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With Week 4 officially in the books, let’s take a look at the best performances of the weekend in this week’s All-SEC Team.
OFFENSE
QB Kyle Allen: Texas A&M is rolling thanks in large part to Kyle Allen’s big arm. The sophomore lit up Arkansas for 358 yards on 21 of 28 passing for two touchdowns. The Aggies are now 4-0 with Allen under center as the quarterback builds a rapport with fellow Scottsdale, Ariz., product Christian Kirk (see below).
RB Leonard Fournette: This spot on the weekly All-SEC team shall belong to Leonard Fournette on a permanent basis, until someone else can top consecutive 200-yard rushing performances. The LSU sophomore followed up last week’s 228-yard game by blistering Syracuse in Week 4 for 244 yards and 2 touchdowns. He even had an 87-yard scoring run called back on a penalty. The Tigers are rushing for an SEC-best 315.0 YPG. The next-closest conference opponent, Georgia, rushes for 257.8 YPG.
RB Alex Collins: Arkansas running back Alex Collins enters Week 5 ranked third in the SEC in rushing with 502 yards, some 80 yards ahead of Alabama’s Derrick Henry (422). The junior posted 151 yards and a touchdown in Week 4 in the Razorbacks’ overtime loss to No. 14 Texas A&M. It’s the third time in four games this season that Collins has eclipsed the 100-yard mark. He’s also scored a touchdown in each of the Hogs’ first four contests.
WR Christian Kirk: Texas A&M wide receiver Christian Kirk continued his freshman domination in Week 4, hauling in 173 yards and 2 touchdowns in the Aggies’ overtime win over Arkansas. His 422 yards on the season rank him No. 1 in the conference among wideouts.
WR Antonio Callaway: Other receivers tallied more yards than Antonio Callaway’s 112 yards in Week 4, but the Florida receiver had the most iconic scoring grab and scamper of the weekend. With 1:26 remaining and the Gators trailing by six, the freshman hauled in a fourth-and-14 pass from Will Grier, taking it 63 yards to the house for the comeback win.
Georgia OL: The Georgia Bulldogs threw a balanced attack at Southern University in Week 4 with 261 yards rushing to go along with 271 in the air for a grand total of 532 yards. That’s all thanks to a brick wall of a unit that sets the tone. How balanced was the rushing and receiving corps? The two units each collected 13 first downs.
DEFENSE
DE Jonathan Bullard: The senior continued his torrid 2015 season against Tennessee. Bullard made nine stops to go along with 3.0 tackles for loss and a sack. Bullard’s tackle for loss on third down late in the fourth quarter forced the Volunteers to punt, setting up Florida quarterback Will Grier to win the game on the final drive.
DL Myles Garrett: The Texas A&M defensive lineman didn’t have a typical afternoon of bloated numbers, but the ones he did post were clutch. The sophomore had just two tackles against Arkansas but managed a sack and a quarterback hurry. His sack — the Aggies second of the game and just the second sack the Razorbacks’ offensive line has allowed all year — caused Arkansas quarterback Brandon Allen to fumble with about a minute to play, negating what was looking like a potential game-winning drive for the Hogs. The contest went to overtime where Garrett and the Aggies prevailed 28-21.
LB T.J. Holloman: South Carolina shook up its defense in Week 4, moving T.J. Holloman off the bench to middle linebacker while sliding the team’s leading tackler, Skai Moore, to the weakside. The move paid immediate dividends as the senior racked up six tackles, one tackle for loss, two interceptions, two quarterback hurries and a pass breakup.
LB Richie Brown: Mississippi State’s Richie Brown terrorized the Auburn offense to the tune of 13 tackles, three tackles for loss and two sacks in the Bulldogs’ 17-9 win in Jordan-Hare Stadium. The junior’s effort landed the Long Beach, Miss., native the SEC’s Defensive Player of the Week honors.
S Oren Burks: Vanderbilt safety Oren Burks had a career day against Ole Miss. The redshirt sophomore tallied six tackles, a tackle for loss and an interception — the latter two being career firsts. The Commodores fought the good fight but were downed 27-16 by the No. 3 Rebels.
DB Keanu Neal: Florida needed someone in its maligned secondary to step up. Keanu Neal took the red pill and tallied a team-high 14 tackles and forced a fumble for the Gators, who played with a banged-up Vernon Hargreaves III and without a suspended Jalen Tabor. With Neal’s help, Florida held Tennessee to 165 yards passing in the thrilling 28-27 win.
Chris Wuensch is a contributing writer for Saturday Down South. He covers South Carolina and Tennessee.
