kentucky

  • Made multiple big plays at crucial times of the game as he totaled six tackles, one-half quarterback sack plus one-half additional tackle for loss, caused a fumble and had two quarterback hurries in Kentucky's 26-13 Governor's Cup win over No. 25-ranked Louisville.
  • Played a huge role in a first-quarter series when the Wildcats stopped Louisville on downs inside the UK 15-yard line; on first down Walker had a quarterback hurry that forced an incompletion; on second down, he shared a one-yard tackle for loss; UK got a turnover on downs on that series to preserve a 7-0 lead.
  • With Louisville having the potential to take the lead on the opening possession of the third quarter, Walker shared a nine-yard quarterback sack on the first play; UK forced a punt, kicked a field goal, and led by at least two possessions the remainder of the game.
  • Later in the third quarter, his QB hurry on third down forced a punt that UK turned into a field goal.
  • In the fourth quarter, he forced a fumble on a tackle.
  • Helped limit Louisville to 13 points and 309 yards total offense, well below their season averages of 28.5 points and 413.8 yards per game.