Tag Archives: Rashad Greene

ACC Football Player of the Week, Week 11: Michael Rocco, Virginia

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Virginia QB Michael Rocco is the ACC Player of the Week for Week 11

Each week, we’ll be identifying the best ACC player from that weekend’s games. As always, it’s a completely arbitrary award with no specific criteria beyond the vague concept of “excellence.” No, we don’t take write-ins.

ACC Player of the Week, Week 11: Michael Rocco, QB/Virginia

Considering what a mess this year has been for UVa and Rocco, it’s kind of amazing we’ve arrived here. With the Hoos’ season hanging in the balance, the junior passer finally appeared to step up and own the starting role, leading his team to a thrilling 41-40 victory over Miami on Saturday. After throwing just 38 total passes over the past four weeks, Rocco went 29-of-37 in this one, for 300 yards and four touchdowns. The completions (29), completion percentage (78.4) and touchdown total (four) were all career highs, as were his 18 consecutive completions during the game, but the focus should truly be on the final drive of the game. Down 40-35 with about two-and-a-half minutes remaining, Rocco led a 16-play, 87-yard drive culminating in a Jake McGee touchdown grab with just six seconds left on the clock. Obviously both the team and its quarterback have plenty of work to do if they truly hope to salvage the 2012 season, but this weekend, they took a definitive step in the right direction.

Honorable Mention:

Alec Lemon, WR/Syracuse (9 catches, 176 yards, 2 TD)

Ryan Nassib, QB/Syracuse (15/23 passing, 246 yards, 3 TD)

Rashad Greene, WR/Florida State (6 catches, 125 yards, 2 TD)

Duke Johnson, RB/Miami (368 all-purpose yards, 1 TD, 1 TD pass)

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ACC Football 2012 Week 11 Lessons: Florida State Very Lucky, Yet Still in Control

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Florida State Was All Smiles Last Week, But the ‘Noles Weren’t Too Far Away From a Loss Either

Each Monday morning, we compile our top five takeaways from the weekend’s action. Here’s what we got out of Week 11 of ACC football action:

1. Florida State still in the Atlantic driver’s seat… barely: While we’re happy to commend the Seminoles for pulling out their last-minute victory over Virginia Tech last Thursday, we must look at the other side of the coin, too. Despite their talent on both sides of the ball, FSU could’ve very well lost their second game to a double-digit underdog this year. And much of it is due to Jimbo Fisher’s overly-conservative play-calling, along with some luck that could have easily gone the other way. The late safety could’ve instead been a touchdown for Tech. EJ Manuel‘s late strike to Rashad Greene — had the Hokies taken proper pursuit angles, maybe they never see the end zone. Or Logan Thomas‘s deep ball to Demitri Knowles on the final drive may have been part of a game-winning drive, instead of an INT. So, yes, Florida State won. But they have work to do.

2. Does anyone want to win the Coastal division?: After this past weekend’s action, it sure doesn’t look like it. Virginia Tech just couldn’t seem to hang on against FSU on Thursday. Miami took its commanding lead and squandered it in a 41-40 upset to Virginia. And North Carolina — while ineligible to play for the league championship this season — gave up its shot at possessing the division’s best record by losing a barnburner to Georgia Tech, a team suddenly very much alive in the race again. No one in the division will have a record better than 8-4, and the champion very well may finish 7-5. Ugh.

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ACC 2012 Season Preview: Florida State Seminoles

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If Florida State Wants to Win the ACC in 2012, They’ll Need the Offense, Led by E.J. Manuel, to Produce

Team: Florida State Seminoles

2011 W-L: 9-4 (5-3)

Head Coach: Jimbo Fisher (19-8; two seasons)

Returning Starters: 17 (9 Offense, 8 Defense)

After what had appeared like ages to ‘Noles fans, 2011 was supposed to be the “return to glory” for a team that at one point finished in the top five for 14 straight seasons. But a 2-3 start derailed it all in a hurry, and once again, we entered wait-and-see mode, a common occurrence over the past decade in Tallahassee. By most standards, the Seminoles were successful in how they rebounded to win seven of their final eight games, en route to a 9-4 overall record last year. However, Florida State doesn’t operate by “most standards.”

Florida State’s overall offensive production (30.9 points per game) may look impressive, but then you see that they only put up 22.7 per game in seven contests against bowl-bound teams. Peering even further into the schedule, you’ll also find that FSU beat just five FBS teams with winning records — the first such win not appearing until October 29 against NC State. But of course, that was last year’s team.

This year’s team faces an even more manageable schedule, and thus, promises to put up even more impressive point totals. The group is also more talented, however, though they’ll be counting on senior QB E.J. Manuel in order to harness all that talent. While he struggled for efficiency at times last year, he still managed to progress into a competent, confident passer; one that threw for 2,666 yards and 18 scores with a 65-percent completion rate. With another year under his belt, and an experienced offensive line in front of him, you’d only figure he’d improve in 2012. But he’ll also need to see more from his receivers. Despite the nice stat sheet for Manuel, he still doesn’t have a true number-one target and instead deals with an inconsistent group of experienced receivers. Sophomore Rashad Greene will likely enter the season as the top receiver, though nothing’s carved in stone. His fellow wide receivers Rodney Smith and Cristian Green are equally likely to push for minutes and catches, making it anything but a clear-cut decision.

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Champs Sports Bowl Recap: Florida State over Notre Dame, 18-14

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Florida State's EJ Manuel Led a Fourth-Quarter Seminoles Rally for an 18-14 Champs Sports Bowl VictoryFl

What happened: After a lackluster first three quarters, the Florida State Seminoles rallied in the fourth to beat the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the Champs Sports Bowl, 18-14. In spite of two missed two-point conversions in the period, Florida State’s offense managed to put up the necessary points for an 11-point comeback and four-point win. The Seminoles’ defense was stellar all game, creating three turnovers, including two in the endzone. Their strong play on that side of the ball held the Irish offense at bay just long enough to let FSU quarterback EJ Manuel go to work, connecting on two big passing scores in the final quarter’s first few minutes. For much of the contest, Irish QB Tommy Rees struggled, forcing bad throws and ultimately dooming his team to the close loss with a late pick in the Seminoles’ endzone.

Who’s to blame: Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly, for his mostly uninspired gameplan, to start. But mostly, it comes down to an inefficiency for the aforementioned Rees to ever truly get the momentum going on offense — especially when his team was counting on him late in the game. Two endzone interceptions (especially the one with three minutes remaining in the contest) directly removed points off the board for the Irish, and were the exclamation points on a poor evening which saw him complete just 16 of 27 passes, for 163 yards. In spite of holding the lead for three quarters, Notre Dame only had 90 rushing yards, and receiver Michael Floyd was held mostly in check, catching just five passes for 41 yards and a touchdown.

It Was Over When: Tommy Rees threw the aforementioned late interception. Though the final score was decided far earlier, when FSU kicker Dustin Hopkins connected on a 29-yard field goal with about eight minutes to go. Notre Dame was completely shut out in the fourth, and their inability to move the ball, and costly turnovers were what doomed them in the end.

Game Ball Goes To: Manuel, for completing 65 percent of his passes for 249 yards and two late touchdowns. With the running game a non-factor (just 41 total yards on the ground), it was up to Manuel and the passing game to deliver when it mattered most, and they did. Consideration also goes to FSU receiver Rashad Greene, who caught five passes for 99 yards and a touchdown — which ended up being the go-ahead score with 13 minutes to play.

Prediction Update: As predicted, it was a close game between these two storied programs, with the contest ultimately coming down to a fourth-quarter rally. With the Florida State win, that now moves me up to 2-1 on the ACC bowl season, with six contests still to go. Same goes for the ACC, which is trying to notch a .500 bowl record for the first time since 2006.