One UVA Football player, Jonas Sanker, got one vote in the voting for the three ACC player of the year awards.
It’s probably fine that Sanker was the one guy, but he merited more than a single vote for ACC Defensive Player of the Year.
That award went to Boston College defensive end Donovan Ezeiruaku, which, that guy is deserving – 14 sacks (second in the nation), 59 total QB pressures (second nationally), 51 tackles in the run game (first nationally among defensive ends).
It’s to a point where I can’t figure out how Ezeiruaku only got 29 of the 71 votes for D Player of the Year.
Virginia Tech defensive end Antwaun Powell-Ryland came in second in the voting, with 14 votes.
Powell-Ryland had 13 sacks, 49 QB pressures and 26 run-game tackles on the season.
Sanker, a first-team All-ACC selection at safety in 2024, led the ACC in solo tackles (66), led the UVA defensive unit in total tackles (87), registered a sack, an INT, a fumble recovery TD, a blocked field goal, five pass breakups – basically, a little bit of everything.
Miami QB Cam Ward was the Offensive Player of the Year and overall Player of the Year for 2024.
Ward had nice counting numbers – 4,123 yards, 36 TDs, seven INTs, 319 scramble yards on the ground.
Ezeiruaku and Powell-Ryland will be better on Sundays.
ACC Player of the Year
- Cam Ward – Miami (59)
- Kevin Jennings – SMU (4)
- Omarion Hampton – North Carolina (4)
- Kyle McCord – Syracuse (2)
- Brashard Smith – SMU (1)
- Antwaun Powell-Ryland – Virginia Tech (1)
ACC Offensive Player of the Year
- Cam Ward – Miami (59)
- Omarion Hampton – North Carolina (7)
- Kyle McCord – Syracuse (3)
- Kevin Jennings – SMU (1)
- Brashard Smith – SMU (1)
ACC Defensive Player of the Year
- Donovan Ezeiruaku – Boston College (29)
- Antwaun Powell-Ryland – Virginia Tech (14)
- Kyle Louis – Pitt (12)
- Nohl Williams – California (7)
- Barrett Carter – Clemson (4)
- Kobe Wilson – SMU (1)
- T.J. Parker – Clemson (1)
- Isaiah Nwokobia – SMU (1)
- David Bailey – Stanford (1)
- Jonas Sanker – Virginia (1)
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Chris Graham
