2009 Atlantic Coast Conference Preseason Football Team Announced

July 29, 2009

GREENSBORO, N.C. – The 2008 Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year and four members of the defending champion Virginia Tech Hokies were among the 24 players named to the preseason All-ACC football team Monday. Media members attending the 2009 ACC Football Kickoff at the Grandover Resort cast 44 ballots for the teams.

Georgia Tech running back Jonathan Dwyer, who is seeking tobecome the league’s first two-time Player of the Year since 1992and ’93, led all candidates with 41 votes. Dwyer averaged 107rushing yards per game as the Yellow Jackets quickly adapted tocoach Paul Johnson’s spread option offense last season. C.J. Spiller of Clemson appearstwice on the chart. He’s Dwyer’s running mate in the backfield andthe media’s choice at specialist. In 2008, he placed 14thnationally in kickoff-return average at 27 yards an attempt. N.C.State’s Russell Wilson, who threw 249 consecutive passes without aninterception over his final nine games as a redshirt freshman ayear ago and became the first freshman in league history to earnfirst-team All-ACC honors as a quarterback, was the top vote-getteramong signal callers.

Three players topped the defensive honorees with 34 votes apiece: Duke defensive tackle Vince Oghobaase, widely considered among the best five players nationally at his position; Florida State linebacker Dekoda Watson; and Georgia Tech safety Morgan Burnett, a second-team All-American according to three sources last season. Virginia Tech led the way with four selections: tight end Greg Boone; defensive end Jason Worilds, who made 18.5 tackles for loss in 2008; safety Kam Chancellor; and offensive guard Sergio Render. Three teams had three selections.

North Carolina was represented by linebacker Quan Sturdivant,whose 87 unassisted tackles led the nation last year; tackle MarvinAustin; and cornerback Kendric Burney. Georgia Tech wide receiverDemaryius Thomas, who made 39 of his team’s 74 pass receptions onthe season, joined Dwyer and Burnett among the Jackets’ honorees.Clemson got two of its three appearances from Spiller. Widereceiver Jacoby Fordprovided the other.

In all, 17 players who earned first or second-team or Honorable Mention All-ACC honors in 2008 were chosen for the 2009 pre-season team including 2009 first-team honorees Wilson, Dwyer, Spiller (as specialist), Florida State guard Rodney Hudson and Maryland punter Travis Baltz.

Nine members of the 2009 preseason team earned second team All-ACC honors last year including Spiller (as a running back), Worilds, Burnett, Boston College offensive tackle Anthony Castonzo, Virginia Tech offensive guard Sergio Render, Miami placekicker Matt Bosher (who actually earned 2nd-team ALL-ACC as a punter and placekicker), Maryland linebacker Alex Wujciak, Virginia cornerback Ras-I-Dowling and North Carolina cornerback Kendric Burney.

The 2008 honorable mention All-ACC selections were Duke’s Oghobaase, Boston College center Matt Tennant and NC State defensive end Willie Young.

OFFENSE

Pos	Name	School	#	In 2008 unless otherwise noted
QB	Russell Wilson	NC State	31	2008 1st-team All-ACC, ACC Rookie of the Yr
RB	Jonathan Dwyer	Georgia Tech	41	2008 ACC Player of the Year, 2009 Pre-Season Player of the Year
RB	C.J. Spiller	Clemson	38	Needs 921 all-purpose yards for ACC record
WR	Demaryius Thomas	Georgia Tech	15	Had more than half of Tech’s catches
WR	Jacoby Ford	Clemson	31	2nd among active ACC players in yds, catches
TE	Greg Boone	Virginia Tech	32	22 catches for 278 yards
OT	Jason Fox	Miami	32	Graded out at 97% for the year
OT	Anthony Castonzo	Boston College	26	2008 second-team All-ACC
OG	Sergio Render	Virginia Tech	25	2008 second-team All-ACC, 40 career starts
OG	Rodney Hudson	Florida State	32	Named to 2009 Lombardi Trophy watch list
C	Matt Tennant	Boston College	23	On 2009 watch list for Rimington Trophy
PK	Matt Bosher	Miami	34	Made 18-of-20 FGAs; 2008 2nd Team All-ACC

DEFENSE

Pos	Name	School	#	In 2008 unless otherwise noted
DE	Jason Worilds	Virgina Tech	25	Recorded 18.5 tackles for loss, 2008 2nd-team All-ACC
DE	Willie Young	NC State	21	Credited with 65 QB pressures in his career
DT	Vince Oghobaase	Duke	34	Lott Trophy finalist has started 36 straight games
DT	Marvin Austin	North Carolina	25	Interception return for a TD and blocked PAT
LB	Dekoda Watson	Florida State	34	28 tackles in final four regular-season games
LB	Quan Sturdivant	North Carolina	28	Led the nation in unassisted tackles (87)
LB	Alex Wujciak	Maryland	18	13th nationally in total tackles (10.2 per game)
CB	Ras-I Dowling	Virginia	21	T-11 nationally in passes defended per game (1.27)
CB	Kendric Burney	North Carolina	13	Credited with 78 tackles
S	Morgan Burnett	Georgia Tech	34	Preseason All-American by 3 sources
S	Kam Chancellor	Virginia Tech	31	2 fumble recoveries, 2 INT
P	Travis Baltz	Maryland	20	Led ACC in punting average (41.1)