Dorsey, Buchanon Snare BIG EAST Honors
Sept. 10, 2001
Providence, R.I. – – Miami quarterback Ken Dorsey has been named BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Week, the league announced. Syracuse defensive end Dwight Freeney and West Virginia safety Rick Sherrod share defensive honors, while Hurricane punt returner Phillip Buchanon captured Special Teams Player of the Week.
Dorsey (Orinda, Calif.) recorded his second straight 300-yard passing game to lead the Hurricanes to a 61-0 victory over Rutgers on Saturday. The junior quarterback completed 14-of-25 passes for 315 yards and two touchdowns in the win. He guided UM to 542 yards of total offense, including passes of 44, 56 and 64 yards. He is just the second player in BIG EAST history (Marvin Graves, SU, 1993) to earn back-to-back weekly honors the first two weeks of the season. Dorsey is third nationally in passing efficiency with a 195.9 rating.
Buchanon (Ft. Myers, Fla.) returned a punt 56 yards for a touchdown in the Miami win over Rutgers. The junior cornerback had four punt returns in the game, finishing with a 22.3-yard average. He was handling the duties for the first time this year, replacing injured wideout Daryl Jones. It was the eighth time a Miami punt return has gone for a score in the last 26 games.
Freeney (Bloomfield, Conn.) led the Syracuse defense in the Orangemen’s 21-10 victory over Central Florida. The senior defensive end had seven tackles (5 solo), with four for losses of 28 yards. He also had two sacks (22 yards), seven quarterback hurries and one forced fumble. Freeney has recorded at least two sacks in five straight games and one in each of his last 11 contests. He leads the BIG EAST with six sacks this season.
Sherrod (Charleston, W. Va.) shares defensive honors after his performance in the 20-3 West Virginia win over Ohio. The senior safety had a game-high 19 tackles, including nine solo. The stops were the top total in the BIG EAST this season, as Sherrod has the top two single-game tackle totals in the league. He leads the Mountaineers with 33 tackles for the year.
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