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The Next Level: Fuller powers Hokies defense

By By Chris Eckard
The Baltimore Sun |
Nov 28, 2011 at 12:52 PM

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.

With his team on the cusp of a blowout, Virginia Tech sophomore cornerback Kyle Fuller (Mount St. Joseph) blitzed late in the second quarter and sacked Virginia quarterback Michael Rocco for a 13-yard loss.

Fuller’s hit jarred the ball out of Rocco’s grasp and into the hands of one of his teammates. His forced fumble led to a two-touchdown halftime lead and helped ensure the Hokies’ appearance in this weekend’s ACC Championship game.
Virginia Tech steamrolled the Cavaliers 38-0 in Charlottesville, Va., to clinch the ACC Coastal Division title. Fuller made three solo tackles (four total) in the win. The sophomore has played a key role on the Hokies defense this entire season after starting seven games as a true freshman a year ago.
This year, Fuller has started every game, racking up 56 tackles, 4.5 sacks, an interception and a forced fumble and fumble recovery. He also recovered a block punt in the end zone for a touchdown against Appalachian State.
For his play against the Hokies’ in-state rival, and his contributions this season for the No. 5 team in the country, Fuller is this week’s Next Level Player of the Week.
Cavaliers freshman wide receiver Darius Jennings (Gilman) had a 12-yard run and a 35-yard kickoff return, while senior defensive tackle Nick Jenkins (Good Counsel) had a 3-yard sack and a solo tackle (three total) in the loss.
Honorable Mention
North Carolina senior linebacker Zach Brown (Wilde Lake) had six solo tackles (10 total) in the Tar Heels’ 37-21 win against Duke.
UAB sophomore quarterback Jonathan Perry (Dunbar) threw for 190 yards (17-for-26, one interception) and two touchdowns, while rushing for 97 yards and a touchdown in a 38-35 loss to FAU.
West Virginia junior wide receiver Tavon Austin (Dunbar) had 10 receptions for 102 yards and a 19-yard run in the Mountaineers’ 21-20 win against Pittsburgh. Mountaineers junior safety Terence Garvin (Loyola) had nine solo tackles (14 total) in the win.
Other contributions
Boston College freshman quarterback Josh Bordner (Century) rushed for a yard on two carries in the Eagles’ 24-17 win against Miami (Fla.).
Connecticut junior safety Jerome Junior (Archbishop Curley) had a solo tackle (two total) in the Huskies’ 40-22 win against Rutgers.
Colorado State sophomore linebacker Shaq Barrett (Baltimore native) had three solo tackles (nine total) in the Rams’ 45-21 loss to Air Force.
Maryland junior defensive tackle A.J. Francis (Severn native, Gonzaga grad) had a sack and two solo tackles (five total) in the Terps’ 56-41 loss to NC State. Terps junior safety Eric Franklin (Archbishop Curley) had four solo tackles (eight total) in the loss.
Syracuse junior wide receiver Alec Lemon (Arundel) had three receptions for 25 yards in the Orange’s 30-13 loss to Cincinnati.
Penn State freshman safety Adrian Amos (Calvert Hall) returned a kickoff 29 yards in the Nittany Lions’ 45-7 loss to Wisconsin.
Temple junior running back Matt Brown (Baltimore native) rushed for 32 yards on 11 carries and returned two punts for 24 total yards in the Owls’ 34-16 win against Kent State. Temple senior quarterback Chester Stewart (Hanover native, DeMatha grad) completed all six of his passes for 94 yards.
UTEP sophomore defensive lineman Horace Miller (Dunbar) had a 3-yard sack and two solo tackles (three total) in the Miners’ 31-14 loss to UCF.
Wake Forest sophomore wide receiver Michael Campanaro (River Hill) led the team with six receptions, finishing with 45 receiving yards and 69 kickoff return yards in the Demon Deacons’ 41-7 loss to Vanderbilt. Wake Forest junior linebacker Joey Ehrmann (Gilman) had two solo tackles (three total) in the loss.
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