Irish Crawford, Kraemer Tabbed for ACC Player of the Week Honors

NOTRE DAME, Indiana — University of Notre Dame graduate student safety Shaun Crawford was selected as ACC Defensive Back of the Week, and graduate student offensive lineman Tommy Kraemer was tabbed as ACC Offensive Lineman of the Week, for their performances in the 45-31 win over Boston College last week.

It marks the first ACC weekly honor for both players. Overall, the Irish have won 11 ACC weekly awards. Crawford is the first Irish player to win ACC Defensive Back of the Week, while Kraemer’s selection makes him the fourth out of Notre Dame’s five starting offensive lineman to win the award this season.

SHAUN CRAWFORD

Crawford started at safety at Boston College and posted nine tackles (five solo), 1.0 sack (-8 yards) and 1.5 TFL (-9 yards) on the day. He was the only DB in the ACC this weekend to post at least nine tackles and a sack. Just two DBs in the conference posted more tackles than Crawford’s nine on the weekend.

Crawford led the team in tackles for the day, also notching a sack on Boston College’s opening drive, his second of the season and bringing his career total to 3.5. He was part of a defense that limited Phil Jurkovec to a 45.0 percent completion rate (18 of 40), when Jurkovec entered the day with a 62.1 completion rate for the season.

With nine tackles Saturday, Crawford marked a career high for single-game tackles, and his 1.5 TFL on the day also were a career high. His previous high in tackles was seven (2017 vs. Navy) and in TFL, he had notched 1.0 five times previously.

TOMMY KRAEMER

Kraemer started for an offensive line that paved the way for 561 yards of total offense (278 rushing with three touchdowns, 283 passing with three touchdowns), allowing zero sacks in the win at Boston College. Boston College entered the game allowing 373.0 yards of offense per game. Through the first half alone, the Irish racked up 327 yards, and ended the day with 561 yards.

Notre Dame’s 561 yards of offense at Boston College were the most this season for Notre Dame, and the most by an Irish team since their 573 vs. Bowling Green in 2019. It is the most Notre Dame has racked up on the road since their 584 against Navy in 2018.

The offensive line allowed zero sacks on the day facing a Boston College defense that entered the day averaging 2.75 sacks per game on opposing QBs.

Posting 34:27 minutes in time of possession at Boston College, the Irish have won the time of possession battle in seven of eight games this season, and continue to lead the ACC, averaging 34:05 per game. Boston College entered Saturday averaging 32:05 per game, and were held to just 25:33.

With the win over the Eagles following the 47-40 defeat of then-No. 1 Clemson, the Irish have scored 45 or more points in two-consecutive games for the first time since 1996 (vs. Pitt 60-6, vs. Rutgers 62-0). Entering Saturday, Boston College’s scoring defense ranked fourth in the ACC, allowing 24.6 yards per game. Notre Dame surpassed that mark in the first half alone with 31 points in the first 30 minutes.

Notre Dame continues to lead the ACC in third-down conversions, executing successfully at a 54.1 percent rate.

NOTRE DAME ACC WEEKLY HONORS: 

9/14: Kyren Williams, Running Back of the Week (Duke)

9/21: Robert Hainsey, co-Offensive Lineman of the Week (South Florida)

10/19: Kyren Williams, Rookie of the Week (Louisville)

10/26: Ian Book, Quarterback of the Week; Liam Eichenberg, Offensive Lineman of the Week (Pittsburgh)

11/2: Daelin Hayes, Defensive Lineman of the Week (Georgia Tech)

11/9: Kyren Williams, Running Back of the Week; Aaron Banks, Offensive Lineman of the Week; Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, Linebacker of the Week (Clemson)

11/16: Shaun Crawford, Defensive Back of the Week; Tommy Kraemer, Offensive Lineman of the Week (Boston College)