Akheem Mesidor and Lou Hedley earn ACC Player of the Week

Miami defensive lineman Akheem Mesidor and punter Louis Hedley were named by the ACC as Players of the Week on Monday. Mesidor was named the DL of the week and Hedley earned the specialist of the week. Pro Football Focus ranked Mesidor as the third-best pash rusher nationally entering week 7.

Akheem Mesidor had the second-highest total of his career with eight tackles and set his collegiate bests with 3.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks. Hedley was critical in keeping Miami in the lead with four punts inside the Virginia Tech 20, averaging 44.6 yards per punt with a long of 58. Lou Hedley is now averaging 45.44 yards per punt.

After the 3.5 sack game versus Virginia Tech, Mesidor is now fourth nationally averaging one sack per game. Mesidor also has six TFLs this season. Miami is 24th nationally averaging 6.67 TFLs per game and seventh averaging 3.5 sacks per game. The Hurricanes have been productive with primarily a four-man pass rush.

The performance by Mesidor versus Virginia Tech was reminiscent of Greg Rousseau recording eight tackles, five TFLs and four sacks in a 27-10 Miami win at Florida State in 2019. Mesidor is on pace to have a dominant season similar to Rousseau in 2019 and Jaelan Phillips in 2020. Phillips and Rousseau were 2021 first-round draft picks.

"DEFENSIVE LINEMAN – Akheem Mesidor, Miami, DL, Ottawa, CanadaMade eight tackles, including four solo stops, with 3.5 sacks and 3.5 tackles for loss in the Hurricanes’ 20-14 win over Virginia Tech • First ACC player with at least 3.5 sacks in a game since Virginia’s Charles Snowden on Oct. 31, 2020.• One of only five players in the nation with at least 3.5 sacks in a game this season, including one of only two in a Power 5 league • One of only two players in the nation with at least 3.5 sacks and eight tackles in a game this season and the only Power 5 player• Fourth Hurricane with at least 3.5 sacks in a game in the last two decades and the first since Gregory Rousseau on Nov. 2, 2019 • Helped hold Virginia Tech to 257 total yards and two scores.SPECIALIST – Lou Hedley, Miami, P, Mandurah, AustraliaAveraged 44.8 yards on seven punts in Miami’s 20-14 win over Virginia Tech while placing four of his attempts inside the Hokies’ 10-yard line with one touchback • Pinned the Hokies inside the 8-yard line twice, including once at the 2 on a 58-yard boot • Kept Miami among the top five nationally and atop the ACC in net punting."

The above summary was from the ACC. Mesidor is starting to become dominant after getting used to the Kevin Steele system and missing the game versus Southern Mississippi because of injury. Mesidor should challenge to earn All-ACC this season. A Miami DL has not earned All-ACC since Phillips in 2020.

Hedley was a second-team All-American in 2020. Hedley had stabilized the punting for Miami after a couple of years of inconsistency at the position. Miami has been active in the transfer portal since its inception in 2018. Hedley and Mesidor both signed with the Miami football program as transfers.