North Carolina Quarterback Cameron Sexton and Duke Linebacker Michael Tauiliili headline the Atlantic Coast Conference Football Players of the Week for the games of Sept. 27. Sexton came off the bench to lead the Tar Heel offense back from a 14-point deficit to beat Miami, 28-24. Tauiliili was named National Defensive Player of the Week by the Walter Camp Football Foundation with 16-tackles en route to snapping Duke’s 25-game ACC losing streak. Joining them this week are Virginia Tech Center Ryan Shuman, North Carolina Safety Trimane Goddard, Maryland Punter Travis Baltz, Florida State Kick Returner Michael Ray Garvin and Boston College running back Montel Harris.
DEFENSIVE LINEMAN—Michael Tauiliili, Duke, MLB, 5-11, 235, Sr., Houston, Texas
Tauiliili led Duke to a 31-3 win over Virginia by collecting a career-high 16 total tackles. He was named the National Defensive Player of the Week by the Walter Camp Football Foundation. He had a hand in three of the six turnovers forced by the Duke defense, a fumble recovery in the second quarter, an interception in the fourth quarter and a forced fumble recovered by teammate Catron Gainey in the fourth quarter. He spearheaded the Duke defense that allowed just three points and 304 total yards including just 178 yards over the final three quarters. Tauiliili leads the ACC in tackles (46) and tackles per game (11.5). He has reached double figures in tackles twice in 2008 and 14 times in his career. In 38 career games, he has been credited with four interceptions, three fumble recoveries and seven caused fumbles while ranking eighth on Duke's all-time tackles chart with 340 career stops
