FSU’s Jameis Winston headlines Academic All-ACC Football Team

Duke offensive tackle Perry Simmons, who was named the winner of the 2013 Jim Tatum Award as ACC’s top scholar-athlete, Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston, the 2013 Heisman Trophy Winner and Boston College tailback Andre Williams, who captured the Doak Walker Award as the nation’s top running back, headline the 67-member 2013 All-Atlantic Coast Conference Academic Football Team, announced Monday by Commissioner John Swofford.

To be eligible for consideration, a student-athlete must have earned a 3.00 grade point average for the previous semester and maintained a 3.00 cumulative average during his academic career. A student-athlete in graduate school must maintain a 3.5 grade point average. All 14 ACC schools were represented by at least two selections on the team. The ACC has selected an All-ACC Academic Football team every year since 1954.

The team was chosen from a pool of 122 ACC football student-athletes who were nominated by their schools.

Duke’s Simmons (Raleigh, N.C.) was named the ACC’s Jim Tatum Award-winner last December as the conference’s top football scholar-athlete. He was also honored as a National Football Foundation and Hall of Fame Scholar-Athlete and was a third-team All-ACC selection by both ACSMA and the ACC Coaches.

Florida State’s Winston (Bessemer, Ala.), became only the second freshman in history to win the prestigious Heisman Trophy, given annually to the nation’s top collegiate football player, and the first freshman to both win the Heisman and guide his team to the national championship. Winston was also named the Walter Camp Player of the Year and winner of the Davey O’Brien and Manning Awards, which are presented to the nation’s top quarterback. He also continued an ACC tradition as each of the conference’s previous Heisman winners, Charlie Ward in 1993 and Chris Weinke in 2000, were also chosen to the All-ACC Academic football team.

Boston College’s Williams (Schnecksville, Pa.) set ACC single-season (2,177 yds) and single game (339 yds) rushing records in becoming the first ACC player to capture the prestigious Doak Walker Award. Williams’ total of 2,177 yards was the fifth-best single season mark in NCAA history. He was also named a unanimous first-team All-America.

Simmons was named to the All-ACC Academic Team for the fourth time in his career and he was joined by a pair of Duke teammates in cornerback Ross Cockrell (Waxhaw, N.C.) and guard David Harding (Orlando, Fla.) in becoming only the 15^th, 16^th and 17^th  four-time All-ACC Academic Football Team honorees in history.

In all, 16 members of the All-ACC Academic team earned some kind of All-ACC Football recognition including six first-team honorees including Winston, Williams and four players from Duke in record-setting junior wide receiverJamison Crowder (Monroe, N.C.),  junior linebacker Kelby Brown (Matthews, N.C.), senior cornerback Ross Cockrell (Waxhaw, N.C.) and junior guard Laken Tomlinson (Chicago, Ill.).

Crowder set an ACC single-season pass reception record this season with 108 catches, breaking the old mark of 98 set by Wake Forest’s Kenneth Moore in 2007.

Six All-ACC Academic honorees earned third-team All-ACC selection in Simmons, Duke sophomore punter WillMonday (Flowery Branch, Ga.), Florida State freshman safety Nate Andrews (Fairhope, Ala.), Clemson senior placekicker Chandler Catanzaro (Greenville, S.C.), Clemson senior guard Tyler Shatley (Icard, N.C.) and Virginia Tech freshman cornerback Brandon Facyson (Newnan, Ga.). Four more honorees earned Honorable Mention All-ACC in Maryland junior linebacker Cole Farrand (Sparta, N.J.), Pitt junior safety Ray Vinopal (Youngstown, Ohio) and Wake Forest freshman safety Ryan Janvion (Pembroke Pines, Fla.).

A total of 25 of this year’s selections are repeat choices with seven earning a spot on the All-ACC Academic team for the third time in Catanzaro, Tomlinson, Duke senior wide receiver Brandon Braxton (Charlotte, N.C.), Duke junior linebacker David Helton (Chattanooga, Tenn.), Duke junior defensive end Dezmond Johnson (Nashville, Tenn.), Duke senior running back Juwan Thompson (Fairburn, Ga.), and Wake Forest senior quarterback Tanner Price (Austin, Tex.).

Helton led the ACC in tackles per game, averaging 9.5 a contest, while Price concluded his career throwing for 8,904 yards and finishing 14^th on the ACC career passing yards list.

Earning selection to the All-ACC Academic team for the second time were Brown, Farrand, Monday, Shatley; Boston College running back David Dudeck (Princeton, N.J.), Duke sophomore linebacker Kyler Brown (Matthews, N.C.), Duke sophomore placekicker Ross Martin (Solon, Ohio), Duke sophomore running back Shaq Powell (Las Vegas, Nev.), Duke senior defensive tackle Sydney Sarmiento (Florence, S.C.), Georgia Tech  senior offensive guard Ray Beno (Newnan, Ga.), Maryland senior cornerback Dexter McDougle (Falmouth, Va.),  Maryland sophomore punter Nathan Renfro (Brentwood, Tenn.), NC State senior linebacker Zach Gentry (Raleigh, N.C.), Virginia junior linebacker Henry Coley (Virginia Beach, Va.) and Virginia senior defensive end Jake Snyder (Glen Allen, Va.).

In addition to Winston and Williams earning first-team All-America honors, Duke’s Crowder was named a second-team All-America by the FWAA, Phil Steele and SI.com; while Duke redshirt freshman DeVon Edwards (Covington, Ga.)was named a 2^nd-team All-America by Walter Camp for his kickoff return abilities.

Eight others earned some form of Freshman All-America honors as Florida State’s Winston was a consensus first-team selection and Duke’s DeVon Edwards was also a first-team honoree. Florida State safety Nate Andrews, Maryland safety William Likely (Belle Glade, Fla.), Virginia Tech cornerback Brandon Facyson and Wake Forest safety Ryan Janvion, all earned 2^nd-team accolades. Pitt offensive tackle Adam Bisnowaty (Pittsburgh, Pa.) and NC State defensive back Jack Tocho (Charlotte, N.C.) earned Honorable Mention Freshman All-America recognition.

Duke led all ACC schools with 21 All-ACC Academic team selections, followed by Maryland, NC State and Pitt with six each. Clemson and Virginia had four selections, while Boston College, Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech and Wake Forest each had three players chosen. Florida State, Miami, North Carolina and Syracuse had two players selected.