ESPN College Football

There were some amazing highlights from ACC players in 2011, but I've got 10 for you to rank as the most memorable:

1. Virginia Tech quarterback Logan Thomas vs. Miami: Thomas ran 19 yards for a touchdown on fourth-and-1 with 56 seconds to play, leading the Hokies to a thrilling 38-35 win against Miami. Thomas completed 23-of-25 passes for 310 yards with three touchdown passes and ran for two scores. His only two incompletions were a short pass that David Wilson dropped, and a ball that he threw away after picking up a bungled snap.

2. Georgia Tech running back Orwin Smith vs. Kansas: The first time Smith touched the ball -- on Tech’s first offensive play of the game -- he sprinted 95 yards for a touchdown, the longest rushing attempt in Georgia Tech history. Smith finished the game with 157 yards rushing and 108 yards receiving -- the first player in Yellow Jackets history to rush and receive for at least 100 yards in the same game. He was the first ACC player to accomplish that feat since Thomas Jones of Virginia in 1999.

3. Maryland defensive tackle Joe Vellano vs. Georgia Tech: He had 20 tackles against the Jackets, the most in a game by a defensive lineman in the FBS last season. “I told him after the game that was as good as anybody has played against one of my teams,” Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson said after the Oct. 8 game, according to the Washington Post. “Vellano may be the best [defensive] player we have faced in my four years at Georgia Tech.”

4. BC linebacker Luke Kuechly vs. NC State. Kuechly recorded a game-high 18 tackles, including nine during a 13-minute stretch of the fourth quarter of a 14-10 win against NC State. He missed a few plays after suffering a bruised right elbow early in the third quarter. Kuechly extended his nation-best streak to 32 games with double-digit tackles, and in the third quarter became the fifth player in ACC history to reach 500 tackles in his career.

5. Clemson defensive end Andre Branch vs. Virginia Tech: He finished with four sacks and six total tackles for loss in the 23-3 win against a top-10 Virginia Tech team. Branch tied the school record for both sacks and tackles for loss in a game.

6. Clemson quarterback Tajh Boyd vs. Auburn: He completed 30-of-42 passes for 386 yards and four touchdowns in a win that ended Auburn’s winning streak at 17 games and was Clemson's first win against Auburn in 60 years.

7. Miami running back Lamar Miller vs. Ohio State. He rushed for 184 yards on 26 carries in the Hurricanes’ 24-7 win against the Buckeyes.

8. Georgia Tech defensive back Jemea Thomas vs. Clemson: Making his first career start, Thomas made the first two interceptions of his career, both coming in the fourth quarter, to preserve a key Yellow Jackets victory against the eventual ACC champion. Thomas also forced a fumble, had a tackle for loss and recorded five tackles.

9. NC State cornerback David Amerson vs. Louisville in the Belk Bowl: He finished with two interceptions, including one he returned 65 yards for a touchdown in a 31-24 win against Louisville in the Belk Bowl. His first pick set the ACC record for interceptions in a season, and he finished the season with 13. It was the second-most interceptions in a single season in FBS history.

10 (three-way tie). There were three players who had a field day against a banged up, rookie-laden Maryland defense:

• Clemson receiver Sammy Watkins vs. Maryland: He accounted for 345 total yards and three touchdowns, helping Clemson climb out of an 18-point hole and beat the Terps 56-45.
• Boston College running back Rolandan Finch vs. Maryland: He had 243 yards rushing on 39 carries and two touchdowns in leading BC to a 28-17 win in the snow at Maryland. He was the Eagles' offense in their first ACC win of the season.
• Wake Forest receiver Chris Givens vs. Maryland: He had eight catches for 191 yards and a touchdown in a 31-10 win against Maryland.

Your turn.

What am I missing? Feel free to drop me a note in the mailbag with your nominations and votes for the top individual performances of 2011. If five plays get enough support, I'll do a separate post and we can vote on the No. 1 overall individual performance of 2011. Feel free to weigh in and I'll get back to it on Monday. What was the best play of the season?

Georgia Tech sophomore cornerback Louis Young will not play in the Hyundai Sun Bowl for disciplinary reasons, according to a school spokesman.

It's a significant loss, as Young started all 12 games this year for the Jackets and is tied for fourth on the team in tackles with 52. He also has three tackles for loss, five pass breakups, one interception and a forced fumble. Young seemed to be playing his best at the end of the season. He had his first career interception last month against rival Georgia, and he had a career-high seven tackles and a quarterback hurry the previous week at Duke.

Jemea Thomas could get the starting nod in place of Young. Despite not being a starter, Thomas is a talented defensive back and one Clemson fans might remember. In what was his first career start, Thomas had two interceptions — both in the fourth quarter — one tackle for loss, a forced fumble, two pass breakups and his first career punt return. He was named the ACC's Defensive Back of the Week. Michael Peterson and Jamal Golden will likely be Thomas' backups.

Here are the ACC's players of the week, as announced and written by the league offices in Greensboro, N.C.:

OFFENSIVE BACK – Rolandan Finch, Boston College, So., RB, 5-10, 209, New Albany, Ind.

Finch rushed for 243 yards and two touchdowns on 39 carries in Boston College’s 28-17 win at Maryland, establishing career highs for yards, carries and touchdowns and achieving the most yardage by a running back in the Atlantic Coast Conference this season. Finch’s rushing yardage ranks third on the school’s single-game list behind Montel Harris, who rushed for a BC-record 264 yards against NC State in 2009, and Phil Bennett who totaled 259 yards against Temple in 1972.

RECEIVER – Tommy Streeter, Miami, Jr., WR, 6-5, 215, Miami, Fla.

Streeter ended the game with 176 yards on five receptions and two touchdowns in the loss to Virginia on Thursday night. Entering the game, the Miami native ranked fifth nationally with a 20.4 yards per reception average. Of Streeter’s 28 receptions on the season, 12 have gone for 25 yards or more, including catches of 57, 51 and 26 yards against Virginia. Streeter’s 176 yards were a career-game high and his first 100-yard receiving game. The total was also good enough to rank ninth among Miami single-game performances.

OFFENSIVE LINEMAN – Oday Aboushi, Virginia, Jr., OT, 6-6, 310, Staten Island, N.Y.

Aboushi graded out at 89 percent on 64 plays and had 11 knockdown blocks to lead the UVa offensive line as it controlled the line of scrimmage in the Cavaliers' 28-21 victory at Miami. Virginia managed to rush for 207 yards, pass for 263 yards and pile up 470 yards of total offense against the Hurricanes. Aboushi and his linemates did not allow a sack as the Cavaliers attempted 21 pass plays. Miami entered the game ranked No. 3 in the ACC, averaging 2.71 sacks per game.

DEFENSIVE LINEMAN – Timmy Jernigan, Florida State, Fr., DT, 6-3, 297, Lake City, Fla.

Continuing his impressive true freshman campaign, Jernigan was once again a force in the middle from his defensive tackle position. Jernigan finished with a season-high five tackles (3 solos, 2 assists), including two tackles for loss and one sack for minus-9 yards. He also scooped up a Mike Glennon fumble and returned it 12 yards to set up a score as the Noles forced a season-high three turnovers against NC State. FSU’s defensive front was instrumental in limiting NC State to 36 rushing yards on 28 attempts and a season-low 166 total yards.

LINEBACKER – Zach Brown, North Carolina, Sr., LB, 6-2, 230, Columbia, Md.

Senior linebacker Zach Brown finished with nine tackles, including 2.5 tackles for loss, an interception, a sack, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery, in North Carolina's 49-24 win over Wake Forest. UNC scored on both of the possessions following Brown's turnovers. Brown now has a team-high 62 tackles this season with team-highs of 5.5 sacks and 9.5 tackles for loss.

DEFENSIVE BACK – Jemea Thomas, Georgia Tech, So., DB, 5-10, 190, Fitzgerald, Ga.

Thomas, who made his first career start, recorded the first two interceptions of his career en route to arguably Georgia Tech’s top individual defensive performance of the season. Thomas had five tackles, a tackle for loss, forced a fumble, broke up two passes and was the first Tech player in more than a year to pick off two passes in a game. Both of his INTs came in the fourth quarter -- the first one in the end zone that foiled Clemson’s chance to pull within a touchdown.

SPECIALIST – Shawn Powell, Florida State, Sr., P, 6-4, 235, Rome, Ga.

Powell punted only three times for a 41.3-yard average, but his contributions far exceeded the numbers. Two of his punts were of the rugby variety, aimed at neutralizing NC State return sensation T.J. Graham, and proved quite successful. Graham managed just one punt return for 1 yard, thanks to Powell’s directional punting and his teammates’ exceptional coverage work. His 41.0 net punting average for the game matches FSU’s net punting average on the season, which ranks sixth among all FBS schools. Powell continues to lead the ACC with a 45.2 punting average and is currently the top-ranked punter, by average, in Florida State history.

ROOKIE – Giovani Bernard, North Carolina, Fr., TB, 5-10, 205, Davie, Fla.

Redshirt freshman tailback Giovani Bernard had 27 carries for 154 yards and two rushing touchdowns in North Carolina's 49-24 victory over Wake Forest. Bernard also had his first touchdown reception, a 7-yard scoring catch-and-run to the pylon in the first quarter. He is the first Tar Heel to score three times in a game since tailback Shaun Draughn had three rushing touchdowns against East Carolina in 2010. Bernard’s 154 rushing yards were the most by a Tar Heel against Wake Forest since Ronnie McGill rushed for 244 yards in 2003. It was the most rushing yards allowed by the Deacons this year (previous was 136 by Virginia Tech’s David Wilson). Bernard has rushed 168 times for 965 yards and 11 touchdowns this year, an average of 5.7 yards per carry and 107.2 yards per game. His 11 rushing touchdowns are the most by a Tar Heel since Leon Johnson scored 12 times in 1995. Bernard rushed for 100-plus yards for the sixth time this season, tying the UNC record for 100-yard games by a freshman with Amos Lawrence (1977).

ATLANTA -- After miserable showings in back-to-back losses the past two weeks, many outside Georgia Tech’s program had already written off the Jackets for the season.

Coach Paul Johnson had warned not to do that. Repeatedly.

“Like I said earlier,” he said, “let us finish the season before you do our tombstone.”

After a 31-17 win over No. 5-ranked Clemson on Saturday night, Georgia Tech suddenly has new life. This should come as no surprise, though, to ACC fans who have followed the Yellow Jackets under Johnson. This is a coach -- and in turn a team -- that thrives on proving people wrong. A team that gives the most when fans expect the least. A team that is at its best when the odds are against it. Johnson will tell you about the youth on his team, especially up front, that no doubt has played a role in the team’s inconsistency. But at the heart of Saturday’s upset of undefeated Clemson was an underlying desire to prove Georgia Tech is still a contender -- and to prove doubters wrong.

“I prefer it that way,” said quarterback Tevin Washington. “Nobody gives you a shot.”

Why would they? Georgia Tech was held to season lows offensively in each of the past two weeks. The Yellow Jackets scored just seven points in the loss at Miami. The defense had been average at best all season, and was going to face a Clemson offense that had just scored more than 50 points in each of its past two wins. Georgia Tech wasn’t supposed to win this game, but it did, and it deserved to.

"We know what we can do as a team," Washington said. "It's not about falling down. It's about getting back up."

Both teams have tripped this season, but on Saturday night, Clemson took the harder fall. Considering Clemson’s infamous reputation for losing games it is expected to win, the Tigers’ letdown was actually less of a surprise than how well Georgia Tech played after dreadful performances in Coastal Division losses at Virginia and Miami. This wasn’t the same Georgia Tech team we’ve seen the past two weeks. It was arguably the most complete, convincing performance the Yellow Jackets have had all season, and it came against the best competition they’ll see this year.

“We played with some emotion and some intensity,” Johnson said. “We played better. They are 18- to 21-year-olds, they are a young football team. I keep telling people that, but they don’t want to listen.”

If Georgia Tech plays the way it did against Clemson when they take on Virginia Tech on Nov. 10, the Hokies’ slim lead in the Coastal Division standings could be in jeopardy. Washington ran for 176 yards, a school record for a quarterback. Jemea Thomas had two interceptions. The Jackets were 5-of-6 in the red zone with four touchdowns. The offense racked up 443 yards while the defense forced four turnovers and held Clemson to just 95 rushing yards. Clemson had just three points and 132 yards of total offense in the first half.

One of the biggest plays of the game was made by Georgia Tech’s defense, which hasn’t gotten much credit if any at all this season. Clemson’s Rashard Hall returned an interception to the Georgia Tech 9-yard line with just fewer than 11 minutes left in the game. Thomas then answered with an interception for Georgia Tech in the end zone, spoiling the Tigers’ best shot at making a comeback.

“We knew we had a bunch of doubters and whatnot because of the last two games; we just pulled together,” Thomas said. “We knew we had to use each other to get through it and get done. With adversity, you’ve either got to stand up or lay down. I think we’ve got the type of team where we’re going to stand up and come back and just fight no matter how hard the situation is.”

Clemson is still the front-runner to win the ACC’s Atlantic Division, especially after Wake Forest’s loss to North Carolina earlier on Saturday. Bigger dreams, though, will have to wait.

“They just flat-out whipped us, out-executed us, and no excuses,” said Clemson coach Dabo Swinney.

No national titles, either. For that, Georgia Tech got the tombstone out.

ATLANTA -- Another undefeated team went down, as No. 5 Clemson was humbled ATLANTA, Ga. -- Another undefeated team went down, as No. 5 Clemson was humbled by a Georgia Tech team that played its best game of the season. Here's a quick analysis of the upset in Bobby Dodd Stadium: 31-17 by a Georgia Tech team that played its best game of the season. Here's a quick analysis of the upset in Bobby Dodd Stadium:

How the game was won: Georgia Tech quarterback Tevin Washington led an offensive outburst that hadn't been seen in weeks, and Clemson's defense had no answer for it. The Tigers beat themselves with four turnovers, and Washington -- the game's leading rusher -- ran all over the Tigers. Without injured Clemson running back Andre Ellington in the game (ankle), the Tigers were missing an experienced blocker. Both Mike Bellamy and D.J. Howard, who started in place of Ellington, fumbled. Georgia Tech's defense had the better day and never let Clemson gain any momentum.

Turning point: With just less than 11 minutes remaining in the game, Clemson's defense got what could have been a game-changing interception, but on the following play, Clemson quarterback Tajh Boyd threw an interception in the end zone. Clemson was trailing 31-17 when Rashard Hall intercepted Washington and ran it back 26 yards, setting up the Tigers on the Georgia Tech 9-yard line. A touchdown would've put the comeback in reach, but Boyd threw the ball to Georgia Tech's Jemea Thomas, and it was a soul-sucking play for the Clemson sideline.

Player of the game: Georgia Tech quarterback Tevin Washington: He ran for 176 yards, and his 56-yard run in the third quarter set up a touchdown that gave the Jackets the 31-10 lead.

Unsung hero of the game: Safety Jemea Thomas: His interception in the end zone helped squash a potential comeback by Clemson, and he also had a tackle for loss, five tackles and two pass breakups. It was Thomas' first interception of the season, and he added another with 1:06 remaining in the game.

What Georgia Tech learned: The defense is better. All through this season, Georgia Tech's defense has shown a slim bit of improvement in the second year under coordinator Al Groh, but against Clemson, it took an important step and had arguably its most impressive performance of the season. This was against a Clemson offense that had scored more than 100 points in its past two games combined.

What Clemson learned: It's not ready to shake its infamous reputation just yet. Even some of the most loyal Clemson fans out there have been waiting for the one game where Clemson trips up against an opponent it is favored to beat. The Tigers' defense still hasn't figured out how to beat the spread option offense, and Georgia Tech will continue to be a problem for Clemson until it does.

What it means: The ACC's hopes at having a team play for the national title and/or having two teams play in BCS bowls this year are all but over. Even as an undefeated team, Clemson's chances were slim, but a loss to an unranked Georgia Tech team will likely keep the Tigers out of the national picture. It also means that the gap between Clemson and the rest of the ACC no longer seems so wide.

We've already looked at who and what to watch in the Atlantic Division this spring. Here's a breakdown of three issues facing each program in the Coastal Division:

DUKE

Spring practice starts: Feb. 16

Spring game: March 26

What to watch:

• Jim Knowles taking over as defensive coordinator. After coaching the safeties last season, Knowles was promoted in late January following the departure of Marion Hobby to coach Clemson’s defensive line. It’s not a complete overhaul on defense, but for the third time in as many seasons, a different person will be calling the plays. Knowles has also assumed the lead role with Duke’s practice scheduling and weekly preparation.
• New faces at linebacker. Duke graduated its leading tackler from 2010, Abraham Kromah, and freshman All-American Kelby Brown is out while recovering from knee surgery. Those two slots will be wide open this spring and the competition will be among Austin Gamble, C.J. France, Tyree Glover and Kevin Rojas.
• Offensive line shuffling. The Blue Devils return four starters up front, but they’ll be missing the glue of the line in Bryan Morgan, who graduated. Brian Moore, who has started the past two seasons at right guard, will make the transition to center. John Coleman and Laken Tomlinson are expected to compete for the right guard spot.

GEORGIA TECH

Spring practice starts: March 28 (tentative)

Spring game: April 23

What to watch:

• Starting quarterback competition. Tevin Washington enters the spring at No. 1 on the depth chart, and it's his job to lose, as he has the most experience after taking over for injured starter Joshua Nesbitt in 2010. Synjyn Days will give him legitimate competition this spring, though, and it will increase this summer with the addition of standout recruit Vad Lee to the roster. For now, though, it’s between Washington and Days, as David Sims is expected to move to B-back.
• Offensive line reshuffling. Georgia Tech will have to replace three starters in all-conference center Sean Bedford, right tackle Austin Barrick and left tackle Nick Claytor, who decided to leave early for the NFL draft. Phil Smith, Barrick’s backup last year, is the only one with any experience at tackle. The staff will likely have to move a player or two from guard to tackle, and only it knows who those candidates might be right now.
• Revamped secondary. Jerrard Tarrant's decision to leave school early and enter the NFL draft left the Jackets without any returning starters in the secondary. Junior cornerback Rod Sweeting, sophomore cornerback Louis Young, redshirt freshman cornerback Ryan Ayers and sophomore safety Fred Holton are front-runners, but they all have a lot to prove this spring. Holton and Young played sparingly as true freshmen and combined for 21 tackles. Sweeting played in all 13 games and had one fumble recovery and eight passes defended, including one interception. Senior cornerback Michael Peterson may help, and safety Jemea Thomas played as a true freshman in 2009 but redshirted last year. There’s some talent, but the inexperience makes it a question mark.

MIAMI

Spring practice starts: March 5

Spring game: April 9 or 16

What to watch:

• New staff, new schemes. Defensively, first-year coordinator Mark D’Onofrio will work with two other assistants who were with him and first-year coach Al Golden at Temple, so there is familiarity there. Linebackers coach Michael Barrow has to learn D’Onofrio’s system, but the players tend to pick it up faster if the majority of the staff is already acclimated to it. Offensively, everyone will be working together for the first time. Jedd Fisch wants to run a pure pro-style offense based on matchups, and the good news is that several of the assistants, because of their respective backgrounds, are already schooled in at least a version of it.
• Quarterback battle. Golden has said he would like to name a starter by the end of the spring, making these practices critical auditions for both Jacory Harris and Stephen Morris. Harris has both flourished and flopped as a starter for the Canes, and his injury last year gave Morris the opportunity he needed to win the people’s choice award. Has a new era of quarterback begun, or will Harris finally have the breakout season Miami fans have waited for in his final year as a Cane?
• Corner competition. Following the departures of Ryan Hill, DeMarcus Van Dyke and Brandon Harris, Brandon McGee is the only corner remaining on the roster with any significant experience. He played in 11 games, started one, and had 15 tackles. Redshirt freshman Devont’a Davis, sophomore Kacey Rodgers, and redshirt sophomore Jamal Reid will also compete for playing time. There are also several incoming freshmen who could be immediate contributors.

NORTH CAROLINA

Spring practice starts: March 16

Spring game: April 9

What to watch:

• The rookie quarterbacks. There’s no guarantee that Bryn Renner will be the Tar Heels’ starter in 2011, but he enters the spring slightly ahead of the race, as he was No. 2 on the depth chart last season and was pushing T.J. Yates for the starting job at this time a year ago. The staff would also like to see what true freshman Marquise Williams, who enrolled in January, has to offer. Braden Hanson and A.J. Blue will also compete for playing time. Blue was injured two years ago and redshirted last season.
• Running backs race. The Tar Heels graduated three key players from 2010: Johnny White, Anthony Elzy and Shaun Draughn. Ryan Houston is back for his fifth year after redshirting last year and is the most experienced of the returnees. Giovani Bernard was a true freshman last year and had been expected to get some playing time, but he tore his ACL on the third day of training camp. It’s not clear yet how much he’ll be able to participate this spring. Hunter Furr played sparingly last year and true freshman Travis Riley, who enrolled in January, are also in the mix.
• Another strong defensive line. If Quinton Coples was an all-conference selection as a defensive tackle, he could be scary good at his natural position, defensive end. Coples played there as a freshman and sophomore, but switched to tackle out of necessity last season. The defensive line should once again be the strength of the team, but it will be reconfigured again, as Coples’ move will leave a defensive tackle spot up for grabs. Junior college transfer Sylvester Williams, who enrolled in January, could fill that role.

VIRGINIA

Spring practice starts: March 16

Spring game: April 2

What to watch:

• The search for a new starting quarterback. With Marc Verica graduated, the lead contenders to replace him are the ones who saw the field last year -- Michael Rocco and Ross Metheny. Neither of them started, but Rocco played in six games and Metheny five. Nobody has thrown the ball more than Rocco’s 25 times. The staff will also look at Michael Strauss, who redshirted last year, Miles Gooch, and David Watford, who enrolled in January.
• Competition at running back. With leading rusher Keith Payne graduated, the question becomes what can Kevin Parks do after redshirting last year? There’s a lot of depth at the running back position, but Parks, the No. 56 running back in his class by ESPN.com and national prep record-setter out of the state of North Carolina, came to Charlottesville facing high expectations. With Payne gone, this could open the door for him to meet them, but returning starter Perry Jones will also be competing for carries.
• Development of the receivers. In January, Jared Green Tweeted that he had decided to transfer after finishing his degree in Charlottesville this spring, according to a school spokesman. His departure, coupled with the graduation of Dontrelle Inman, leaves the Cavaliers without two of their top wideouts from 2010. With Tim Smith coming off an injury, the development of other receivers will be critical -- especially with a new starting quarterback.

VIRGINIA TECH

Spring practice starts: March 30

Spring game: April 23

What to watch:

• Quarterback Logan Thomas. The Tyrod Taylor era is over, and Thomas is the front-runner to succeed the winningest quarterback in school history. Ju-Ju Clayton is the only other quarterback on the roster who’s ever taken a snap, and he’ll push Thomas this spring. It’s Thomas’ job to lose, but the staff is looking for him to improve his accuracy. He played quarterback in only his final two high school seasons and was projected as a tight end. He’s still raw and learning the position, but physically, he’s a clone of Cam Newton. If he develops some poise in the pocket, look out.
• Competition on the defensive line. The Hokies have to replace starters John Graves (defensive tackle) and Steven Friday (defensive end), who both graduated. They’ve got Antoine Hopkins and Chris Drager back, but it’s possible Drager could move back to tight end after starting 10 games at defensive end last year. Tackle Kwamaine Battle, who started the first two games before he tore his ACL and Hopkins took over, is another front-runner. Hopkins’ younger brother, Derrick, will also be in the mix, along with James Gayle and J.R. Collins. Redshirt freshman defensive end Zack McCray, the cousin of Logan Thomas, has also impressed the staff so far.
• Tight end auditions. The graduation of Andre Smith leaves the Hokies with only one returning tight end who’s caught a pass in a game, Randall Dunn (one). Redshirt freshman Eric Martin was the second tight end when the Hokies used two-tight end sets, but he missed three games mid-season with an injury.

Clemson wasn't the only ACC team to hold a scrimmage over the weekend.

FLORIDA STATE

Florida State held its final scrimmage before Saturday's spring game, and it turned into the Greg Reid show. Reid recorded four interceptions, including one that he returned 35 yards for a touchdown against the second-team offense. The sophomore cornerback picked off Clint Trickett and Will Secord in a matter of minutes.

"His instincts are incredible," Florida State quarterback Christian Ponder said. "He goes and makes plays and he loves the game of the football. ... He's everything you want in a football player."

Ponder also stepped up, completing 7 of 11 pass attempts for 188 yards while leading the first-team offense to a pair of scores. His 34-yard pass to Lonnie Pryor helped set up the first-team offense's only touchdown, a 1-yard Chris Thompson run. Secord led a seven-play scoring drive against the first-team defense and completed 2 of 7 passes.

Wide receiver Bert Reed recorded three receptions for 105 yards, and the run game got production from Pryor, Thompson, Ty Jones (5 carries, 33 yards) and Jermaine Thomas (3 carries, 21 yards).

"Lonnie Pryor, consistently day in and day out in everything he does ... is a really good football player," head coach Jimbo Fisher said. "There is no doubt, head and shoulders right now, he is the best pure football player. I think Chris Thompson did some things, I saw [Jermaine Thomas] do some things. I saw [Ty Jones] make a couple runs. ... Lonnie is Mr. Consistent, day in and day out."

GEORGIA TECH

The Yellow Jackets held their first spring scrimmage, highlighted by the run game and big plays from the secondary.

Quarterback Tevin Washington, who is competing for the backup job behind injured starter Josh Nesbitt, had runs of 55 yards and 40 yards and rushed for two touchdowns, but he struggled a bit in the passing game and threw an interception. Redshirt freshman David Sims tossed two interceptions.

“We missed reads and overall, we didn’t do a good job of passing the ball,” Washington told the Macon Telegraph. “I overshot some receivers a couple of times. Other than that, we’ve just got to settle down and get comfortable in the pocket. It’ll progress as the spring goes on."

The Georgia Tech offense recorded four touchdowns but had several procedure penalties and fumbles on the center-quarterback exchange.

Safeties Jemea Thomas and Mario Edwards and linebacker B.J. Machen recorded the interceptions. Other defensive standouts included end Jason Peters and linebackers Brad Jefferson and Brandon Watts.