With today's announcement of the All-ACC teams, I feel arrogant enough to say that I have probably watched more tape on some of these players than many of the writers that are voting (not VT's beat writers though, who have done an excellent job of making good evaluations rather than the softball fodder or reactionary fire everyone antics that you see in some markets.) So, I have decided to share the French60Wasp All-ACC Team.
Before I begin, there are a couple of caveats. I have not seen Syracuse play this season. I have seen very little of Louisville, NC State, and Clemson, so my selections will reflect that bias.
2014 All-ACC Football Team
1st Team Offense
WR Rashad Greene, Sr., Florida State
WR Jamison Crowder, Sr., Duke
WR Tyler Boyd, So., Pitt
TE Clive Walford, Sr.-R, Miami
T Cameron Erving, Sr.-R., Florida State
T T.J. Clemmings, Sr.-R, Pitt
G Laken Tomlinson, Sr.-R, Duke
G Tre Jackson, Sr., Florida State
C Andy Gallik, Sr.-R, Boston College
QB Jameis Winston, So.-R, Florida State
RB James Conner, So., Pitt
RB Duke Johnson, Jr., Miami
2nd Team Offense
WR DeAndre Smelter, Sr.-R, Georgia Tech
WR Mike Williams, So., Clemson
WR Artavis Scott, Fr., Clemson
TE Bucky Hodges, Fr.-R, Virginia Tech
T Ereck Flowers, Jr., Miami
T Jamon Brown, Sr., Louisville
G Shaquille Mason, Sr., Georgia Tech
G Wyatt Teller, Fr-R, Virginia Tech
C Shane McDermott-Miami
QB Justin Thomas, Georgia Tech
RB Zach Laskey, Sr., Georgia Tech
RB Dalvin Cook, So., Florida State
3rd Team Offense
WR Mack Hollins, UNC
WR DeVante Parker, Sr., Louisville
WR Isaiah Ford, Virginia Tech
TE Nick OLeary, Sr., Florida State
T Laurence Gibson, Sr, Virginia Tech
T Takoby Cofield, Sr.-R, Duke
G Jon Feliciano- Miami
G Matt Rotheram, Sr.-R, Pitt
C Matt Skura, Jr.-R, Duke
QB Tyler Murphy, BC
RB Synjyn Days, Georgia Tech
RB Karlos Williams, FSU
1st Team Defense
DE Vic Beasley, Sr.-R, Clemson
DE Dadi Nicolas, Jr.-R, Virginia Tech
DT Eddie Goldman, Jr., Florida State
DT Corey Marshall, Jr.-R, Virginia Tech
LB Denzel Perryman, Sr., Miami
LB Henry Coley, Virginia
LB Stephone Anthony, Sr., Clemson
CB Kevin Johnson Wake Forest
CB P.J. Williams, Jr., Florida State
S Gerod Holliman, So.-R Louisville
S Jalen Ramsey, So., Florida State
2nd Team Defense
DE Max Valles, Virginia
DE Mario Edwards Jr., Jr., Florida State
DT Grady Jarrett, Sr., Clemson
DT Connor Wujciak, Jr., Boston College
LB Terrance Smith, Jr.-R, Florida State
LB Stephen Daniels- Boston College
LB Quayshawn Nealy, Sr.-R, Georgia Tech
CB Kendall Fuller, So., Virginia Tech
CB DJ White, Georgia Tech
S Jeremy Cash, Jr.-R, Duke
S Quin Blanding, Fr., Virginia
3rd Team Defense
DE Sheldon Rankins, Jr., Louisville
DE Ken Ekanem, Jr., So.-R, Virginia Tech
DT David Dean, Virginia
DT Anthony Chickillo, Miami
LB Chase Williams, Virginia Tech
LB Brandon Chubb- Wake Forest
LB Josh Keyes, Boston College
CB Melvin Noel- Wake Forest
CB Chuck Clark- Virginia Tech
S Anthony Harris, Sr., Virginia
S Ray Vinopal- Pitt
Summary: Running backs were weak behind the top two. Corner and offensive line was tough to pick enough good ones. Tons of great linebackers and safeties to pick from.
Comments
Fuller second team? I'll defer to your expertise, but that surprised me.
Against BC, Duke, Wake, and UVA, I would argue that Clark was better in coverage than Fuller. Fuller had some issues in press coverage losing inside leverage (I expect because of injury.) I am not saying Fuller was bad, but he wasn't nearly as good as he was early in the season.
Agree that Kendall struggled at times in the past few weeks, but PJ Williams has been picked on at times for a good to mediocre FSU defense. It was a down year overall for standout corners in the ACC. Definitely agree that Johnson was absolutely snubbed.
When I watched FSU, I watched the Wake film (which didn't give a great look), so if there were any players where I didn't have a strong argument to put them above an FSU player, I didn't.
With 50 tackles 4.5 for loss 13 PBU which is 2nd in the ACC btw and a pick 6 considering he wasn't thrown at as much as some of the others he deserves to be 1st team
I think Chuck Clark quietly put together a really good season and has improved a lot since getting burned a couple times in the anOSU game; he even improved a lot in that game itself. I'm glad he made your third team.
Chuck clark: starting FS, Rover or CB next year?
He will be starting somewhere.
He will be the whip and stay on the field at all times. Free will be Reavis. Rover could be Frye, Greene, Sheggog, or Fisher.
RVD?
No idea what's going on with Fisher. The silence is deafening.
yep
French gets my vote for first team All-ACC team analyst. I won't belittle him by calling him a blogger.
Based purely on personal opinion and whatever bias you want, can I get a french60wasp All-ACC coaching staff? Fill whatever positions you want
Mike Elko gets my DC of the year award. For as god-awful as Wake's offense was, it was a miracle that they were in as many games as they were in. His design was exceptional. Bud would probably be second and BC's DC third. (with the caveat that I have watched very little of Louisville and Clemson.)
Offensively, that is a really tough call. Florida State has to get a knock because their passing offense produced in clutch moments all year. Miami's offense looked the best against VT. BC did the most with the least. But much like the conference itself, everyone had their share of up and down moments.
As frustrated as I was with our offense during the Wake game, their defense was very impressive. Their DC definitely knew how to get us.
Feel free to post your selections.
FRENCH. If you want to go after a Fuller, one of MY Fullers, you go after one that doesn't do the right things. You don't downgrade him because he does everything right and then not play as well on Saturday -- and you let us make that decision. That's why I don't read the blogs, because it's garbage, and the editor that let it come out is garbage. Come after me. I'm a man! I'm 40*! I'm not a kid. Write something about me, or our coaches. Don't write about a kid that does everything right, that's heart's broken, and then say that the coaches said he was scared. That's not true! So get your facts straight. And I hope someday you have a child and somebody downgrades them and belittles them and you have to look them in the eye and say, "You know what? It's okay." That's all I got to say. Makes me want to puke.
*I am not actually 40
haha!! not just good...^^
my only thought, no way VT should have 2 of the top 15 OL in the conference.
From what I saw, every team had some serious issues on the offensive line. Nobody besides Miami, Pitt, BC and GT could run the ball consistently. When you watch the amount of push guys really generate, Teller and Gibson (against ACC teams) generated more push than some of the guys who were selected (especially Landon Turner, who was abysmal on tape for UNC.)
This x 10 ^^^^
First team badass: Sam Rogers
No Rogers???? How DARE you!!!
damn...guy above me beat me to it..
nvmd
My only real issue is at QB. Winston just wasn't good enough this year to warrant 1st-team all-conference (I don't think he was good enough to win the Heisman last year, but then again playing on a NC-caliber team with NFL players at almost literally every position around you will do that). His 1st-half picks (I believe that count got up to about 15 after throwing 4 against UF this weekend) should be justification enough. I know everyone wants to argue that "he was clutch when it counted" and yes, he's made some big-boy throws this year, but FSU has won every game this year almost in spite of him, not because of him. Their under-utilized running game is what has won them games this year. When they can run the ball, Winston looks great. When they can't (or just don't), he looks average.
*steps off soapbox*
My first-team pick would actually be Williams of UNC. I thought he was a very difficult QB to defend and he took care of the football. Unfortunately, outside of Winston, there really aren't any big-name QBs in the ACC this year.
Winston had 17 INT this year. His TD:INT ratio was 1.24, strikingly similar to another QB who received significantly less praise - Michael Brewer (TD:INT of 1.21). Williams' TD:INT was 2.22 (20:9).
I know, I know, picking and choosing stats out of context. Just thought it was funny.
That is rather interesting. I didn't even bother looking at Brewer's stats. I just know that Winston threw one more pass and had 8 more picks. And that's with what I'd say is more talent around him and against comparable opposition.
I started to think about it a bit when every week it seemed that Jameis was setting a new career high for INTs. The 4 against UF really got me wondering what the ratio was. Figured it couldn't be much better than Brewer's. Turns out I was right, hooray!
I feel like Anthony Boone should have at least been 2nd team, if not 1st.
Anthony Boone wasn't all that scary and could be downright erratic at times, but he performed solidly enough to at least get some 3rd team consideration IMO.
But seriously, 22 TD's against 5 INT's and not even an honorable mention?
As I noted, I didn't see Brissett play in a single game. But I do love using Carter-Finley Stadium to tailgate hockey games.
Yes, I saw your disclaimer. That question was more directed to the less-prestigious, official All-ACC team voters.
Admittedly, the only NC State game I saw was against FSU, and Brissett was playing out of his mind.