GREENSBORO, N.C. (theACC.com) – Clemson junior offensive tackle Mitch Hyatt has been voted the winner of the 2017 Jacobs Blocking Trophy, the Atlantic Coast Conference announced on Sunday.
The Jacobs Blocking Trophy has been awarded annually since 1953 to the player selected the most outstanding blocker in the ACC by a poll of the league’s head coaches and defensive coordinators. Hyatt becomes the eighth student-athlete from Clemson to receive the honor and the first since offensive guard John Phillips in 1987.
“Mitch is very deserving of this award,” said Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney. “I was surprised to find out that a Clemson player had not won the Jacobs Blocking Trophy since 1987. But what Mitch has accomplished this year and over the last three years has been significant, and winning this award just adds to his significant resume.
“He has been so consistent in everything he does. We have only lost three games in the three years he has been in our starting lineup, and he has a lot to do with that.”
The trophy is given in memory of William P. Jacobs, who served as president of Presbyterian College from 1935 to 1945. Hyatt will be recognized next weekend during activities surrounding the 2017 Dr Pepper ACC Football Championship Game, which is set for at 8 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 2, at Charlotte’s Bank of America Stadium. Hyatt and his Clemson teammates will face Miami for the conference crown.
Hyatt, a 6-foot-5, 295-pound native of Suwanee, Georgia, is a three-year starter for the Tigers. A third-team All-ACC selection as a freshman two years ago and a first-team honoree last season, Hyatt earned the Jacobs Blocking Trophy this season for his role in a Clemson offense that averages more than 35 points and close to 460 yards total offense per game. The defending national champion Tigers (11-1 overall, 7-1 ACC) rank second in the conference in each of those categories.
The standout left tackle earned consecutive ACC Offensive Lineman of the Week honors, first on Oct. 30 for his play in the Tigers’ win over Georgia Tech, and again on Nov. 6 following Clemson’s road victory at NC State. In each of those contests, Hyatt graded out at 93 percent while delivering five knockdown blocks without allowing a sack.
Hyatt amassed 15 total points in the coaches’ voting to capture the 64th ACC Jacobs Blocking Trophy (no award was given in 1996). Virginia Tech’s Wyatt Teller placed second with 12 points, while Pitt’s Brian O’Neill was third with 10. A total of 23 players earned at least one first-, second- or third-place vote.
In addition to Hyatt and Phillips, previous Jacobs Blocking Trophy winners from Clemson have included fullback Doug Cline (1959), tackle Wayne Mass (1966), guard Harry Olszewski (1967), guard Joe Bostic (1977), tackle Lee Nanney (1981) and guard James Farr (1983).
Winners of the ACC Jacobs Blocking Trophy
1953 Bill Wohrman, FB, South Carolina
1954 Bill Wohrman, FB, South Carolina
1955 Bob Pellegrini, C, Maryland
1956 Hal McElhaney, FB, Duke
1957 Hal McElhaney, FB, Duke
1958 John Saunders, FB, South Carolina
1959 Doug Cline, FB, Clemson
1960 Dwight Bumgarner, T, Duke
1961 Art Gregory, T, Duke
Jim LeCompte, G, North Carolina
1962 Art Gregory, T, Duke
1963 Chuck Walker, T, Duke
1964 Eddie Kesler, FB, North Carolina
1965 John McNabb, G, Duke
1966 Wayne Mass, T, Clemson
1967 Harry Olszewski, G, Clemson
1968 Greg Shelly, T, Virginia
1969 Ralph Sonntag, T, Maryland
1970 Dan Ryczek, C, Virginia
1971 Geoff Hamlin, FB, North Carolina
1972 Ron Rusnak, G, North Carolina
1973 Bill Yoest, G, NC State
1974 Ken Huff, G, North Carolina
1975 Billy Bryan, C, Duke
1976 Billy Bryan, C, Duke
1977 Joe Bostic, G, Clemson
1978 Jim Ritcher, C, NC State
1979 Jim Ritcher, C, NC State
1980 Ron Wooten, G, North Carolina
1981 Lee Nanney, T, Clemson
1982 Dave Pacella, T, Maryland
1983 James Farr, G, Clemson
1984 Jim Dombrowski, T, Virginia
1985 Jim Dombrowski, T, Virginia
1986 Paul Kiser, G, Wake Forest
1987 John Phillips, G, Clemson
1988 Jeff Garnica, C, North Carolina
1989 Chris Port, T, Duke
1990 Ray Roberts, T, Virginia
1991 Ray Roberts, T, Virginia
1992 Ben Coleman, T, Wake Forest
1993 Mark Dixon, G, Virginia
1994 Clay Shiver, C, Florida State
1995 Clay Shiver, C, Florida State
1996 no recipient
1997 Tra Thomas, T, Florida State
1998 Craig Page, C, Georgia Tech
1999 John St. Clair, C, Virginia
2000 Tarlos Thomas, T, Florida State
2001 Brett Williams, T, Florida State
2002 Brett Williams, T, Florida State
2003 Elton Brown, G, Virginia
2004 Elton Brown, G, Virginia
2005 Eric Winston, T, Miami
2006 Josh Beekman, G-C, Boston College
2007 Steve Justice, C, Wake Forest
2008 Eugene Monroe, T, Virginia
2009 Rodney Hudson, G, Florida State
2010 Rodney Hudson, G, Florida State
2011 Blake DeChristopher, T, Virginia Tech
2012 Jonathan Cooper, G, North Carolina
2013 Cameron Erving, T, Florida State
2014 Cameron Erving, T-C, Florida State
2015 Roderick Johnson, T, Florida State
2016 Roderick Johnson, T, Florida State
2017 Mitch Hyatt, T, Clemson