Six UVa. football players named to Phil Steele Midseason All-ACC team

At the midpoint at what is shaping up to be another losing season for UVa. football, six Cavs players were named to the Phil Steele Midseason All-ACC team.

Left tackle Morgan Moses was named to the the first team.  Second-team honorees are cornerback Demetrious Nicholson, running back Kevin Parks and defensive tackle Brent Urban. Third-team honorees are strong safety Anthony Harris and tight end Jake McGee.

Moses (Richmond, Va.) was a fourth-team honoree on Phil Steele’s preseason All-America team. The senior is coming off one of his better games of 2013 where he graded out at 95 percent and had 10 knockdown blocks at Maryland.

Against the Terrapins UVa rushed for 242 yards and gave up zero sacks against a Maryland team that ranked No. 3 nationally in sacks per game entering the contest.

Parks (Salisbury, N.C.) ranks No. 3 in the ACC with 510 rushing yards and No. 4 in the ACC with six rushing touchdowns.  The junior needs 47 more rushing yards to become the 18th player in UVa history with 2,000 career rushing yards. Parks currently ranks No. 10 all-time at UVa with 20 rushing touchdowns, tying him with Charles Way.

Nicholson (Virginia Beach, Va.) has 20 tackles, one interception and has broken up four passes.  Urban (Mississauga, Ontario) ranks No. 25 in the nation and No. 2 in the ACC in pass breakups. He leads the nation’s defensive linemen in the category and Texas Tech’s Terrance Bullitt (LB) is the only non-defensive back to have more pass breakups than Urban.

Harris (Chesterfield, Va.) was the Walter Camp National Defensive Player of the Week after he blocked a punt and intercepted a ball that set up UVa’s game-winning touchdown drive against BYU on Aug. 31. The junior is second on the team with 45 tackles.  McGee (Richmond, Va.) is one of 29 tight ends recently named to the John Mackey Award Midseason Watch List. McGee leads UVa with 27 receptions for 233 receiving yards and two touchdowns. Through six games this season, McGee is one reception short of his 2012 All-ACC season total of 28.

Virginia (2-4, 0-2 ACC) hosts Duke on Saturday at 3:30 p.m.