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Mensah and Hagans Earn ACC Weekly Honors
11/3/2025 2:05:00 PM | Football
DURHAM, N.C. – Duke redshirt sophomore Darian Mensah and graduate kickoff returner Sahmir Hagans received ACC weekly honors following their performances at Clemson on Saturday. Mensah was named the ACC Quarterback of the Week while Hagans was chosen as the ACC Specialist of the Week.
Mensah and Hagans helped guide Duke to a 46-45 victory at Clemson and improve 4-1 in ACC play. The two performances lifted Duke to its first win in Death Valley since 1980 and the first time the Blue Devils had consecutive victories against Clemson since 1969 and 1970. The duo also helped the Blue Devils extended their road ACC winning streak to five games, the program's longest since 1961-63.Â
Mensah completed 27-of-41 (.659) passes for 361 yards and four touchdowns versus the Tigers. The San Luis Obispo, California, native threw three of his touchdown passes in the opening frame, the most in a quarter by a Blue Devil since Daniel Jones in 2018. Mensah becomes just the fifth Duke QB with three or more passing touchdowns in a quarter in program history, joining David Green, Ben Bennett, Dave Brown and Jones.
With his three TD tosses, Mensah now owns 21 this season, the most by a Duke QB through the first eight games of a season and the fourth most in a year in program history. Mensah found Cooper Barkate downfield for a 77-yard score in the first quarter for Duke's longest passing touchdown of the season. The throw is tied for the 14th longest touchdown pass in program history. It also marked the longest pass that the Clemson defense has allowed since 2020.
Hagans turned in a 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown at 8:33 in the third quarter to help Duke tie the game at 35-35 en route to a 46-45 victory. The score marked Hagans' second career kickoff return for a touchdown after a 99-yard run against Ole Miss in the 2024 TaxSlayer Gator Bowl. The runback versus the Tigers marked the seventh 100+ yard kickoff return in program history and the first since DeVon Edwards' versus Georgia Tech in 2015.
A Philadelphia product, Hagans also caught the game-winning, two-point conversion with 40 seconds left in the victory.Â
The ACC's other weekly honors included NC State's Jayden "Duke" Scott (running back and rookie) and Teague Anderson (offensive line), Florida State's Duce Robinson (receiver), North Carolina's Melkart Abou Jaoude (defensive line), Virginia's Kam Robinson (linebacker) and SMU's Ahmaad Moses (defensive back).
For more information on Duke Football, follow the Blue Devils on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram by searching "DukeFOOTBALL".
#GoDuke
Â
Mensah and Hagans helped guide Duke to a 46-45 victory at Clemson and improve 4-1 in ACC play. The two performances lifted Duke to its first win in Death Valley since 1980 and the first time the Blue Devils had consecutive victories against Clemson since 1969 and 1970. The duo also helped the Blue Devils extended their road ACC winning streak to five games, the program's longest since 1961-63.Â
Mensah completed 27-of-41 (.659) passes for 361 yards and four touchdowns versus the Tigers. The San Luis Obispo, California, native threw three of his touchdown passes in the opening frame, the most in a quarter by a Blue Devil since Daniel Jones in 2018. Mensah becomes just the fifth Duke QB with three or more passing touchdowns in a quarter in program history, joining David Green, Ben Bennett, Dave Brown and Jones.
With his three TD tosses, Mensah now owns 21 this season, the most by a Duke QB through the first eight games of a season and the fourth most in a year in program history. Mensah found Cooper Barkate downfield for a 77-yard score in the first quarter for Duke's longest passing touchdown of the season. The throw is tied for the 14th longest touchdown pass in program history. It also marked the longest pass that the Clemson defense has allowed since 2020.
Hagans turned in a 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown at 8:33 in the third quarter to help Duke tie the game at 35-35 en route to a 46-45 victory. The score marked Hagans' second career kickoff return for a touchdown after a 99-yard run against Ole Miss in the 2024 TaxSlayer Gator Bowl. The runback versus the Tigers marked the seventh 100+ yard kickoff return in program history and the first since DeVon Edwards' versus Georgia Tech in 2015.
A Philadelphia product, Hagans also caught the game-winning, two-point conversion with 40 seconds left in the victory.Â
The ACC's other weekly honors included NC State's Jayden "Duke" Scott (running back and rookie) and Teague Anderson (offensive line), Florida State's Duce Robinson (receiver), North Carolina's Melkart Abou Jaoude (defensive line), Virginia's Kam Robinson (linebacker) and SMU's Ahmaad Moses (defensive back).
For more information on Duke Football, follow the Blue Devils on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram by searching "DukeFOOTBALL".
#GoDuke
Â
Players Mentioned
Coach Diaz Media Availability: Connecticut
Wednesday, November 05
DaShawn Stone Media Availability: Connecticut
Tuesday, November 04
Anderson Castle Media Availability: Connecticut
Tuesday, November 04
Coach Brewer Press Conference: Connecticut
Monday, November 03
