TEXAS, Sporting Alert – The SEC announced its conference Players of the Week for Week 1 with two Texas A&M players, including true freshman Christian Kirk among those recognized.
Kirk, who was one of the main highlights in the Aggies’ 38-17 upset victory over No. 15 Arizona State on Saturday, was named SEC Freshman of the Week after his performance.
He accumulated 224 combined yards, including 106 receiving yards on six receptions with a 66 yard touchdown.
Kirk also had two punt returns for 82 yards, including a 79-yard punt return for a touchdown, while adding another 36 yards total on two kickoff returns.
He also became the first Texas A&M freshman to journal over 100 yards receiving on debut.
Fellow teammate and linebacker Daeshon Hall, who picked up seven total tackles, including four solo quarterback sacks, and forced two fumbles – was named the SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week.
Hall also led his team’s nine-sack effort against the Sun Devils, the most by the Texas A&M defense in a single game in 20-years.
His constant disruptive efforts on defense, which saw him taking down the quarterback four time, resulted in him matching the four-sack efforts from former A&M All-Americans Jacob Green, Ray Childress and John Roper.
He sits behind the five-sack display of Alex Morris, who achieved the school record against Houston in 1987.
In other SEC weekly college football honours, Kyler Kerbyson of Tennessee was named the Offensive Lineman of the Week for the conference, while Alabama’s Derrick Henry, who had an impressive performance in his team’s season opener, was named the SEC Running back of the Week.
The Full SEC Weekly Honours – Week 1
OFFENSE
Derrick Henry, RB, Alabama
- Junior running back rushed for 141 yards and three touchdowns on just 13 carries.
- Set career highs in yards (141) and rushing touchdowns (3).
- Averaged a career-best 11.3 yards (min. 10 carries) per carry.
- Broke free for touchdowns runs of 37, 56 and 2 yards.
- Also caught two passes for 12 yards to account for 159 yards of total offense.
- Had four rushes of 10 or more yards while accounting for five first downs.
DEFENSE
Skai Moore, LB, South Carolina
- Junior linebacker led the team with 10 tackles and came up with a pair of interceptions, both in the end zone, preserving the Gamecocks’ 17-13 win over North Carolina.
- The Tar Heels marched down the field on their opening drive, moving 58 yards in six plays before Moore intercepted a pass in the end zone on a 3rd-and-goal play from the 7-yard line. Then with just a little over three minutes left in the contest, Moore again picked off a pass in the end zone, this time on a 4th-and-goal from the 8.
- The Gamecocks were able to run out the clock and secure the victory. Moore now has nine interceptions in his career.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Daniel Carlson, PK, Auburn
- Kicked a career-long 56 yard field goal, was a perfect 3-for-3 on PATs and all six kickoffs were for touchbacks in the Tigers’ 31-24 win over Louisville.
- The field goal was tied for the third longest in school history and longest since Philip Yost’s 57 yarder in 2003.
- It tied for the 13th longest in SEC history and longest in the SEC since Marshall Morgan of Georgia’s 56 yarder in 2013.
- Has now kicked back-to-back 50+ yard field goals in consecutive games dating back to the 2015 Outback Bowl when he had a 51 yard field goal. He is the just the third AU placekicker with FG’s of 50+ yards in back to back games.
FRESHMAN
Christian Kirk, WR/PR/KR, Texas A&M
- True freshman Christian Kirk was back to return for Texas A&M on the first kickoff of the 2015 season. The youngster compiled 224 all-purpose yards, including 106 receiving yards on six receptions including one touchdown for 66 yards, two punt returns for 82 yards including a 79-yard punt return for a touchdown to go along with two kickoff returns for 36 yards total including a long of 24 yards.
- It marked the first punt return for a touchdown for Texas A&M since 2012 and his weaving 66-yard TD reception iced the game in the fourth quarter.
- Kirk became the first Aggie freshman to log over 100 yards receiving in his debut game with his 106-yard receiving effort.
OFFENSIVE LINE
Kyler Kerbyson, OL, Tennessee
- Kerbyson headed up the Vols’ offensive line which led the way for 604 yards of total offense including 399 rushing yards in a 59-30 win over Bowling Green.
- The rushing yardage total was the most since the Vols rushed for 406 yards vs. Vanderbilt in 1994.
- Tennessee had a pair of 100-yard running backs in a game for the first time since 2009 vs. Western Kentucky as Alvin Kamara (144) and Jalen Hurd (123) each broke the century mark.
- Joshua Dobbs also threw for 205 yards and was sacked just once.
- Tennessee’s 59 points were the most since that Western Kentucky (63 points) game, which opened the 2009 season.
DEFENSIVE LINE
Daeshon Hall, DL, Texas A&M
- Playing opposite of All-American defensive end Myles Garrett, Daeshon Hall recorded seven total tackles with four of those being quarterback sacks totaling 20 yards in losses. He also forced two fumbles.
- The four sacks marked the second-best single game behind record holder Alex Morris’ five sacks vs. Houston in 1987.
- The Aggie defensive recorded nine sacks on the day totaling 49 yards in losses and recorded 14 tackles for losses which is the most of the Kevin Sumlin era at Texas A&M.
