The Next Level: Alec Lemon's career day

The Next Level is a weekly Recruiting Report feature that focuses on natives of Anne Arundel County, Baltimore City, Baltimore County, Carroll County, Harford County and Howard County who appear on NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision rosters. Chris Eckard, a senior at the University of Maryland and Baltimore Sun sports department intern, is your author.

Despite his team's loss to Connecticut this past weekend, Syracuse junior wide receiver Alec Lemon (Arundel) found a way to continue his impressive season with a career-high 157 receiving yards on nine catches.

Lemon caught a 9-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter to tie the game at 7, but the Orange couldn't hold on and fell 28-21 for the second straight week. Connecticut junior safety Jerome Junior (Archbishop Curley) had an interception and five solo tackles (seven total) in the win.

Lemon's performance, though, earned him a spot on the Big East Weekly Honor Roll Monday. He leads the Orange with 531 receiving yards and 47 receptions this season. The Crofton native now has 106 career receptions, which ranks him fifth all-time at Syracuse.

For his performance against the Huskies, Lemon is your Next Level Player of the Week. He earns the honor for the second time this season.Honorable mention

• Arkansas State senior cornerback Darron Edwards (Dunbar) had an interception, forced a fumble and recorded two solo tackles (three total) in a 39-21 win against FAU.

• North Carolina senior linebacker Zach Brown (Wilde Lake) forced a fumble and had four solo tackles (nine total) in the Tar Heels' 13-0 loss to North Carolina State.

• West Virginia junior wide receiver Tavon Austin (Dunbar) had seven receptions for 90 yards and a touchdown in the Mountaineers' 38-35 loss to Louisville. He also had 161 kickoff return yards and 20 rushing yards, for a total of 271 all-purpose yards. West Virginia junior safety Terence Garvin (Loyola) had six solo tackles (seven total) in the loss.

Other contributions

• Boston College freshman quarterback Josh Bordner (Century) rushed for 45 yards on seven carries and completed a 37-yard pass in the Eagles' 38-7 loss to Florida State.

• Maryland junior safety Eric Franklin (Archbishop Curley) led the Terps with 10 solo tackles (12 total) in the Terps' 31-13 loss to Virginia. Terps junior defensive tackle A.J. Francis (Severn native, Gonzaga grad) had a tackle in the loss. Virginia freshman wide receiver Darius Jennings (Gilman) returned two kickoffs for 24 yards and had a pair of catches, while Cavaliers senior defensive tackle Nick Jenkins (Westminster native, Good Counsel grad) had a solo tackle (two total) in the win.

• Michigan freshman cornerback Blake Countess (Owings Mill native, Good Counsel grad) had four solo tackles (six total) and a pass breakup in the Wolverines' 24-16 loss to Iowa.

• New Mexico freshman safety Zach Dancel (Ellicott City native, Good Counsel grad) had four solo tackles in the Lobos' 35-7 loss to San Diego State.

• Rutgers sophomore linebacker Nick DePaola (Hereford) had a tackle in the Scarlet Knights' 20-17 win against South Florida.

• Wake Forest sophomore wide receiver Michael Campanaro (River Hill) had six receptions for 74 yards in the Demon Deacons' 24-17 loss to Notre Dame. Wake Forest junior linebacker Joey Ehrmann (Gilman) had two solo tackles (seven total) in the loss.

• UAB sophomore quarterback Jonathan Perry (Dunbar) passed for 149 yards and a touchdown, while adding 17 yards on the ground, in a 56-13 loss to No. 14 Houston.

• UNLV freshman wide receiver Mike Horsey (Dunbar) had a tackle in the Running Rebels' 48-21 loss to Boise State.

• UTEP sophomore defensive lineman Horace Miller (Dunbar) had two solo tackles (six total) in the Miners' 41-37 loss to Rice.

• Temple junior running back Matt Brown (Baltimore native, Peddie School grad) returned five kickoffs for 96 yards and had 17 rushing yards on five attempts in the Owls' 35-31 loss to Ohio. Temple senior quarterback Chester Stewart (Hanover native, DeMatha grad) went 1-for-3 for six passing yards.

U.S. Presswire photo of Alec Lemon celebrate his touchdown reception by Michael Ivins / Nov. 5, 2011