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UVA Football: Jonas Sanker Named ACC Defensive Back of the Week

Matt Newton

Virginia Athletics
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Virginia senior safety Jonas Sanker was named the ACC Defensive Back of the Week, as announced by the Atlantic Coast Conference on Monday afternoon. Sanker is the second Cavalier to win an ACC Player of the Week award this season, joining Noah Josey (week 4, Coastal Carolina), and he is the first UVA defensive back to win the award since De'Vante Cross and Joey Blount both won the award during the 2019 season.

Sanker tallied six tackles, four of which were solo stops, and made perhaps the biggest play of the game, recovering a fumble by Boston College quarterback Thomas Castellanos and returning it 40 yards for a touchdown to give UVA a 10-point lead late in the fourth quarter. That essentially put the nail in the coffin for Virginia's come-from-behind win over Boston College in a game the Cavaliers at one point trailed 14-0. It marked the first time Virginia recovered a fumble for a touchdown since the 2019 regular season finale, when Eli Hanback fell on a fumble in the end zone to seal UVA's epic victory over Virginia Tech.

Behind Sanker's leadership and excellent play, the UVA defense held Boston College scoreless for the final 43 minutes and eight seconds of the game and held the Eagles to a season-low 14 points. Sanker's fumble recovery was one of three turnovers forced by the Virginia defense in the fourth quarter alone. Castellanos also threw two interceptions after having thrown just two picks all season long coming in.

Hear from Jonas Sanker and some of his UVA teammates following the big win over Boston College on Saturday in the video below:

See the ACC Football Team of the Week for week 6 below.

ACC Football - Week 6 Players of the Week
Quarterback of the Week – Cam Ward, Miami 
Running Back of the Week – LeQuint Allen, Syracuse
Receiver of the Week – Desmond Reid, Pitt
Offensive Lineman of the Week – Marcus Tate, Clemson
Defensive Lineman of the Week – Fadil Diggs, Syracuse
Linebacker of the Week – Kyle Louis, Pitt
Defensive Back of the Week – Jonas Sanker, Virginia
Specialist of the Week – Nolan Hauser, Clemson
Rookie of the Week – Eli Holstein, Pitt

Now 4-1 overall and 2-0 in ACC play, Virginia will stay at home in week 7 to play Louisville on Saturday, October 12th at 3:30pm at Scott Stadium. The game will be televised on the ACC Network.

More Virginia Football News

Virginia Football Opens as Home Underdog vs. Louisville in Week 7


UVA Football Report Card: Handing Out Grades for Virginia vs. Boston College

By the Numbers: Breaking Down Virginia's Win Over Boston College

VIDEO: Sanker, Colandrea, Pace & More React to UVA's Win Over Boston College

UVA Football: Five Takeaways From Virginia's 24-14 Win Over Boston College

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Matt Newton
MATT NEWTON

Matt launched Virginia Cavaliers On SI in August of 2021 and has since served as the site's publisher and managing editor, covering all 23 NCAA Division I sports teams at the University of Virginia. He is from Downingtown, Pennsylvania and graduated from UVA in May of 2021.