Conner, Rotheram awarded weekly ACC honors

The praise keeps coming for Pitt football following its 62-0 win against Delaware.

Sophomore running back James Conner and senior offensive guard Matt Rotheram were given weekly ACC honors for their performances in the season opener, according to a release from E.J. Borghetti, Pitt’s Associate Athletic Director. . Conner was named the ACC’s Offensive Back of the Week, and Rotheram was named the conference’s Offensive Lineman of the Week.

Conner rushed for 153 yards on 14 carries. He also made it into the endzone for four touchdowns, which marks half of his total from all of last season.

Rotheram led a stout offensive line that did not allow one sack on quarterback Chad Voytik’s 14 attempts. The rushing attack also rumbled for more than seven yards per attempt and seven total touchdowns on the day, taking advantage of Rotheram and the rest of the offensive line pushing around Delaware’s defense. Pitt’s 409 total rushing yards split among the team marked the most since its 1976 national championship game.

The dominant win earned the team a vote in the Associated Press Top 25 poll that came out Tuesday. Conner and Rotheram will look to build on excellent starts to the football season when the Panthers travel to Boston College on Friday. Kickoff against the Eagles is at 7 p.m. on ESPN.