Maurice Ffrench earns ACC Specialist of the Week honors

Junior+wide+receiver+Maurice+Ffrench+%282%29+stands+in+front+of+the+student+section+after+completing+his+second+touchdown+of+Saturdays+33-7+victory+over+Albany.

Thomas J. Yang

Junior wide receiver Maurice Ffrench (2) stands in front of the student section after completing his second touchdown of Saturday’s 33-7 victory over Albany.

By Trent Leonard, Sports Editor

Pitt junior receiver Maurice Ffrench was named the ACC Specialist of the Week for his two-touchdown performance in the Panthers’ season-opening 33-7 victory over Albany.

Ffrench secured this nomination when he took the game’s opening kickoff back 91 yards to the end zone, making him the only ACC player to record a return touchdown in week one.

That return set the tone for the Panthers’ dominant 24-point win, but it wasn’t Ffrench’s only contribution on Saturday. The diverse playmaker also ran the ball twice for 17 yards — including a nine-yard touchdown run — and caught one pass for four yards.

Ffrench will continue to fill the “Swiss Army knife” role left by former Panther Quadree Henderson, who was honored as Specialist of the Week twice in 2017. His next chance to showcase his speed and elusiveness will come against Penn State this Saturday, 8 p.m. at Heinz Field.