Quartet of Cavaliers earn ACC weekly honors

Courtesy UVA Media Relations

Virginia had four student-athletes – QB Brennan Armstrong, WR Dontayvion Wicks, OL Bobby Haskins and DE Mandy Alonso – listed as ACC Players of the Week at their respective positions.

Armstrong was named the ACC Quarterback of the Week for the fourth time this season and joins Shawn Moore (1990) as UVA’s only four-time winner at the quarterback position. Alonso was honored for the second time in three weeks. Wicks and Haskins won the award for the first times in their careers.

Armstrong played just three quarters but still posted his sixth-straight 300-yard passing performance in a 48-0 win over Duke on Saturday. Of the 364 yards on the afternoon, 296 came in the first half along with both of his touchdowns passes. Armstrong also rushed for 34 yards including a scrambling TD run from seven yards out in the second quarter as UVA built a 34-0 halftime advantage. He averaged 14.6 yards per completion and passed for 19 first downs during the contest. Armstrong leads the country with 2,824 passing yards and went over 5,000-yard passing mark for his career, moving him into seventh place all-time on UVA’s career passing list with 5,199 yards.

After missing the final three quarters of the Louisville game due to injury, Wicks bounced back with an impressive showing. He caught seven passes (on nine targets) for 125 yards and one score. His receiving total was the best for ACC players on the week. He averaged 17.9 yards per reception. Wicks TD catch came on a 20-yard toss from Armstrong where he made an over-the-shoulder catch, his team-best sixth touchdown grab of the season.

Haskins was a consistent force on UVA’s offensive line in the Cavaliers’ 48-0 victory against Duke. Haskins graded out at 92 percent overall, 94 percent for run plays and 91 percent for pass plays. He allowed zero pressures from his left tackle position and accumulated seven pancake blocks during the game. Haskins helped the Cavaliers roll up 528 yards of total offense (including 164 rushing) and a total of 29 first downs.

Alonso had four tackles from his defensive line position in Saturday’s shutout victory over Duke, the second time this season UVA has blanked an opponent. The versatile Alonso saw looks at both DE and nose tackle and helped limit the ACC’s second-best rushing attack (218 ypg) to 110 yards on the ground. Duke running back Mataeo Grant, was held to 82 yards rushing, only the second time he was held under 100 yards on the ground this year. The 48-0 shutout was UVA’s largest in ACC play since defeating Miami, 48-0 in 2007. Virginia has two shutouts on the season (W&M, 43-0, Duke, 48-0). It marks the first time since 2008, UVA has two or more shutouts in the same season.