ACC All Access: Virginia and Virginia Tech combine to put five players on the All-ACC preseason football team

By Norm Wood

3:21 PM EDT, July 25, 2012


Tackle Oday Aboushi became Virginia's first offensive representative on the preseason All-ACC team in four years Wedndesday, while Bethel High graduate and Virginia Tech defensive end James Gayle was among a contingent of four defensive players from Tech or U.Va. on the team.

In additon to Gayle, Tech linebacker Bruce Taylor and cornerback Kyle Fuller also made the team, which was compiled from a vote of 68 media members. U.Va. linebacker Steve Greer also earned a spot on the team.

The last time U.Va. had an offensive player on the team was 2008, when tackle Eugene Monroe was selected. Tech put more than two defensive players on the team for the first time since '07, when the Hokies also had three defensive representatives - cornerback Brandon Flowers, linebacker Vince Hall and linebacker Xavier Adibi, a Phoebus High graduate.

Speaking of Phoebus, another former Phantom made this year's preseason team in the form of Clemson quarterback Tajh Boyd. He's one of eight returning players on the preseason team that were named to last season's All-ACC postseason first team. Of the 25 players on this year's preseason team, 19 of them were chosen All-ACC first or second team after last season.

Here's a look at the entire preseason team, and how the voting broke down:


WR Conner Vernon, Duke

WR Sammy Watkins, Clemson

TE Matt Furstenburg, Maryland

OT James Hurst, North Carolina

OT Oday Aboushi, Virginia

OG Omoregie Uzzi, Georgia Tech

OG Jonathan Cooper, UNC

C Dalton Freeman, Clemson

QB Tajh Boyd, Clemson

RB Giovani Bernard, UNC

RB Andre Ellington, Clemson



DE Brandon Jenkins, Florida State

DE James Gayle, Virginia Tech

DT Joe Vellano, Maryland

DT Nikita Whitlock, Wake Forest

LB Kevin Reddick, UNC

LB Bruce Taylor, Virginia Tech

LB Steve Greer, U.Va.

CB David Amerson, N.C. State

CB Kyle Fuller, Virginia Tech

S Lamarcus Joyner, FSU

S Earl Wolff, N.C. State



PK Dustin Hopkins, FSU

P Dalton Botts, Miamis

SP Greg Reid, FSU


Voting at each position (68 ballots submitted):


1. Tajh Boyd (29 votes)

*2. Logan Thomas, Virginia Tech (16)

3. EJ Manuel, FSU (15)

4. Mike Glennon, N.C. State (6)


Running back (top two selected for team)

1. Giovani Bernard (60)

*2. Andre Ellington (53)

3. Orwin Smith, Georgia Tech (11)

*4. Perry Jones, U.Va. (8)


Wide receiver (top two selected for team)

**1. Sammy Watkins (68)

*2. Conner Vernon (41)

3. DeAndre Hopkins, Clemson (15)

4. Erik Highsmith, UNC (5)


Tight end

1. Matt Furstenburg (35)

2. Nick O'Leary, FSU (16)

*3. Chris Pantale, Boston College (11)

4. Colter Phillips, U.Va. (4)


Offensive tackle (top two selected for team)

*1. James Hurst (48)

*2. Oday Aboushi (29)

3. Morgan Moses, U.Va. (28)

4. Emmett Cleary, BC (18)


Offensive guard (top two selected for team)

*1. Omoregie Uzzi (57)

*2. Jonathan Cooper (55)

3. R.J. Mattes, N.C. State (8)

4. Brad Linder, Miami (4)



*1. Dalton Freeman (58)

2. Andrew Miller, Virginia Tech (6)

3. Camden Wentz, N.C. State (3)

4. Jay Finch, Georgia Tech (1)



Defensive end (top two selected for team)

*1. Brandon Jenkins (59)

*2. James Gayle (31)

3. Malliciah Goodman, Clemson (20)

4. Bjoern Werner, FSU (12)


Defensive tackle (top two selected for team)

*1. Joe Vellano (58)

2. Nikita Whitlock (33)

3. Everett Dawkins, FSU (22)

*4. Sylvester Williams, UNC (13)


Linebacker (top three selected for team)

1. Kevin Reddick (49)

*2. Bruce Taylor (42)

3. Steve Greer (32)

4. Jeremiah Attaochu, Georgia Tech (23)

*5. Kevin Pierre-Louis, Boston College (19)

(I also voted for Maryland's Demetrius Hartsfield)


Cornerback (top two selected for team)

*1. David Amerson (63)

*2. Kyle Fuller (25)

3. Xavier Rhodes, FSU (21)

4. Greg Reid, FSU (11)


Safety (top two selected for team)

*1. Lamarcus Joyner (45)

*2. Earl Wolff (30)

3. Rashard Hall, Clemson (21)

4. Isaiah Johnson, Georgia Tech (13)




*1. Dustin Hopkins (54)

2. Chandler Catanzaro, Clemson (8)

3. Casey Barth, UNC (4)

4. Nate Freese, BC (1)

4. Justin Moore, Georgia Tech (1)



*1. Dalton Botts (65)

2. Nick Ferrara, Maryland (2)

3. Brad Craddock, Maryland (1)


Return specialist

*1. Greg Reid (35)

2. Sammy Watkins (20)

3. Michael Campanaro, Wake Forest (5)

4. T.J. Thorpe, UNC (5)


*denotes players selected on my ballot

**denotes unanimous selection


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