CLEMSON, SC -
Clemson had six of the 11 All-ACC players on offense
according to the All-ACC team released by the Atlantic Coast Sports Media
Association on Monday. It is the first
of two All-ACC teams released, as the league coaches will announce an all-conference team next week.
The six
Clemson players who made first-team were quarterback Tajh Boyd, center Dalton
Freeman, wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, running back Andre Ellington, tight end
Brandon Ford and offensive tackle Brandon Thomas.
This is the
first time in history Clemson has had six all-conference players on the
first-team offense, and the first time any team has done it since Florida State
accomplished the feat in 1995.
Kicker
Chandler Catanzaro and safety Rashard hall were named to the second team, while
Malliciah Goodman and Sammy Watkins were named honorable mention.
Boyd and
Freeman were named first team for the second consecutive year, while Catanzaro
made second team for the second year in a row.
Ellington was second team last year and improved to first-team this
year.
With Freeman's selection, he became
the first Clemson center in history to be named first-team All-ACC in
consecutive years. Boyd is the first
two-time first-team selection at quarterback from Clemson since Steve Fuller in
1977-78.
Boyd leads
the ACC and ranks fourth in the nation in passing efficiency with a 168.5
figure, on pace for a Clemson record.
The junior has completed 251 passes in 377 attempts for 3550 yards and
34 touchdowns. He has also run for nine
touchdowns. His 43 touchdowns in terms
of touchdown responsibility are tied for first in the nation.
Boyd also
leads the ACC and ranks eighth in the nation in total offense per game with
336.8 yards per contest. The native of
Virginia has quarterbacked Clemson to 20 wins in the last two years and is the
first Tiger starting quarterback to lead the Tigers to consecutive 10-win
seasons since Rodney Williams in 1987-88.
Freeman has
established a Clemson record for career plays with 3267. He has started each of the last 48 Clemson
games and has played in 52 games played
in his career. The first four-year
starter at center for the Clemson program since the 1940s, Freeman is the only
senior starter on Clemson's offensive line.
This is the first time Clemson has won at least 10 games with just one
senior starting on the offensive line since 1989.
Hopkins and
Ellington have both gone over the 1000-yard mark in their respective categories
this year. Hopkins has 1214 receiving yards this year, first in the ACC and
just five short of Sammy Watkins single season mark of 1219 set last year. Hopkins has 16 touchdown receptions to rank
second in the nation. It is also a
Clemson single season mark.
The native of Central, SC has set
an ACC record this year for different games catching a touchdown pass with
11. He has also tied the league mark for
consecutive games catching a scoring pass with nine in a row, a record he could
break in Clemson's bowl game.
Ellington has 1031 rushing yards
this season, second best in the ACC. It
is his second career 1000-yard season as he had 1,178 last year. He is just the fourth player in Clemson
history with two 1000-yard rushing seasons.
He also has scored eight rushing touchdowns and has a 5.1 average per
carry.
Ford ranks second in the nation in
touchdown receptions by a tight end with eight.
He has 31 receptions for 411 yards for the year. His eight touchdown receptions have tied
Dwayne Allen's record for a season, a mark set last year. Ford's listing on the team gives Clemson the
first-team All-ACC tight end three of the last four years by three different
players. Michael Palmer was the
first-team in 2009 and Allen was named in 2011 when he also won the John Mackey
Award.
Brandon Thomas was the sixth
Clemson player named first-team All-ACC.
Clemson's starting left tackle in every game, he was a big reason the
Tigers rank in the top 15 in the nation in total offense, points scored and
passing yards. He was named ACC player
of the week for his performance against
Duke.
Catanzaro made 16-17 field goals
this year and has scored 99 points, most on Clemson's highest scoring team in
history. He is also 54-55 on extra
points, so the junior from Greenville, SC has missed just two attempts all
season. He had four field goals in the
season opening win over Auburn.
Hall has four interceptions to lead
the Clemson team and is third in school history in takeaways with 17.
Watkins missed three games this
year, but still has 57 receptions for 708 yards and three scores. He ranks third in the ACC in receptions per
game, fifth in yardage. Goodman leads
the ACC in fumbles caused with four and has four sacks to rank second on the
team.
