\

Blacksburg, VA — I fully expected Virginia Tech’s freshman running back Ryan Williams to earn his seventh ACC Rookie of the Week award today. I was so convinced that his 120 yards rushing and four touchdowns, along with breaking the ACC’s freshman rushing record and tying the ACC freshman TD record was more than enough to lock up the award. I even had an article written last night and ready to go as soon as the announcement was released. I was wrong. Sort of.

I also figured that Cody Grimm would get his third Defensive Player of the Week award after tying an NCAA record with three forced fumbles in a game, so I got that right. But I missed on Williams getting another ROTW award.

Boston College freshman outside linebacker Luke Kuechly received that honor this afternoon when the weekly press release went out. Kuechly registered an ACC season-high 19 tackles, including eight solo and 2.5 tackles for loss, in the Eagles 31-13 loss to North Carolina.

I am not here to disparage or take away from Mr. Kuechly’s accomplishment because 19 tackles in a game is incredible, especially for a freshman. Plus, he did it against a pretty good rushing offense that was limited to 96 yards. I was just surprised, that’s all. I am merely surprised.

Perhaps Ryan Williams has set his bar so high that a paultry 120 yards and four rushing touchdowns in a game — which tied a Virginia Tech freshman record — and breaking the ACC’s freshman rushing record just aren’t enough considering what he’s done week in and week out this season.

Williams has become so dominant that he’s literally running over defenders and dragging them effortlessly into the end zone. He’s en route to becoming the most prolific running backs in Virginia Tech’s history. He already:

• owns the ACC and Tech freshman rushing records (1,355 with two games to play);
• obliterated Tech’s freshman scoring record and tied the ACC’s;
• crushed Tech’s freshman record for most 100-yard games in a season and has a shot at breaking the overall school record;
• has been named ACC Rookie of the Week six times;
• ranks seventh in the nation in rushing;
• named a Doak Walker Award semifinalist; and
• has been mentioned as a dark-horse Heisman candidate.

So, when you look accomplishments like those, 120 yards and four touchdowns doesn’t seem like a big deal.

I am not upset or outraged that Williams didn’t get his seventh ACC Rookie of the Week honor — Kuechly is more than deserving — I am just surprised that such a stellar performance did not warrant either Offensive Player of the Week or at least Rookie of the Week. 

I guess the ACC coaches figured that Williams has already made his mark and that another equally deserving performance, like that of Kuechly, should be recognized.

Regardless, it is an individual award that means more to media types like me than it does to the players. I guarantee that Williams, and even Kuechly, would gladly give up all six of his weekly awards for a win or two on the field.

Popularity: 42% [?]