Fernando Mendoza, Derek Morris Named ACC Players of the Week

Cal's Mendoza named top quarterback and Bears freshman kicker Morris gets top specialist honor following 44-7 win over Oregon State

Cal quarterback Fernando Mendoza / Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Cal took home two ACC player-of-the-week awards as the conference announced Monday that Fernando Mendoza was named quarterback of the week and freshman place-kicker Derek Morris was named specialist of the week.

They were honored based on their performances in Cal’s 44-7 victory over Oregon State in Berkeley on Saturday.

Mendoza had perhaps his best day in his Cal career as he passed for a career-high 364 yards while completing 27-of-36 passes with two touchdowns and no interceptions.

Mendoza even had the unusual honor of having a touchdown reception on a pass that he threw. On that play, which began from the Oregon State 9-yard line, Mondoza completed a short pass to Jaivian Thomas, who caught the ball at the 12-yard line and was stopped immediately. However, before he went down, Thomas lateraled to Mendoza, who caught the ball at the 15-yard line and ran in for the score.  Mendoza got credit for 15 receiving yards and a receiving touchdowns but did not get credit for a reception in a weird statistical application.  So he ended the day with 0 receptions, 15 receiving yards, 1 receiving touchdown.

Morris’ honor was redemption for what had occurred the previous week.

He missed a 28-yard field goal attempt with less than two minutes left in a one-point loss to North Carolina State on October 19.

But this past Saturday he tied a school record with five made field goals against Oregon State, going 5-for-5 and hitting on attempts from 46, 33, 19, 25 and 38 yards.

It was the third time a Cal kicker has made five field goals, tying the marks of Mark Jensen vs. Air Force (Sept. 21, 2002) and Matt Anderson vs. UCLA (November 26, 2016).

Morris is now 8-for-9 on field goal attempts since replacing Ryan Coe as the Bears’ place-kicker.

The two weekly honors are Cal's third and fourth as a member of the ACC. Linebacker Teddye Buchanan and defensive back Nohl Williams were named the ACC players of the week at their positions after the September 9 road win over Auburn.

Cal (4-4, 0-4 ACC) enters its second bye week of the season before returning to action on Friday, November 8, at Wake Forest. The game starts at 5 p.m. Pacific time and will be televised on the ACC Network.

Cal is alone in last place in the ACC and is the only ACC team without a conference win.

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