2015 Football Coaches' Awards, All-ACC Team Announced

Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson voted Conference Player of the Year

Conference Player of the Year Deshaun Watson of Clemson leads the 2015 All-ACC Football Team, as selected by the league's 14 head coaches.

Watson, the sophomore quarterback who has guided the ACC champion Tigers to a 13-0 record and the No. 1 ranking in the College Football Playoff, was also voted the ACC Offensive Player of the Year.

Under the auspices of the ACC, the league's 14 head coaches voted for an All-ACC football team, as well as Players of the Year, Rookies of the Year and a Coach of the Year award. Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own players and ballots were worth three points for each first-team, two points for each second-team and one point for each third-team selection.

Duke senior safety Jeremy Cash was voted the ACC Defensive Player of the Year, while Clemson's Dabo Swinney earned Coach of the Year honors. The Pitt duo of Jordan Whitehead and Qadree Ollison shared the coaches' overall ACC Rookie of the Year award. Whitehead, a freshman safety, was voted the Defensive Rookie of the Year, while Ollison, a first-year running back, earned Offensive Rookie of the Year accolades.

The 2015 Coaches' All-ACC team is similar to the All-ACC squad announced last week by the Atlantic Coast Sports Media Association (ACSMA), as the two voting bodies agreed on all of the major award winners with only a slight difference on the overall Rookie of the Year selection (Whitehead finished ahead of Ollison to take the honor outright in the ACSMA voting).

Pitt junior wide receiver Tyler Boyd was the lone unanimous first-team pick on the Coaches' All-ACC team, named on all 13 ballots on which he was eligible.

Watson, a 6-foot-2, 205-pound native of Gainesville, Georgia, received 10 votes to lead the coaches' overall ACC Player of the Year voting and 11 votes to lead the balloting for Offensive Player of the Year. The MVP of the Dr Pepper ACC Football Championship Game, Watson leads the conference in total offense with 338.4 yards per game while accounting for 41 touchdowns (30 passing, 11 rushing).

A finalist for the Heisman Trophy and numerous other national awards, Watson has thrown for an ACC-leading 3,512 yards while completing 69.5 percent of his passes. His 887 rushing yards rank seventh among all conference players. Watson is the only player in the nation to pass for over 3,500 yards and rush for over 850, and he ranks ninth nationally in total offensive yards per game.

After earning All-America honors each of the past two seasons, Duke's Cash has been just as productive during his senior year. The Miami, Florida, native ranks among the ACC leaders in total tackles with 101 and among the nation's top 10 in tackles for loss with 18. He is the only defensive back to rank among the nation's top 50 in the latter category.

The three-time All-ACC safety, who has forced three fumbles this season and is Duke's career leader in the same category with nine, is one of three finalists for the Jim Thorpe Award which goes to the nation's top defensive back, and he was one of five finalists for the Nagurski Trophy which is awarded to the nation's top defensive player. Cash's nine career forced fumbles are also tied for the most among active players. Cash earned six votes for ACC Defensive Player of the Year, one more than Clemson defensive end Shaq Lawson.

Swinney, who has guided Clemson to a school-record 13 wins in addition to the 15th ACC title in school history, received 11 votes from his peers in the ACC Coach of the Year balloting. North Carolina's Larry Fedora received the other three.

In addition to carrying an unbeaten record into their New Year's Eve matchup with Oklahoma in the College Football Playoff, Swinney's Tigers claimed the ACC Atlantic Division title with a perfect 8-0 mark in league play. Clemson ranks seventh nationally in total defense and 12th in total offense. Last Saturday night's Dr Pepper ACC Football Championship Game marked the 100th game Swinney has coached at Clemson while compiling a career record of 74-26 that includes two ACC titles.

Pitt's Whitehead and Ollison each received five coaches' votes for overall ACC Rookie of the Year.

Whitehead picked up nine votes for ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year following a regular season in which he emerged as one of the conference's leading tacklers and helped the Panthers to their first eight-win season since 2010 and a bowl bid for the eighth straight year. Whitehead finished the regular season with 99 tackles to rank among the ACC leaders.

The steady defensive back from Alquippa, Pennsylvania, has five games this season with double-digit tackles, and is one tackle shy of becoming just the second freshman in Pitt history to record 100 tackles in a single season. Whitehead has intercepted one pass while breaking up six others and has 5.5 tackles for loss, including a quarterback sack. A versatile player who also saw time on offense, Whitehead has rushed for 79 yards and two touchdowns on just 10 carries and has two pass receptions.

Forced into an expanded role for Pitt's offense in September due to injuries, Ollison responded by rushing for 1,048 yards and 10 touchdowns to lead a Panther ground attack that ranks fourth in the ACC. Ollison was voted the ACC Rookie of the Week on two occasions, the first of which followed his 207-yard rushing performance against Youngstown State in the season opener. Ollison's 1,048 rushing yards are the seventh-most by a freshman in ACC history.

A native of Niagara Falls, New York, Ollison is one of just five freshmen in Pitt school history to reach the 1,000-yard rushing milestone. Ollison was the choice of eight coaches for ACC Offensive Rookie of the Year.

Clemson's Watson leads a 17-player contingent from the undefeated and CFP-bound Tigers voted to the 2015 Coaches' All-ACC Team (nine first-team, two second-team and six third-team). Coastal Division champion North Carolina filled 13 slots on the teams, including two by junior Ryan Switzer, who was voted first-team specialist and third-team wide receiver.

Florida State and Pitt each accounted for nine selections, while seven were chosen from Miami.

2015 ACC Coaches' Award Winners and All-ACC Team

(Total votes/points in parenthesis)

Coach of the Year

Dabo Swinney, Clemson (11)
Larry Fedora, North Carolina (3)

Player of the Year

Deshaun Watson, QB, So., Clemson (10)
Dalvin Cook, QB, So., Florida State (2)
Marquise Williams, QB, Sr., North Carolina (2)

Offensive Player of the Year

Deshaun Watson, QB, So., Clemson (11)
Marquise Williams, QB, Sr., North Carolina (2)
Dalvin Cook, RB, So., Florida State (1)

Defensive Player of the Year

Jeremy Cash, S, Sr.-R, Duke (6)
Shaq Lawson, DE, Jr.-R, Clemson (5)
Jalen Ramsey, CB, Jr., Florida State, (1)
Ejuan Price, DE, Sr.-R, Pitt (1)
Luther Maddy, DT, Sr.-R, Virginia Tech (1)

Rookie of the Year

Jordan Whitehead, S, Pitt (5) -Tie
Qadree Ollison, RB, Pitt (5) -Tie
Mitch Hyatt, T, Clemson (2)
Christian Wilkins, DT, Clemson (1)
Eric Dungey, QB, Syracuse (1)

Offensive Rookie of the Year

Qadree Ollison, RB, Pitt (8)
Lamar Jackson, QB, Louisville (2)
Mitch Hyatt, T, Clemson (2)
Eric Dungey, QB, Syracuse (1)
Travon McMillian, RB, Virginia Tech (1)

Defensive Rookie of the Year

Jordan Whitehead, S, Pitt (9)
Christian Wilkins, DT, Clemson (3)
Derwin James, S, Florida State (1)
Brant Mitchell, LB, Georgia Tech (1)

First Team Offense

WR Tyler Boyd, Jr., Pitt (39)
WR Artavis Scott, So., Clemson (34)
WR Isaiah Ford, So., Virginia Tech (26)
TE Jordan Leggett, Jr., Clemson (22)
T Roderick Johnson, So., Florida State (33)
T Adam Bisnowaty, Jr.-R, Pitt (30)
G Landon Turner, Sr., North Carolina (36)
G Eric Mac Lain, Sr.-R, Clemson (30)
C Matt Skura, Sr.-R, Duke (35)
QB Deshaun Watson, So., Clemson (37)
RB Dalvin Cook, So., Florida State (38)
RB Wayne Gallman, So.-R, Clemson (30)
K Roberto Aguayo, Jr.-R, Florida State (32)
Sp. Ryan Switzer, Jr., North Carolina (29)

Second Team Offense

WR Stacey Coley, Jr., Miami (20)
WR Kermit Whitfield, Jr., Florida State (20)
WR Canaan Severin, Sr., Virginia (17)
TE(tie) Jaylen Samuels, So., NC State ( 15)
TE(tie) Bucky Hodges, So.-R, Virginia Tech (15)
T Jon Heck, Jr.-R, North Carolina (19)
T Joe Thuney, Sr.-R, NC State (19)
G Dorian Johnson, Jr., Pitt (19)
G Caleb Peterson, Jr.-R, North Carolina (17)
C Jay Guillermo, Jr.-R, Clemson (14)
QB Marquise Williams, Sr., North Carolina (23)
RB Elijah Hood, So., North Carolina (29)
RB Qadree Ollison, Fr.-R, Pitt (20)
K Ross Martin, Sr., Duke (14)
Sp. DeVon Edwards, Jr.-R, Duke (23)

Third Team Offense

WR Ryan Switzer, Jr., North Carolina (15)
WR Rashawn Scott, Sr.-R, Miami (13)
WR Mack Hollins, Jr.-R, North Carolina ( 13)
TE J.P. Holtz, Sr., Pitt (11)
T Joe Gore, Sr.-R, Clemson (14)
T Mitch Hyatt, Fr., Clemson (14)
G Ross Burbank, Sr.-R, Virginia (11)
G Tyrone Crowder, So.-R, Clemson (10)
C Lucas Crowley, Jr., North Carolina (13)
QB Brad Kaaya, So., Miami (13)
RB Taquan Mizzell, Jr., Virginia (14)
RB Joe Yearby, So., Miami (13)
K(tie) Greg Huegel, Fr.-R, Clemson (10)
K(tie) Michael Badgley, So., Miami (10)
K(tie) Nick Weiler, Jr., North Carolina (10)
Sp. Kermit Whitfield, Jr., Florida State (13)

Honorable Mention Offense (7 or more points)

QB--Jacoby Brissett, Sr.-R, NC State (8). RB--Matt Dayes, Jr., NC State (12); Travon McMillian, Fr.-R, Virginia Tech (7); WR--James Quick, Jr., Louisville (11); Travis Rudolph, So., Florida State (10); Quinshad Davis, Sr. ,North Carolina (10). TE--Cam Serigne, So.-R, Wake Forest (10). T-Danny Isadora, Jr., Miami (8); Lucas Patrick, Sr.-R, Duke (7); Kareem Are, Jr.-R, Florida State (7). C--Freddie Burden, Jr.-R, Georgia Tech (7). SP--Brisly Estime, Jr., Syracuse (12).

First Team Defense

DE Shaq Lawson, Jr.-R, Clemson (35)
DE Ejuan Price, Sr.-R, Pitt (25)
DT Connor Wujciak, Sr., Boston College (28)
DT Nile Lawrence-Stample, Sr.-R, Florida State (27)
LB Steven Daniels, Sr., Boston College ( 28)
LB Brandon Chubb, Sr.-R, Wake Forest (24)
LB Ben Boulware, Jr., Clemson (24)
CB Jalen Ramsey, Jr., Florida State (36)
CB Mackensie Alexander, So.-R, Clemson (29)
S Jeremy Cash, Sr.-R, Duke (36)
S Jayron Kearse, Jr., Clemson (28)
P Alex Kinal, Sr.-R, Wake Forest (19)

Second Team Defense

DE Mike Rose, Sr.-R, NC State (16)
DE Sheldon Rankins, Sr., Louisville (14)
DT Luther Maddy, Sr.-R, Virginia Tech (26)
DT Carlos Watkins, Jr.-R, Clemson (17)
LB Keith Kelsey, Jr., Louisville (20)
LB Micah Kiser, So.-R, Virginia (19)
LB(tie) Dwayne Norman, Sr., Duke (17)
LB(tie) Reggie Northrup, Sr., Florida State (17)
CB Artie Burns, Jr., Miami (26)
CB Des Lawrence, Jr., North Carolina (11)
S Quin Blanding, So., Virginia (21)
S Justin Simmons, Sr., Boston College ( 16)
P Riley Dixon, Sr., Syracuse (17)

Third Team Defense

DE Dadi Nicolas, Sr.-R, Virginia Tech (13)
DE DeMarcus Walker, Jr., Florida State (13)
DT Adam Gotsis, Sr., Georgia Tech (15)
DT Darryl Render, Sr., Pitt (13)
LB Matt Milano, Jr., Boston College (13)
LB James Burgess, Sr., Louisville (11)
LB(tie) Shakeel Rashad, Sr., North Carolina (9)
LB(tie) Nicholas Grigsby, Sr.-R, Pitt (9)
LB(tie) Jeff Schoettmer, Sr.-R, North Carolina (9)
LB(tie) B.J. Goodson, Sr.-R, Clemson (9)
CB Cordrea Tankersley, Jr., Clemson (10)
CB Trumaine Washington, So., Louisville (8)
S Jordan Whitehead, Fr., Pitt (11)
S (tie) Deon Bush, Sr., Miami (10)
S(tie) Josh Harvey-Clemons, Jr.-R, Louisville (10)
P Will Monday, Sr.-R, Duke (14)

Honorable Mention Defense (7 or more points)

DE--Mehdi Addesmad, Sr.-R, Boston College (8); Harold Landry, So., Boston College (8); DT--DeAngelo Brown, Jr., Louisville (9); David Dean, Sr.-R, Virginia (8); Corey Marshall, Sr.-R (7). LB--Trevon Young, Jr., Louisville (7); Devonte Fields, Jr., Louisville (7). CB--Shaq Wiggins, So.-R, Louisville (7); Brad Watson, Jr., Wake Forest (7); M.J. Stewart, So., North Carolina (7). S--DeVon Edwards, Jr.-R, Duke (8). P--Nicholas Conte, Jr.-R, Virginia (13); Justin Vogel, Jr., Miami (8).

Comments

So what QB got a first place vote other than Watson and what coach would have voted for him?

Wet stuff on the red stuff.

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Dabo Sweeney because he couldn't vote for his own player.

Doesn't matter if it's cake or pie as long as it's chocolate.

Then how did Boyd end up with more first place votes if his coach can't vote for him either? And Dalvin Cook?

Wet stuff on the red stuff.

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Those are point values, not vote totals. The POY categories are one vote per coach. The first, second, and third teams come down to points per vote. First team ballot = 3, second = 2, third = 1, IIRC. 13 eligible coaches x 3 points for first team = 39 points.

"Exit light..."

So who voted for Watson to not be first team? He got 37 total votes Boyd got 39 and Cook got 38, that means a coach didn't think he was the best QB in the ACC this year. I find that hard to believe.

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This is why coaches polls are rarely unanimous. I could see Marquise Williams garnering a first-place vote. It's all totally subjective.

"Exit light..."

Someone who didn't watch that USCe game.

Wet stuff on the red stuff.

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Just like losses, better to get the ugly performance out of the way early and improve as the season goes on. One bad day should not define a player's season and what they accomplish. I agree that, if I were voting, Watson gets the first-team nod, but their stats are not remarkably different. Watson has the edge, but given the talent around him at all the other offensive positions, he was already in a really good position to succeed. UNC came (almost) out of nowhere, led by Williams.

"Exit light..."

The first game of the season? The season doesn't stop there. Williams picked up steam and finished strong with many numbers comparable to Watson.

Frank probably voted for Marquise Williams since he actually played against him this year. And lost.

Onward and upward

Two coaches would have to give him 2nd team votes or one coach with 3rd team vote. That's a head scratcher.

Wet stuff on the red stuff.

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The story says Boyd was unanimous because he got all 13 votes for which he was eligible. His coach had to vote for someone else. But I see your point, someone beside Dabo had to vote for another QB or Watson would have been unanimous also.

Doesn't matter if it's cake or pie as long as it's chocolate.

Scrolling...scrolling...scrolling. Where are the tech players?!

And how odd is it we have a first team offensive player but not defensive. The times they are a changin.

Seriously. Although Luther Maddy missed making first team defense by just 1 point.

I like that Big Lu got a D POTY vote, but was 2nd team.

We put the K in Kwality

One coach must really like him. Just not sure which one.

Came here to say the same thing. I thought it was odd.

"...When we step on that field, they bleed like we bleed and we're gonna show the world."
-Corey Marshall

how does Smoked Mizzel make 3rd team and not McMillian... dumb

Because Mizzell had 721 receiving yards to go with his 671 rushing yards. He has more receptions than Isaiah Ford. He's a versatile back that got a lot of credit for how he was used. I don't think he was a better back, but his production says otherwise.

but, but, Smoke got 700 yards rushing and receiving this year...only not because he was pretty much shut down against us.

Warning: this post occasionally contains strong language (which may be unsuitable for children), unusual humor (which may be unsuitable for adults), and advanced mathematics (which may be unsuitable for liberal-arts majors)..

Probably because he was the feature back for the entire year.

So the players of the year and offensive players of the year are exactly the same, yet the voting is different...

With 2 HM punters, you're telling me that AJ Hughes isn't a top 5 punter in the conference?

Danny Coale is like 7-11, he's always open

More politely than I was capable of, but you nailed it. The dude averaged 43 yards per and 2,843 yards gross punting yardage... plus the East Carolina magic trick. What the hell are they looking for?

I would root for the Russians before I would root for Virginia.

Wins?

Onward and upward

I'm gonna go out on a limb and say that a punter on a losing team has a lot more opportunity to impress than one on a winning team.

Warning: this post occasionally contains strong language (which may be unsuitable for children), unusual humor (which may be unsuitable for adults), and advanced mathematics (which may be unsuitable for liberal-arts majors)..

How does Facyson not even get Honorable Mention

I just sit on my couch and b*tch. - HokieChemE2016

Huh?

It was because we wore orange helmets.

We put the K in Kwality

Kendall Fuller should be first team defense, ipso facto.

If this is about players that had the greatest impact, he fits the bill.

I was actually surprised he didn't receive an Honorable Mention after Maddy got one last year, but then again, Fuller didn't look good in his 3 games and people will only remember him being burned by Michael Thomas.

Seriously. It's spelled Brandon Facyson. There seems to be some confusion out there about that.

No Chuck Clark? these lists are always trash.

Do the Coaches vote on the All-ACC Referee Team? I'd like to know which ref would make the team...

I think youre missing a certain UNC catch in there

Yea, i looked for it, but couldn't find a pic or a gif for that? help?

uh, the penalty on UNC was legit, you shouldn't be pointing it out as a bad call.

edit: it can be argued the leading UNC player wasn't offsides. I think he was. It was very close either way. And the ref who made the call had the view directly along the line of scrimmage.

emphasis ----> UNC should've also been called for illegal formation for the player lined up outside the 9-yard mark and flagged for the targeting hit on the Clemson player attempting to recover the ball.

Even if you concede the offside was a missed call, it's a case of one blown call making up for 2 other blown calls... net result is the correct outcome.

Wiley, Brown, Russell, Drakeford, Gray, Banks, Prioleau, Charleton, Midget, Bird, McCadam, Pile, Hall, Green, Fuller, Williams, Hamilton, Rouse, Flowers, Harris, Chancellor, Carmichael, Hosley, Fuller, Exum, Jarrett

... /s ? That was universally panned as one of the worst calls of the season.

"Exit light..."

Thanks GuitarMan - i didn't refresh to see another reply, but we were on the same page with the /s font.

The giant yellow line overlay obscures the actual kick in the replay this image was taken from. It's also not directly along the line. IIRC breaking the plane with any part of your body before the ball is kicked constitutes offside, and the lead UNC player's hand/head are very close.

Wiley, Brown, Russell, Drakeford, Gray, Banks, Prioleau, Charleton, Midget, Bird, McCadam, Pile, Hall, Green, Fuller, Williams, Hamilton, Rouse, Flowers, Harris, Chancellor, Carmichael, Hosley, Fuller, Exum, Jarrett

EDIT: moved to post to comment below.

This is interesting...

Limitations on Reviewable Plays
ARTICLE 6. No other plays or officiating decisions are reviewable. However,
the replay official may correct egregious errors, including those involving the
game clock, whether or not a play is reviewable. This excludes fouls that are
not specifically reviewable (Reviewable fouls: Rules 12-3-2-c and d, 12-3-4-b
and 12-3-5-a).

In the NCAA Replay Rulebook, the replay official has the authority to correct egregious errors. Does this offsides decision fall under an egregious error?

It's at the bottom of Page 8 here....

Rule 12-3-4-b (which is reviewable according to the section you quoted) says "Reviewable plays involving kicks include: Player beyond the neutral zone when kicking the ball"

IMO, that says that offsides on a kick is reviewable, and could have been corrected if the replay official judged it to be an egregious error.

Danny Coale is like 7-11, he's always open

I know you're trying to show that the UNC players haven't crossed the line yet and the ball is downfield, but crossing the line with your head counts in this situation, so it doesn't prove anything. This isn't the best photo anyone because the ball has already been kicked.

Got an earlier image from this angle showing the kicker actually kicking the ball?

Wiley, Brown, Russell, Drakeford, Gray, Banks, Prioleau, Charleton, Midget, Bird, McCadam, Pile, Hall, Green, Fuller, Williams, Hamilton, Rouse, Flowers, Harris, Chancellor, Carmichael, Hosley, Fuller, Exum, Jarrett

Close, but i highly doubt #30's head is 3 feet in front of his knee, which is behind the 34 yard line.

If his head is more than 3 feet beyond his foot, then judging from the angles, that guy is about 10' tall.

yeah I'm not seeing it. I think it's pretty clear that UNC was not offsides. I can't speak to the other alleged penalties (illegal formation; targeting) but I honestly don't see how anyone can make a case for this particular call being correct. Or even close.

Onward and upward

OK that's a great angle. Even his hand doesn't look anywhere near the line. I'm in the not offsides camp now.

However, UNC was still lined up illegally (uncalled), then committed an uncalled targeting foul on the Clemson player recovering the ball to knock it loose.

So ultimately it was the wrong call, but it was a good call in the sense that the correct outcome was achieved.

Wiley, Brown, Russell, Drakeford, Gray, Banks, Prioleau, Charleton, Midget, Bird, McCadam, Pile, Hall, Green, Fuller, Williams, Hamilton, Rouse, Flowers, Harris, Chancellor, Carmichael, Hosley, Fuller, Exum, Jarrett

Clemson fans were all too happy to retweet articles pointing out the illegal formation which I have never, ever seen called, so much so that I don't believe refs even know that's a rule about being inside the 9 yard mark. I think it was a terrible call, nowhere near offsides, but Clemson fans are incredibly stubborn and annoying so there was no use trying to reason with them that maybe, JUST MAYBE they were on the right side of a bad call. Boomer Sooner.

again, if that flag hadn't been thrown, Clemson would've suffered because of two bad / missed calls favoring UNC on the same play.

Also, I don't think UNC was going to pull off the comeback victory, but of course every talking head presumes that is what would have happened if UNC wasn't called offside.

Finally, I couldn't care less what Clemson fans think of the situation, probably because my opinion of them can't really get any lower :)

Wiley, Brown, Russell, Drakeford, Gray, Banks, Prioleau, Charleton, Midget, Bird, McCadam, Pile, Hall, Green, Fuller, Williams, Hamilton, Rouse, Flowers, Harris, Chancellor, Carmichael, Hosley, Fuller, Exum, Jarrett

However, UNC was still lined up illegally (uncalled), then committed an uncalled targeting foul on the Clemson player recovering the ball to knock it loose.

In the end, this only fuels the fire of the poor ACC refereeing this year.

To your point, had none of the calls been made (offsides, targeting, formation) UNC recovers, scores, eventually wins the game, I imagine that Klempson fans would be analyzing the targeting and illegal formation non-calls just the same. It's how we operate.

This picture gave me an idea. The official is set up, appropriately, at the line of the kick. Why in the world don't the officials all have GoPro cameras on their heads? Just link those up wirelessly to the review booth and you'll have definitive information for just about everything. I guess NCAA/NFL want to avoid embarrassment in the case of badly blown calls. But how many times have we seen a review (goal line, for instance) where the call comes down to, "well, there's just no direct angle to tell." Here's your direct angle, folks.

"Exit light..."

A very valid and good question.

The camera would capture the same direction that the referee's head is turned to regardless of what the ref is focused on.

Oh boy. First the world wanted all police officers wearing body cams. Now refs, whats next??

I would put the s/ but its not meant to be sarcasm as much as it is a humorous parallel?

Or put a chip in the ball and have the ESPN skycam always track to it's position. If they can do this, they should be able to track a football, right?

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I've also thought it wouldn't be hard to put a transmitter in the ball and sensors along the side lines, goal lines, goal posts, etc. It removes all doubt about spot of the ball, etc. The only thing that remains is possession, foot in bounds, and a few other judgment calls. Combine that with officials wearing hat-cams and you have yourself a 21st century approach to football.

"Exit light..."

Out of bounds and a lot of goaline stuff could be fixed with cameras in the ground with sight line down them.

Wet stuff on the red stuff.

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My only concern with fixed equipment on the field is the chance someone steps on it and breaks it, or trips on it and injures himself. Embedded cameras, like ones in pylons, are a cool idea, but sensors + official GoPro (because the guys can move out of the way) seems to me to be the least invasive way of improving things.

"Exit light..."

Major League Baseball figured out how to do it under home plate, there has to be something. The pylon cameras are a great start and should be rolled out to every NFL game, not sure why they aren't yet and should be in P5 football by 2016 season. But there has to be the technology out there to make having a camera watching the sideline a thing.

Wet stuff on the red stuff.

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What about the chain gang -- the line-to-gain and down indicators? They're always positioned at the line of scrimmage and the line to gain. Couldn't they mount cameras on those?

"Our job as coaches is to influence young people's lives for the better in terms of fundamental skills, work ethic, and doing the right thing. Every now and again, a player actually has that effect on the coaching staff." Justin Fuente on Sam Rogers

I'd like to see the GoPro footage when a receiver steps out of bounds without being forced out.

OK, so mount them on their chests or shoulders or something instead of their caps?

"Our job as coaches is to influence young people's lives for the better in terms of fundamental skills, work ethic, and doing the right thing. Every now and again, a player actually has that effect on the coaching staff." Justin Fuente on Sam Rogers

The Go Pro on the head is a really cool idea and would provide some really cool footage, I think, but there's one problem I can see. There are times when the official has to throw his hat on the ground to signify things. (I'm drawing a blank right now as what those things are though. An additional penalty when his flag's already been thrown? Marking the spot where a punt or kick was caught?) Are those things durable enough to withstand that kind of abuse?

edit: One more potential problem...what're the odds of that thing being properly focused to see anything useful at any given time? The action you want to see will be at varying distances from the line judge or whoever's wearing it. Would you have to have a remote camera operator in the press box for each of these things, or do they have good auto-focus capability?

β€œYou got one guy going boom, one guy going whack, and one guy not getting in the endzone.”
― John Madden (describing VT's offense?)

This goes to MEchase's comment above. The hat is thrown to indicate players going out of bounds. The simple solution is: find a different way to signal that instance rather than throwing a hat. No idea about autofocus, but it's an important consideration. The idea just struck me after hearing so often that we don't have an angle that corresponds to what the official sees. Seems like an eminently solvable problem.

Also doesn't necessarily have to be a GoPro, that's just want inspired me. There are all kinds of small high-tech cameras that would work and add minimal weight to the hat itself.

"Exit light..."

Oh, so that's what MEchase was talking about up there. For the life of me, I couldn't figure out what the hell was so interesting about seeing a player go out of bounds from the side judge's perspective. Thanks for clearing that up.

β€œYou got one guy going boom, one guy going whack, and one guy not getting in the endzone.”
― John Madden (describing VT's offense?)

emphasis ----> UNC should've also been called for illegal formation for the player lined up outside the 9-yard mark and flagged for the targeting hit on the Clemson player attempting to recover the ball.

This is an interesting argument that I haven't seen elsewhere.
2 dumb questions: 1) Can you explain the illegal formation? I'm not sure what you mean by "outside the 9-yard mark". 2) Would the targeting penalty, if called, have actually given possession to Clemson or resulted in a re-kick? I was under the assumption that such a penalty would be tacked on after the result of the play, therefore no replay of the down. Since the Clemson player had not yet gained possession, I don't see how the officials could assume he would've secured the ball and award him the ball.

β€œYou got one guy going boom, one guy going whack, and one guy not getting in the endzone.”
― John Madden (describing VT's offense?)

I can't spare the time to dig more into now but the 9-yard marks are hashes 9 yards from the sideline. Sometimes the edge of the yardage numbers serve that purpose. Kickoff coverage teams must all be inside the marks when the ball is marked ready for play, and people are saying that UNC was already lined up outside the 9-yard marks when the ref signaled ready. Can't easily find video of the pre-kick setup to confirm that though.

NCAA football rules

Wiley, Brown, Russell, Drakeford, Gray, Banks, Prioleau, Charleton, Midget, Bird, McCadam, Pile, Hall, Green, Fuller, Williams, Hamilton, Rouse, Flowers, Harris, Chancellor, Carmichael, Hosley, Fuller, Exum, Jarrett

I understand the confusion but the name I'm very surprised that didn't make the list at least on the Defensive Rookie was Adonis Alexander. Part of 50+ tackles, 4 interceptions, 4 breakups, and 8 pass defenses. Kid had a great year filling into a bruised up secondary against some pretty decent teams.

Outspoken team cake advocate. Hates terrapins. Resident Macho Man Gif Poster. Distant cousin to Dork Magic. Frequently misspells words.

No Sam Rogers!??

They don't allow coaches to vote for him, he would win ever position 1st team, it's just not fair to the other players.

Wet stuff on the red stuff.

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TIL Dalvin Cook is a QB

"I thought the kid right there you're talking to right there played his nuts off."