Free safety Quin Blanding, inside linebacker Micah Kiser and wide receiver Canaan Severin highlight Virginia’s seven players named to the 2015 Coaches All-Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Football team, as voted on by the league’s 14 head coaches. Blanding, Kiser and Severin were named to the second team. Offensive guard Ross Burbank and running back Taquan Mizzell was named to the third team. Defensive tackle David Dean and punter Nicholas Conte were named honorable-mention honorees.
The Coaches All-ACC accolades are the second career nods for Blanding and Dean from the league’s head coaches. Blanding was a second-team honoree in 2014 and the ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year. Dean earned third-team honors in 2014.
Virginia Second-Team Honorees
Blanding (So., Virginia Beach, Va.), a first-team All-ACC media selection and a second-team USA Today All-American, finished the regular season No. 2 in the ACC and No. 20 in the nation with 115 tackles. It’s the second year in a row Blanding finished No. 2 in the ACC in tackles after posting 123 as a true freshman in 2014. Blanding registered double-digit tackles in seven of 12 games and led UVA with 38 tackles on passing plays. The sophomore also recorded 76 of his tackles on rushing plays. He was named ACC Defensive Back of the Week after leading UVA with 15 stops against Georgia Tech.
Kiser (So., Baltimore, Md.), a first-team All-ACC media selection, finished the regular season No. 1 in the ACC and No. 17 in the nation with 117 tackles. Kiser led UVA with 82 tackles on rushing plays and recorded double-digit tackles in seven of 12 games. He was named ACC Player of the Week after setting a career high with 17 tackles against Duke.
Blanding and Kiser the only teammates in all 10 FBS conferences to finish the regular season ranked No. 1 and No. 2 in tackles in their respective leagues.
Severin (Sr., Marlborough, Mass.), a second-team All-ACC media selection, led UVA with 759 receiving yards, which ranks No. 3 in the ACC this year and No. 15 all-time in the UVA record book for a season. Severin caught 54 passes and eight touchdowns. The 54 receptions tie him with Herman Moore (1990) for No. 11 all-time in the UVA annals for catches in a season. In 2015 Severin became the 20th player in program history with 100 receptions and finishes his career No. 19 all-time with 102 catches, 96 of which came over the 2014 and 2015 seasons. Severin finishes his career with 1,383 receiving yards, which ranks No. 15 all-time in the UVA record book.
Virginia Third-Team Honoree
Burbank (Sr., Virginia Beach, Va.) allowed zero sacks in 2015 on 413 passing plays. He started all 12 games, including eight games at left guard and four games at right guard. Burbank was named an honorable mention All-ACC pick by the media.
Mizzell (Jr., Virginia Beach, Va.), a third-team All-ACC media selection, broke the ACC record for receiving yards in a season by a running back with 721. His 75 receptions rank No. 2 all-time in ACC history for catches by a running back, just one off the record by Boston College’s Andrew Callender in 2007. Mizzell’s 75 receptions also rank No. 2 all-time in UVA history for catches in a season, trailing only Billy McMullen’s 83 receptions in 2001. Mizzell finished the regular season No. 2 in the ACC with 1,488 all-purpose yards, No. 3 in the ACC with 75 receptions and No. 5 with 721 receiving yards. He also led UVA with 671 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns. Mizzell also scored four times via the pass. In 2015 Mizzell became only the fifth Cavalier to reach 1,000 career rushing yards and 1,000 career receiving yards.
Virginia Honorable Mention Honorees
Conte (Jr., Roanoke, Va.) through the regular season led the ACC in punting with a 44.7 punting average. He booted 14 balls of 50 yards or more and placed 15 kicks inside the 20.
Dean (Sr., Virginia Beach, Va.) was a key cog in the middle of UVA’s defensive front seven. He led all UVA defensive linemen with 49 tackles and collected 4.5 sacks and 9.0 tackles for loss. Dean will play in the East-West Shrine game on Jan. 23, 2016 at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Fla.
Conte and Dean also earned honorable mention All-ACC accolades from the media.
2015 ACC Coaches’ Award Winners and All-ACC Team
(Total votes/points in parenthesis)
Coach of the Year
Dabo Swinney, Clemson (11)
Larry Fedora, North Carolina (3)
Player of the Year
Deshaun Watson, QB, So., Clemson (10)
Dalvin Cook, QB, So., Florida State (3)
Marquise Williams, QB, Sr., North Carolina (2)
Offensive Player of the Year
Deshaun Watson, QB, So., Clemson (11)
Marquise Williams, QB, Sr., North Carolina (2)
Dalvin Cook, RB, So., Florida State (1)
Defensive Player of the Year
Jeremy Cash, S, Sr.-R, Duke (6)
Shaq Lawson, DE, Jr.-R, Clemson (5)
Jalen Ramsey, CB, Jr., Florida State, (1)
Ejuan Price, DE, Sr.-R, Pitt (1)
Luther Maddy, DT, Sr.-R, Virginia Tech (1)
Rookie of the Year
Jordan Whitehead, S, Pitt (5) -Tie
Qadree Ollison, RB, Pitt (5) -Tie
Mitch Hyatt, T, Clemson (2)
Christian Wilkins, DT, Clemson (1)
Eric Dungey, QB, Syracuse (1)
Offensive Rookie of the Year
Qadree Ollison, RB, Pitt (8)
Lamar Jackson, QB, Louisville (2)
Mitch Hyatt, T, Clemson (2)
Eric Dungey, QB, Syracuse (1)
Travon McMillian, RB, Virginia Tech (1)
Defensive Rookie of the Year
Jordan Whitehead, S, Pitt (9)
Christian Wilkins, DT, Clemson (3)
Derwin James, S, Florida State (1)
Brant Mitchell, LB, Georgia Tech (1)
First Team Offense
WR Tyler Boyd, Jr., Pitt (39)
WR Artavis Scott, So., Clemson (34)
WR Isaiah Ford, So., Virginia Tech (26)
TE Jordan Leggett, Jr., Clemson (22)
T Roderick Johnson, So., Florida State (33)
T Adam Bisnowaty, Jr.-R, Pitt (30)
G Landon Turner, Sr., North Carolina (36)
G Eric Mac Lain, Sr.-R, Clemson (30)
C Matt Skura, Sr.-R, Duke (35)
QB Deshaun Watson, So., Clemson (37)
RB Dalvin Cook, So., Florida State (38)
RB Wayne Gallman, So.-R, Clemson (30)
K Roberto Aguayo, Jr.-R, Florida State (32)
Sp. Ryan Switzer, Jr., North Carolina (29)
Second Team Offense
WR Stacey Coley, Jr., Miami (20)
WR Kermit Whitfield, Jr., Florida State (20)
WR Canaan Severin, Sr., Virginia (17)
TE(tie) Jaylen Samuels, So., N C State ( 15)
TE(tie) Bucky Hodges, So.-R, Virginia Tech (15)
T Jon Heck, Jr.-R, North Carolina (19)
T Joe Thuney, Sr.-R, NC State (19)
G Dorian Johnson, Jr., Pitt (19)
G Caleb Peterson, Jr.-R, North Carolina (17)
C Jay Guillermo, Jr.-R, Clemson (14)
QB Marquise Williams, Sr., North Carolina (23)
RB Elijah Cook, So., North Carolina (29)
RB Qadree Ollison, Fr.-R, Pitt (20)
K Ross Martin, Sr., Duke (14)
Sp. DeVon Edwards, Jr.-R, Duke (23)
Third Team Offense
WR Ryan Switzer, Jr., North Carolina (15)
WR Rashawn Scott, Sr.-R, Miami (13)
WR Mack Hollins, Jr.-R, North Carolina ( 13)
TE J.P. Holtz, Sr., Pitt (11)
T Joe Gore, Sr.-R, Clemson (14)
T Mitch Hyatt, Fr., Clemson (14)
G Ross Burbank, Sr.-R, Virginia (11)
G Tyrone Crowder, So.-R, Clemson (10)
C Lucas Crowley, Jr., North Carolina (13)
QB Brad Kaaya, So., Miami (13)
RB Taquan Mizzell, Jr., Virginia (14)
RB Joe Yearby, So., Miami (13)
K(tie) Greg Huegel, Fr.-R, Clemson (10)
K(tie) Michael Badgley, So., Miami (10)
K(tie) Nick Weiler, Jr., North Carolina (10)
Sp. Kermit Whitfield, Jr., Florida State (13)
Honorable Mention: Offense (7 or more points):
QB–Jacoby Brissett, Sr.-R, NC State (8). RB–Matt Dayes, Jr., NC State (12); Travon McMillian, Fr.-R, Virginia Tech (7); WR–James Quick, Jr., Louisville (11); Travis Rudolph, So., Florida State (10); Quinshad Davis, Sr. ,North Carolina (10). TE–Cam Serigne, So.-R, Wake Forest (10). T-Danny Isadora, Jr., Miami (8); Lucas Patrick, Sr.-R, Duke (7); Kareem Are, Jr.-R, Florida State (7). C–Freddie Burden, Jr.-R, Georgia Tech (7). SP–Brisley Estime, Jr., Syracuse (12).
First Team Defense
DE Shaq Lawson, Jr.-R, Clemson (35)
DE Ejuan Price, Sr.-R, Pitt (25)
DT Connor Wujciak, Sr., Boston College (28)
DT Nile Lawrence-Stample, Sr.-R, Florida State (27)
LB Steven Daniels, Sr., Boston College ( 28)
LB Brandon Chubb, Sr.-R, Wake Forest (24)
LB Ben Boulware, Jr., Clemson (24)
CB Jalen Ramsey, Jr., Florida State (36)
CB Mackensie Alexander, So.-R, Clemson (29)
S Jeremy Cash, Sr.-R, Duke (36)
S Jayron Kearse, Jr., Clemson (28)
P Alex Kinal, Sr.-R, Wake Forest (19)
Second Team Defense
DE Mike Rose, Sr.-R, NC State (16)
DE Shelton Rankins, Sr., Louisville (14)
DT Luther Maddy, Sr.-R, Virginia Tech (26)
DT Carlos Watkins, Jr.-R, Clemson (17)
LB Keith Kelsey, Jr., Louisville (20)
LB Micah Kiser, So.-R, Virginia (19)
LB(tie) Dwayne Norman, Sr., Duke (17)
LB(tie) Reggie Northrup, Sr., Florida State (17)
CB Artie Burns, Jr., Miami (26)
CB Des Lawrence, Jr., North Carolina (11)
S Quin Blanding, So., Virginia (21)
S Justin Simmons, Sr., Boston College ( 16)
P Riley Dixon, Sr., Syracuse (17)
Third Team Defense
DE Dadi Nicolas, Sr.-R, Virginia Tech (13)
DE DeMarcus Walker, Jr., Florida State (13)
DT Adam Gotsis, Sr., Georgia Tech (15)
DT Darryl Render, Sr., Pitt (13)
LB Matt Milano, Jr., Boston College (13)
LB James Burgess, Sr., Louisville (11)
LB(tie) Shakeel Rashad, Sr., North Carolina (9)
LB(tie) Nicholas Grigsby, Sr.-R, Pitt (9)
LB(tie) Jeff Schoettmer, Sr.-R, North Carolina (9)
LB(tie) B.J. Goodson, Sr.-R, Clemson (9)
CB Cordrea Tankersley, Jr., Clemson (10)
CB Trumaine Washington, So., Louisville (8)
S Jordan Whitehead, Fr., Pitt (11)
S (tie) Deon Bush, Sr., Miami (10)
S(tie) Josh Harvey-Clemons, Jr.-R, Louisville (10)
P Will Monday, Sr.-R, Duke (14)
Honorable Mention: Defense: (7 or more points)
DE–Mehdi Addesmad, Sr.-R, Boston College (8); Harold Landry, So., Boston College (8); DT–DeAngelo Brown, Jr., Louisville (9); David Dean, Sr.-R, Virginia (8); Corey Marshall, Sr.-R (7). LB–Trevon Young, Jr., Louisville (7); Devonte Fields, Jr., Louisville (7). CB–Shaq Wiggins, So.-R, Louisville (7); Brad Watson, Jr., Wake Forest (7); M.J. Stewart, So., North Carolina (7). S–DeVon Edwards, Jr.-R, Duke (8). P–Nicholas Conte, Jr.-R, Virginia (13); Justin Vogel, Jr., Miami (8).
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