July 29, 2009
GREENSBORO, N.C. –University of Miami’s senior offensive tackle Jason Fox and junior kicker Matt Bosher have been named to the Atlantic Coast Conference Preseason Football Team, as announced by the league office on Wednesday.
Fox – an Outland Trophy candidate – has started 36 games in his career and is entering his third season as UM’s full-time starting left tackle. Last season, he led the `Canes in grading out at 97% for the year.
Bosher is coming off a sophomore season in which he converted 18-of-20 field goal attempts en route to becoming a semifinalist for the Lou Groza Award, given annually to the nation’s top kicker. Bosher led UM and ranked second in the ACC in scoring last season with 94 points.
In all, 17 players who earned first or second-team or honorable mention All-ACC honors in 2008 were chosen for the 2009 preseason team, including 2009 first-team honorees Russell Wilson, Jonathan Dwyer, C.J. Spiller (as specialist), Rodney Hudson and Travis Baltz.
Nine members of the 2009 preseason team earned second team All-ACC honors last year including Bosher (who actually earned second-team All-ACC as a punter and placekicker), Spiller (as a running back), Jason Worilds, Morgan Burnett, Anthony Castonzo, Sergio Render, Alex Wujciak, Ras-I-Dowling and Kendric Burney. The 2008 honorable mention All-ACC selections were Vince Oghobaase, Matt Tennant and Willie Young.
As a team, Miami was selected by media members to finish fourth in the league’s Coastal Division, garnering 282 points. Virginia Tech (78 first place votes) was selected as the Coastal Division champion with 512 points while Florida State (56 first place votes) was picked as the Atlantic Division winner with 479 points.
The Hokies were picked to win the league’s championship game with 69 votes while Georgia Tech’s Jonathan Dwyer was chosen as the preseason player of the year with 39 votes.
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ATLANTIC COAST CONFERENCE PRESEASON FOOTBALL TEAM
OFFENSE
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Position
|
Name
|
School
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No.
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In 2008 otherwise noted
|
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QB
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Russell Wilson
|
NC State
|
31
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2008 1st-team All-ACC, ACC Rookie of the Year
|
|
RB
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Jonathan Dwyer
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Georgia Tech
|
41
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2008 ACC Player of the Year,2009 Pre-Season Player of the Year
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|
RB
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C.J. Spiller
|
Clemson
|
38
|
Needs 921 all-purpose yards for ACC record
|
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WR
|
Demaryius Thomas
|
Georgia Tech
|
15
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Had more than half of Tech’s catches
|
|
WR
|
Jacoby Ford
|
Clemson
|
31
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2nd among active ACC players in yards, catches
|
|
TE
|
Greg Boone
|
Virginia Tech
|
32
|
22 catches for 278 yards
|
|
OT
|
Jason Fox
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Miami
|
32
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Graded out at 97% for the year
|
|
OT
|
Anthony Castonzo
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Boston College
|
26
|
2008 second-team All-ACC
|
|
OG
|
Sergio Render
|
Virginia Tech
|
25
|
2008 second-team All-ACC, 39 career starts
|
|
OG
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Rodney Hudson
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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
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Made 18-of-20 FGAs; 2008 2nd Team All-ACC
|
|
|
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|
|
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DEFENSE
|
|
Position
|
Name
|
School
|
No.
|
In 2008 otherwise noted
|
|
DE
|
Jason Worilds
|
Virginia Tech
|
25
|
Recorded 18.5 tackles for loss, 2008 2nd-team All-ACC
|
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DE
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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
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Marvin Austin
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North Carolina
|
25
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Interception return for a TD and blocked PAT
|
|
LB
|
Dekoda Watson
|
Florida State
|
34
|
28 tackles in final four regular-season games
|
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LB
|
Quan Sturdivant
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North Carolina
|
28
|
Led the nation in unassisted tackles (87)
|
|
LB
|
Alex Wujciak
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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
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North Carolina
|
13
|
Credited with 78 tackles
|
|
S
|
Morgan Burnett
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Georgia Tech
|
34
|
Preseason All-American by 3 sources
|
|
S
|
Kam Chancellor
|
Virginia Tech
|
31
|
2 fumble recoveries, 2 INT
|
|
P
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Travis Baltz
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Maryland
|
38
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Led ACC in punting average (41.1)
|
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Specialist: C.J. Spiller, Clemson
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2009 ACC Football Kickoff Preseason Media Balloting
|
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Atlantic Division
|
|
1.
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Florida State (56)
|
|
479
|
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2.
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Clemson (14)
|
|
387
|
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3.
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NC State (10)
|
|
364
|
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4.
|
Wake Forest (7)
|
|
295
|
|
5.
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Maryland
|
|
157
|
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6.
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Boston College
|
|
145
|
|
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Coastal Division
|
|
1.
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Virginia Tech (78)
|
|
512
|
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2.
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Georgia Tech (9)
|
|
415
|
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3.
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North Carolina
|
|
350
|
|
4.
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Miami
|
|
282
|
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5.
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Virginia
|
|
148
|
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6.
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Duke
|
|
120
|
|
|
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Predicted ACC Championship Game Winner
|
|
1.
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Virginia Tech
|
69
|
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T2.
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Florida State
|
7
|
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Georgia Tech
|
7
|
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T4.
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Clemson
|
2
|
|
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NC State
|
2
|
|
|
|
|
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2009 Preseason ACC Player of the Year
|
|
1.
|
Jonathan Dwyer, Georgia Tech
|
39
|
|
2.
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C.J. Spiller, Clemson
|
28
|
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3.
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Russell Wilson, NC State
|
16
|
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4.
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Christian Ponder, Florida State
|
1
|
|
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Vic Hall, Virginia
|
1
|
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Tyrod Taylor, Virginia Tech
|
1
|
|
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Riley Skinner
|
1
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