Botts Named to 2012 Preseason All-ACC Team

Botts Named to 2012 Preseason All-ACC Team

GREENSBORO, N.C. – University of Miami senior punter Dalton Botts was named to the 2012 Preseason All-ACC Football team, the conference announced Wednesday. The Preseason All-ACC team was voted on by media members at the annual ACC Football Kickoff.

The Taft, Calif., native was the lone Hurricane player tabbed to the Preseason All-ACC team. Botts, who served as the Hurricanes’ punter in all 12 games as a junior last season, finished second in the Atlantic Coast Conference with a 42.7 yards-per-punt average in 2011.

He booted a season-long 62-yarder in the season finale against Boston College and had one of his best games against then-No. 17 Ohio State with an average of 47.8 yards on four attempts. He had only three touchbacks in 48 attempts, with 11 kicks inside the 20 and 11 punts of at least 50 yards.

Earlier this month, Botts was named to the watch list for the Ray Guy Award, which honors the nation’s top collegiate punter.

Miami will open fall camp on Fri., Aug. 3, and will open the 2012 season on Sept. 1 with an ACC matchup at Boston College.

Preseason All-ACC Team

Offense

Position Name (Votes) Height Weight Class Hometown
Wide Receiver Conner Vernon, Duke (41) 6-2 195 Senior Miami, Fla.
Wide Receiver Sammy Watkins, Clemson (68)                        6-1 200         Sophomore Fort Myers, Fla.
Tight End Matt Furstenburg, Maryland (35)                   6-4 245  Senior Flemington, N.J.
Tackle James Hurst, North Carolina (48) 6-7 300 Junior Plainfield, Ind.
Tackle Oday Aboushi, Virginia (29) 6-6 310 Senior Brooklyn, N.Y.
Guard Omoregie Uzzi, Georgia Tech (57) 6-3 300 Senior Lithonia, Ga.
Guard Jonathan Cooper, North Carolina (55) 6-3 295 Senior Wilmington, N.C.
Center Dalton Freeman, Clemson (58) 6-3 285 Senior Pelion, S.C.
Quarterback Tajh Boyd, Clemson (29) 6-1 225 Junior Hampton, Va.
Running Back Giovani Bernard, North Carolina (60) 5-10 205 Sophomore Davie, Fla.
Running Back Andre Ellington, Clemson (53) 5-10 190 Senior Moncks Corner, S.C.

Defense

Position Name (Votes) Height Weight Class Hometown
Defensive End Brandon Jenkins, Florida State (59) 6-3 265 Senior Tallahassee, Fla.
Defensive End James Gayle, Virginia Tech (31) 6-4 250 Junior Hampton, Va.
Defenive Tackle Joe Vellano, Maryland (58) 6-1 285 Senior Rexford, N.Y.
Defensive Tackle Nikita Whitlock, Wake Forest (33) 5-11 260 Junior Wylie, Texas
Linebacker Kevin Reddick, North Carolina (49) 6-3 240 Senior New Bern, N.C.
Linebacker Bruce Taylor, Virginia Tech (42) 6-2 253 Senior Riceboro, Ga.
Linebacker Steve Greer, Virginia (32) 6-2 225 Senior Solon, Ohio
Cornerback David Amerson, NC State (63) 6-3 194 Junior Greensboro, N.C.
Cornerback Kyle Fuller, Virginia Tech (25) 6-0 181 Junior Baltimore, Md.
Safety Lamarcus Joyner, Florida State (45) 5-8 204 Junior Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.
Safety Earl Wolff, NC State (30) 6-0 207 Senior Raeford, N.C.

Specialists

Position Name (Votes) Height Weight Class Hometown
Place Kicker Dustin Hopkins, Florida State (54) 6-2 190 Senior Houston, Texas
Punter Dalton Botts, Miami (65) 6-3 198 Senior Taft, Calif.
Specialist Greg Reid, Florida State (35) 5-8 186 Senior Valdosta, Ga.