ACC Football All-Conference Team: Gio Bernard Near Unanimous Pick, Clemson Tigers Place Six

Despite the disappointment that was ACC Football this past weekend, there is some good news to report today as the Atlantic Coast Sports Media Association released its ACC Football All-Conference Team  for the 2012 season.

Leading the charge are the 15th-ranked Clemson Tigers with six players followed by the 13th-ranked Florida State Seminoles and the North Carolina Tar Heels with five each.

Quarterback Tajh Boyd, running back Andre Ellington and receiver DeAndre Hopkins were Clemson’s skill players on the first team. They were joined by tackle Brandon Thomas, center Dalton Freeman and tight end Brandon Ford.

Boyd led the ACC with 34 touchdown passes while Hopkins had league-bests of 16 total TD catches and an average of 104 yards receiving for the conference’s best offense.

Nine teams had at least one first-team selection. There were no unanimous picks to the first team, but North Carolina running back Gio Bernard (pictured above) was chosen as a first-teamer on 45 of the 46 ballots.

Bernard, who had an ACC-leading 1,228 yards rushing and 12 touchdowns on the ground, joins Boyd as repeat first-team selections.

Bernard, who also was picked as the first-team specialist for his punt returns, was joined by guard Jonathan Cooper–the Jacobs Blocking Trophy winner as the league’s top offensive lineman–plus linebacker Kevin Reddick and defensive tackle Sylvester Williams.

Four Florida State defensive players–ends Bjoern Werner and Tank Carradine, cornerback Xavier Rhodes and safety Lamarcus Joyner–join kicker Dustin Hopkins on the first team.

It is a bittersweet honor for Carradine, who will miss the ACC Championship and FSU’s Bowl Game after tearing his ACL late in the game with the Florida Gators on Saturday.

FIRST TEAM
Offense
QB-Tajh Boyd, Clemson (86)
RB-Giovani Bernard, North Carolina (91)
RB-Andre Ellington, Clemson (77)
WR-DeAndre Hopkins, Clemson (80)
WR-Alex Amidon, Boston College (53)
OT-Oday Aboushi, Virginia (53)
OT-Brandon Thomas, Clemson (51)
OG-Jonathan Cooper, North Carolina (79)
OG-Omoregie Uzzi, Georgia Tech (64)
C-Dalton Freeman, Clemson (78)
TE-Brandon Ford, Clemson (54)
K-Dustin Hopkins, Florida State (79)
Spec.- Giovani Bernard, North Carolina (48)

Defense
DE-Bjoern Werner, Florida State (89)
DE-Cornellius Carradine, Florida State (77)
DT-Joe Vellano, Maryland (80)
DT-Sylvester Williams, North Carolina (63)
LB-Nick Clancy, Boston College (66)
LB-Kevin Reddick, North Carolina (65)
LB-Steve Greer, Virginia (58)
CB-Xavier Rhodes, Florida State (66)
CB-Ross Cockrell, Duke (50)
S-Lamarcus Joyner, Florida State (59)
S-Earl Wolff, NC State (46)
P-Will Monday, Duke (73)

SECOND TEAM
Offense
QB-EJ Manuel, Florida State (25)
RB-Duke Johnson, Miami (47)
RB-Chris Thompson, Florida State (31)
WR-Conner Vernon, Duke (51)
WR-Michael Campanaro, Wake Forest (32)
OT-James Hurst, North Carolina (50)
TIE OT-Cameron Erving, Florida State (21)
TIE OT-Emmett Cleary, Boston College (21)
OG-Tre’ Jackson, Florida State (26)
OG-R.J. Matttes, NC State (24)
C- Bryan Stork, Florida State (19)
TE-Eric Ebron, North Carolina (51)
TIE K-Chandler Catanzaro, Clemson (22)
TIE K-Casey Barth, North Carolina (22)
Spec.-Duke Johnson, Miami (44)

Defense
DE-James Gayle, Virginia Tech (30)
DE-Kareem Martin, North Carolina (22)
DT-Everett Dawkins, Florida State (34)
DT-Nikita Whitlock, Wake Forest (24)
LB-Demetrius Hartsfield, Maryland (34)
LB-Christian Jones, Florida State (31)
LB-Jack Tyler Virginia Tech (28)
CB-David Amerson, NC State (46)
CB-Antone Exum, Virginia Tech (44)
S-Rashard Hall, Clemson (43)
S- Walt Canty, Duke (31)
P-Tommy Hibbard, North Carolina (40)

Honorable Mention [Name, School, Position, Points]:  Kenny Anunike (D), de (13); Jeremiah Attaochu (GT), lb (26); Brandan Bishop (NCS), safety (20); Travis Bond (NC), og (14); Tre Boston (NC), safety (29); Darryl Cato-Bishop (NCS), de (12); Emmett Cleary (BC), ot (21); Jamison Crowder (D), wr (15); Stefon Diggs (MD), spec. (33); Jay Finch (GT), c (16); Jon Feliciano (MI), og (16); A.J. Francis (MD), de (12); Kyle Fuller (VT), cb (16); Mike Glennon (NCS), qb (10); Malliciah Goodman (CL), de (16); Dave Harding (D), og (14); Seantrel Henderson (MI), ot (13); Antoine Hopkins (VT), dt (10); Derrick Hopkins (VT), dt (15); Will Jackson (GT), ot (14); Timmy Jernigan (FS), dt (15); Alexander Kinal (WF), p (12); Gerald Levano (BC), p (13); Brandon Linder (MI), og (21); Ross Martin (D), pk (11); Anthony McCloud (FS), dt (10); Jake McGee (VA), te (12); Demetrious Nicholson (VA), cb (12); Denzel Perryman (MI), lb (12); Kevin Pierre-Louis (BC), lb (14); Bryn Renner (NC), qb (15); LaRoy Reynolds (VA), lb (10); Tim Scott (NC), cb (10); Perry Simmons (D), ot (11); Orwin Smith (GT), rb (13); Kenny Tate (MD), lb (12); Bruce Taylor (VT), lb (19); Sammy Watkins (CL), wr (19); Menelik Watson (FS), ot (13); Camden Wentz (NCS), c (12); Brennan Williams (NC), ot (13); Vince Williams (FS), lb (11)

 

The teams were determined by a vote of 46 members of the Atlantic Coast Sports Media Association.

 

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M Shannon Smallwood has over 10 years of experience in broadcasting and journalism in professional baseball and college athletics and is the ACC Football Guru, SEC Voice of Reason and College Football Comedian for Rant Sports. He is a member of the Football Writers Association of America and the US Basketball Writers Association.

Follow him @woodysmalls.