Clemson OT named ACC Blocker of the Year |
GREENSBORO, N.C. (theACC.com) – Clemson junior offensive tackle
Mitch Hyatt has been voted the winner of the 2017 Jacobs Blocking Trophy, the Atlantic Coast Conference announced on Sunday.
The Jacobs Blocking Trophy has been awarded annually since 1953 to the player selected the most outstanding blocker in the ACC by a poll of the league’s head coaches and defensive coordinators. Hyatt becomes the eighth student-athlete from Clemson to receive the honor and the first since offensive guard John Phillips in 1987. “Mitch is very deserving of this award,” said Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney. “I was surprised to find out that a Clemson player had not won the Jacobs Blocking Trophy since 1987. But what Mitch has accomplished this year and over the last three years has been significant, and winning this award just adds to his significant resume. “He has been so consistent in everything he does. We have only lost three games in the three years he has been in our starting lineup, and he has a lot to do with that.” The trophy is given in memory of William P. Jacobs, who served as president of Presbyterian College from 1935 to 1945. Hyatt will be recognized next weekend during activities surrounding the 2017 Dr Pepper ACC Football Championship Game, which is for at 8 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 2, at Charlotte’s Bank of America Stadium. Hyatt and his Clemson teammates will face Miami for the conference crown. Hyatt, a 6-foot-5, 295-pound native of Suwanee, Georgia, is a three-year starter for the Tigers. A third-team All-ACC selection as a freshman two years ago and a first-team honoree last season, Hyatt earned the Jacobs Blocking Trophy this season for his role in a Clemson offense that averages more than 35 points and close to 460 yards total offense per game. The defending national champion Tigers (11-1 overall, 7-1 ACC) rank second in the conference in each of those categories. The standout left tackle earned consecutive ACC Offensive Lineman of the Week honors, first on Oct. 30 for his play in the Tigers’ win over Georgia Tech, and again on Nov. 6 following Clemson’s road victory at NC State. In each of those contests, Hyatt graded out at 93 percent while delivering five knockdown blocks without allowing a sack. Hyatt amassed 15 total points in the coaches’ voting to capture the 64th ACC Jacobs Blocking Trophy (no award was given in 1996). Virginia Tech’s Wyatt Teller placed second with 12 points, while Pitt’s Brian O’Neill was third with 10. A total of 23 players earned at least one first-, second- or third-place vote. In addition to Hyatt and Phillips, previous Jacobs Blocking Trophy winners from Clemson have included fullback Doug Cline (1959), tackle Wayne Mass (1966), guard Harry Olszewski (1967), guard Joe Bostic (1977), tackle Lee Nanney (1981) and guard James Farr (1983). Winners of the ACC Jacobs Blocking Trophy 1953 Bill Wohrman, FB, South Carolina 1954 Bill Wohrman, FB, South Carolina 1955 Bob Pellegrini, C, Maryland 1956 Hal McElhaney, FB, Duke 1957 Hal McElhaney, FB, Duke 1958 John Saunders, FB, South Carolina 1959 Doug Cline, FB, Clemson 1960 Dwight Bumgarner, T, Duke 1961 Art Gregory, T, Duke Jim LeCompte, G, North Carolina 1962 Art Gregory, T, Duke 1963 Chuck Walker, T, Duke 1964 Eddie Kesler, FB, North Carolina 1965 John McNabb, G, Duke 1966 Wayne Mass, T, Clemson 1967 Harry Olszewski, G, Clemson 1968 Greg Shelly, T, Virginia 1969 Ralph Sonntag, T, Maryland 1970 Dan Ryczek, C, Virginia 1971 Geoff Hamlin, FB, North Carolina 1972 Ron Rusnak, G, North Carolina 1973 Bill Yoest, G, NC State 1974 Ken Huff, G, North Carolina 1975 Billy Bryan, C, Duke 1976 Billy Bryan, C, Duke 1977 Joe Bostic, G, Clemson 1978 Jim Ritcher, C, NC State 1979 Jim Ritcher, C, NC State 1980 Ron Wooten, G, North Carolina 1981 Lee Nanney, T, Clemson 1982 Dave Pacella, T, Maryland 1983 James Farr, G, Clemson 1984 Jim Dombrowski, T, Virginia 1985 Jim Dombrowski, T, Virginia 1986 Paul Kiser, G, Wake Forest 1987 John Phillips, G, Clemson 1988 Jeff Garnica, C, North Carolina 1989 Chris Port, T, Duke 1990 Ray Roberts, T, Virginia 1991 Ray Roberts, T, Virginia 1992 Ben Coleman, T, Wake Forest 1993 Mark Dixon, G, Virginia 1994 Clay Shiver, C, Florida State 1995 Clay Shiver, C, Florida State 1996 no recipient 1997 Tra Thomas, T, Florida State 1998 Craig Page, C, Georgia Tech 1999 John St. Clair, C, Virginia 2000 Tarlos Thomas, T, Florida State 2001 Brett Williams, T, Florida State 2002 Brett Williams, T, Florida State 2003 Elton Brown, G, Virginia 2004 Elton Brown, G, Virginia 2005 Eric Winston, T, Miami 2006 Josh Beekman, G-C, Boston College 2007 Steve Justice, C, Wake Forest 2008 Eugene Monroe, T, Virginia 2009 Rodney Hudson, G, Florida State 2010 Rodney Hudson, G, Florida State 2011 Blake DeChristopher, T, Virginia Tech 2012 Jonathan Cooper, G, North Carolina 2013 Cameron Erving, T, Florida State 2014 Cameron Erving, T-C, Florida State 2015 Roderick Johnson, T, Florida State 2016 Roderick Johnson, T, Florida State 2017 Mitch Hyatt, T, Clemson
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