Bowers Named ACC Defensive Player of the Year

Dec. 1, 2010

CLEMSON, SC – Clemson defensive end Da’Quan Bowers has been named the ACC Defensive Player of the Year. The announcement was made Wednesday by the Atlantic Coast Sports Media Association. Bowers was also named the National Defensive Player of the Year by Scout.com on Wednesday.

The junior from Bamberg, SC is the fourth Clemson defensive player to win ACC Defensive Player of the Year honors in the last 12 seasons. Keith Adams won the award in 1999, LeRoy Hill won the honor in 2004 and Gaines Adams was the recipient in 2006.

Bowers leads the nation in sacks with 15.5 and is second in tackles for loss with 25. His sack total is second in Clemson history for one season, best among defensive linemen and is the most by an ACC player since 1999 when Keith Adams had a Clemson record 16 sacks.

Bowers’s tackle for loss total is the most by a Clemson defensive lineman since 1991 when Rob Bodine had 27. Bowers had a streak of nine straight games with a sack during this season, the longest streak in Clemson history.

The junior from Bamberg, SC is a finalist for the Nagurski Award, Bednarik Award, Lombardi Award and Hendricks Award. The first two go to the top defensive player in the nation and the Lombardi Award goes to the top lineman in the nation. The Hendricks Award goes to the nation’s top defensive end.

Bowers was named the National Defensive Player of the Year by Scout.com, the first Clemson player to win that award, and he was named a first-team All-American by Scout.com and the American Football Coaches Association.