LINDY'S ALL CONFERENCE TEAMS

Lindy’s announces its 2013 All-ACC teams

Lindyssports.com Staff

August 21, 2013 at 10:53 am.

The Tigers return the best quarterback in the league in senior Tajh Boyd, who combined for 46 touchdowns last season and threw for 3,896 yards in what was the best offense in the ACC … and should be again in 2013. Joshua S. Kelly-USA TODAY Sports

Clemson’s Offense Should Edge FSU’s Defense for ACC Crown 

After Florida State’s 49-37 win over Clemson last September, Seminoles coach Jimbo Fisher described the game as “two very good football teams throwing haymakers at each other right from the opening bell.”

The 2013 ACC season promises to come down to Round 2 between the Tigers and Seminoles on Oct. 19 in Death Valley.

The ACC, now at 14 teams with the addition of Pittsburgh and Syracuse, is better and deeper than its reputation suggests, but the league figures be a two-team race at the top in the Atlantic Division.

Clemson, which finished 11-2 a year ago, opens as the conference favorite. The Seminoles, ACC champions in 2012, are their top threat.

The Tigers return the best quarterback in the league in senior Tajh Boyd, who combined for 46 touchdowns last season and threw for 3,896 yards in what was the best offense in the ACC … and should be again in 2013.

Receiver Sammy Watkins needs to regain his freshman form, and Clemson’s defense needs to continue to improve, but the Tigers’ offense (ninth in the NCAA in total yards, sixth in scoring) should be able to carry them to a second ACC title in three years.

FSU has to replace an ACC-record 11 draft picks, the most in the country, but still has as much talent in its program as any team in the conference.

The Seminoles lost quarterback EJ Manuel to the first round of the NFL Draft, but have heralded redshirt freshman Jameis Winston, a Hueytown, Ala., native who chose FSU over the Crimson Tide, ready to take over.

The Noles’ defense, which ranked second nationally in total yards a year ago, has to replace seven starters, but remains loaded up front with defensive tackles Timmy Jernigan and Demonte McAllister.

“We always talk about having a good program,” Fisher said. “Good programs, you’re able to replace good guys with other good guys and those guys will work their way through the system.”

Four teams — Miami, Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech and North Carolina — start the Coastal Division race with relatively equal footing. The Hurricanes, with an experienced group returning from

Tajh Boyd's playmaking ability makes him one of the best QB's in America. (Daniel Shirey-USA TODAY Sports)

a 7-5 season, have the best combination of talent, and fewest problems among that group.

Running back Duke Johnson brought some of the old swagger back to “The U” with an explosive freshman season in which he averaged 6.8 yards per carry and accounted for 14 total touchdowns (10 rushing, one receiving, one passing and two on kick returns). Quarterback Stephen Morris (3,345 passing yards) is poised for his best season yet.

Miami, Georgia Tech and North Carolina each finished 5-3 in a three-way tie for first in the division last season. But the Tar Heels were ineligible for the postseason for NCAA violations under former coach Butch Davis, and Miami self-imposed a second straight bowl ban for findings stemming from NCAA issues with booster Nevin Shapiro.

Virginia Tech, which won the division six times in its first eight years in the ACC, will also have a say in the title race after a disappointing 7-6 finish in 2012.

 

OFFENSE – FIRST TEAM OFFENSE – SECOND TEAM OFFENSE – THIRD TEAM
QB Tajh Boyd Sr. Clemson QB Bryn Renner Sr. North Carolina QB Stephen Morris Sr. Miami
RB Duke Johnson So. Miami RB Kevin Parks Jr. Virginia RB Devonta Freeman Jr. Florida State
RB Jerome Smith Sr. Syracuse RB Andre Williams Sr. Boston College RB Brandon Ross So. Maryland
WR Sammy Watkins Jr. Clemson WR Alex Amidon Sr. Boston College WR Rashad Greene Jr. Florida State
WR Michael Campanaro Sr. Wake Forest WR Stefon Diggs So. Maryland WR Devin Street Sr. Pitt
TE Eric Ebron Jr. North Carolina TE Nick O’Leary Jr. Florida State TE Jake McGee Jr. Virginia
C Bryan Stork Sr. Florida State C Russell Bodine Jr. North Carolina C Andrew Miller Sr. Virginia Tech
OL James Hurst Sr. North Carolina OL Rob Crisp Sr. NC State OL Seantrel Henderson Sr. Miami
OL Brandon Thomas Sr. Clemson OL Tyler Shatley Sr. Clemson OL Ian White Sr. Boston College
OL Tre’ Jackson Jr. Florida State OL Shaquille Mason Jr. Georgia Tech OL Dave Harding Sr. Duke
OL Brandon Linder Sr. Miami OL Cameron Erving Jr. Florida State OL Sean Hickey Sr. Syracuse
AP Stefon Diggs So. Maryland AP Brandon Connette Jr. Duke AP Rashard Smith Sr. NC State
K Chandler Catanzaro Sr. Clemson K Ross Martin So. Duke K Ross Krautman Sr. Syracuse
DEFENSE – FIRST TEAM DEFENSE – SECOND TEAM DEFENSE – THIRD TEAM
DE James Gayle Sr. Virginia Tech DE Kareem Martin Sr. North Carolina DE Anthony Chickillo Jr. Miami
DT Timmy Jernigan Jr. Florida State DT Demonte McAllister Sr. Florida State DT Derrick Hopkins Sr. Virginia Tech
DT Aaron Donald Sr. Pitt DT Nikita Whitlock Sr. Wake Forest DT T.Y. McGill Jr. NC State
DE Jeremiah Attaochu Sr. Georgia Tech DE Vic Beasley Jr. Clemson DE Jake Snyder Sr. Virginia
LB Denzel Perryman Jr. Miami LB Kevin Pierre-Louis Sr. Boston College LB Quayshawn Nealy Jr. Georgia Tech
LB Jack Tyler Sr. Virginia Tech LB Telvin Smith Sr. Florida State LB Steele Divitto Sr. Boston College
LB Christian Jones Sr. Florida State LB Cole Farrand Jr. Maryland LB D.J. Green Sr. NC State
DB Antone Exum Sr. Virginia Tech DB Ronald Darby So. Florida State DB Tim Scott Jr. North Carolina
DB Ross Cockrell Sr. Duke DB Dontae Johnson Sr. NC State DB Demetrious Nicholson Jr. Virginia
DB Lamarcus Joyner Sr. Florida State DB Deon Bush So. Miami DB Jemea Thomas Sr. Georgia Tech
DB Jason Hendricks Sr. Pitt DB A.J. Marshall Jr. Wake Forest DB Kyshoen Jarrett Jr. Virginia Tech
P Will Monday So. Duke P Tommy Hibbard Jr. North Carolina P Alex Kinal So. Wake Forest

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