THE FLATS – Georgia Tech football’s Hassan Hall (Atlanta, Ga./Maynard Jackson), Charlie Thomas (Thomasville, Ga./Thomasville) and Gavin Stewart (Savannah, Ga./Benedictine Military Academy) have been honored as the Atlantic Coast Conference’s Running Back, Linebacker and Specialist of the Week for their performances in Saturday’s 26-21 win at No. 24 Pitt, the ACC announced on Monday.
Hall rushed for 157 yards on 20 carries (7.8 yards per rush) in Saturday night’s win, which were the most rushing yards amassed by an individual against Pitt’s vaunted rushing defense since Boston College’s (and current Green Bay Packer) A.J. Dillon in 2019 (162 yds.). Hall also became the first player to average at least 7.8 yards per rush while carrying the ball at least 20 times against Pitt since West Virginia’s Steve Slaton in 2006. The senior transfer from Louisville is one of only 12 NCAA Division I FBS players to average 7.8 yards per carry over at least 20 rushes in a game this season, and the only one to accomplish the feat against a nationally ranked opponent.
In just one half of action, Thomas became the first FBS player to record seven tackles, a fumble recovery, an interception, a pass breakup and a quarterback hurry in a game this season. After Thomas sat out of the first half due to a targeting penalty the previous Saturday at UCF, Pitt only amassed 105 total yards and turned the ball over three times in its first five second-half possessions with Thomas on the field. The senior was directly responsible for two of the takeaways, with a fumble recovery that he returned 43 yards to set up Georgia Tech’s go-ahead field goal and an interception that led to another field goal that lengthened the Yellow Jackets’ lead. He is one of only three Jackets to recover a fumble and intercept a pass in one game since 2000, joining Quayshawn Nealy (2013 vs. Syracuse, 2014 vs. NC State) and Bruce Jordan-Swilling (2017 vs. Virginia). For the season, he is the only player in the nation with at least 45 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, two interceptions and a fumble recovery, and is only the eighth FBS player since 2000 to amass those numbers through his team’s first five games of a campaign.
On a rainy night with less-than-ideal footing, Stewart scored 14 of Georgia Tech’s 26 points in Saturday’s win, going 4-for-4 on field goal attempts and 2-for-2 on PATs. With field goals of 33, 37, 40 and 30 yards, the sophomore became the ninth player in Georgia Tech history to make as many as four field goals in a game. He’s the first Yellow Jacket with four made field goals in a game since Wesley Wells did it in an overtime win versus Virginia in 2018 and the first Jacket to make four in regulation since current Kansas City Chiefs place kicker Harrison Butler booted four field goals in Tech’s 33-18 win over Kentucky in the 2016 TaxSlayer Bowl.
This week’s recognitions mark the first time since 2020 and only the third time since 2004 that three Yellow Jackets have earned weekly honors from the ACC in the same week. The last time it happened, Zach Quinney (offensive lineman), Jordan Domineck (defensive lineman) and Jeff Sims (rookie) were lauded for their performances in Tech’s 56-33 win over Duke on Nov. 28, 2020.
Hall, Thomas, Steward and the Yellow Jackets return to action on Saturday when they host Duke for Georgia Tech’s annual homecoming game. Kickoff is set for 4 p.m. at Bobby Dodd Stadium. Click HERE for tickets for Georgia Tech’s 2022 homecoming game and HERE for more on homecoming weekend activities.
Alexander-Tharpe Fund
The Alexander-Tharpe Fund is the fundraising arm of Georgia Tech athletics, providing scholarship, operations and facilities support for Georgia Tech’s 400-plus student-athletes. Be a part of developing Georgia Tech’s Everyday Champions and helping the Yellow Jackets compete for championships at the highest levels of college athletics by supporting the Annual Athletic Scholarship Fund, which directly provides scholarships for Georgia Tech student-athletes. To learn more about supporting the Yellow Jackets, visit atfund.org.
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