BC Picked To Finish Fifth in ACC Atlantic Division
The Eagles look to improve on 2015 season
inShare
July 25, 2016 |
CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. – Boston College was picked to finish fifth in the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference in the 2016 season, the league announced on Monday. The Eagles received 441 points from the 144 media members in attendance at the 2016 ACC Football Kickoff at the Westin Charlotte.
Clemson was chosen as the favorite to claim the ACC title. North Carolina was picked to repeat as the Coastal Division winner. Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson was voted to retain his ACC Player of the Year title.
The Tigers, who posted a 14-1 overall record last season and reached the College Football Playoff national title game, were picked on 144 ballots, followed by Florida State with 39 votes and North Carolina with seven. One voter chose Louisville.
If the overall prediction of the voters proves correct, the 2016 ACC Dr Pepper Football Championship on December 3 at Charlotte's Bank of America Stadium will be a rematch of last year's event. Clemson defeated North Carolina, 45-37, for the 2015 ACC title after both teams posted 8-0 records in conference play during the regular season.
The Eagles look to bounce back after a 3-9 record in 2015. They lost four conference games by three points or less and 35 players saw their first collegiate action on the gridiron. BC returns 55 lettermen from last year's squad, including 26 on offense, 26 on defense and three on special teams. Fifteen starters also return from last year's team.
After using four quarterbacks due to injury, BC looks to redshirt sophomore Darius Wade or graduate transfer Patrick Towles to lead the Eagles from behind center. The running back corps hopes to return to form with redshirt sophomore Jon Hilliman, who returns after missing the final eight games in 2015 because of injury, along with seniors Tyler Rouse and Myles Willis, sophomore Richard Wilson and redshirt freshman Davon Jones. Hilliman earned All-ACC third-team honors and ECAC Co-Rookie of the Year honors in his first season at The Heights. The offensive line, which did not have a starter from the 2014 team start in 2015, returns four of the five starters for a more experienced front.
The BC defense returns eight of the 11 starters and 17 of the team's 21 top tacklers after leading the nation in defense. Senior linebacker Matt Milano, a third-team All-ACC selection, tied for 21st in the nation with 17.5 tackles for loss, while junior Connor Strachan tied for the ACC led with three fumble recoveries. Senior John Johnson is the veteran of the secondary that boasts eight of the nine top tacklers returning for the 2016 season. The ninth being third-round draft pick Justin Simmons.
ACC Championship Votes
1. Clemson - 144
2. Florida State - 39
3. North Carolina - 7
4. Louisville - 1
Atlantic Division
(First-place votes in parenthesis)
1. Clemson (148) - 1,293
2. Florida State (42) - 1,176
3. Louisville (1) - 961
4. NC State - 704
5. Boston College - 441
6. Syracuse - 426
7. Wake Forest - 347
Coastal Division
(First-place votes in parenthesis)
1. North Carolina (121) - 1,238
2. Miami (50) - 1,108
3. Pitt (14) - 859
4. Virginia Tech (3) - 697
5. Duke (2) - 597
6. Georgia Tech (1) - 588
7. Virginia - 261
ACC Player of the Year
1. Deshaun Watson, QB, Clemson - 164
2. Dalvin Cook, RB, Florida State - 18
3. Elijah Hood, RB, North Carolina - 4
4. Brad Kaaya, QB, Miami - 2
4. Lamar Jackson, QB Louisville - 2
6. DeVon Edwards, CB/KR, Duke - 1
The Eagles look to improve on 2015 season
inShare
July 25, 2016 |
CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. – Boston College was picked to finish fifth in the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference in the 2016 season, the league announced on Monday. The Eagles received 441 points from the 144 media members in attendance at the 2016 ACC Football Kickoff at the Westin Charlotte.
Clemson was chosen as the favorite to claim the ACC title. North Carolina was picked to repeat as the Coastal Division winner. Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson was voted to retain his ACC Player of the Year title.
The Tigers, who posted a 14-1 overall record last season and reached the College Football Playoff national title game, were picked on 144 ballots, followed by Florida State with 39 votes and North Carolina with seven. One voter chose Louisville.
If the overall prediction of the voters proves correct, the 2016 ACC Dr Pepper Football Championship on December 3 at Charlotte's Bank of America Stadium will be a rematch of last year's event. Clemson defeated North Carolina, 45-37, for the 2015 ACC title after both teams posted 8-0 records in conference play during the regular season.
The Eagles look to bounce back after a 3-9 record in 2015. They lost four conference games by three points or less and 35 players saw their first collegiate action on the gridiron. BC returns 55 lettermen from last year's squad, including 26 on offense, 26 on defense and three on special teams. Fifteen starters also return from last year's team.
After using four quarterbacks due to injury, BC looks to redshirt sophomore Darius Wade or graduate transfer Patrick Towles to lead the Eagles from behind center. The running back corps hopes to return to form with redshirt sophomore Jon Hilliman, who returns after missing the final eight games in 2015 because of injury, along with seniors Tyler Rouse and Myles Willis, sophomore Richard Wilson and redshirt freshman Davon Jones. Hilliman earned All-ACC third-team honors and ECAC Co-Rookie of the Year honors in his first season at The Heights. The offensive line, which did not have a starter from the 2014 team start in 2015, returns four of the five starters for a more experienced front.
The BC defense returns eight of the 11 starters and 17 of the team's 21 top tacklers after leading the nation in defense. Senior linebacker Matt Milano, a third-team All-ACC selection, tied for 21st in the nation with 17.5 tackles for loss, while junior Connor Strachan tied for the ACC led with three fumble recoveries. Senior John Johnson is the veteran of the secondary that boasts eight of the nine top tacklers returning for the 2016 season. The ninth being third-round draft pick Justin Simmons.
ACC Championship Votes
1. Clemson - 144
2. Florida State - 39
3. North Carolina - 7
4. Louisville - 1
Atlantic Division
(First-place votes in parenthesis)
1. Clemson (148) - 1,293
2. Florida State (42) - 1,176
3. Louisville (1) - 961
4. NC State - 704
5. Boston College - 441
6. Syracuse - 426
7. Wake Forest - 347
Coastal Division
(First-place votes in parenthesis)
1. North Carolina (121) - 1,238
2. Miami (50) - 1,108
3. Pitt (14) - 859
4. Virginia Tech (3) - 697
5. Duke (2) - 597
6. Georgia Tech (1) - 588
7. Virginia - 261
ACC Player of the Year
1. Deshaun Watson, QB, Clemson - 164
2. Dalvin Cook, RB, Florida State - 18
3. Elijah Hood, RB, North Carolina - 4
4. Brad Kaaya, QB, Miami - 2
4. Lamar Jackson, QB Louisville - 2
6. DeVon Edwards, CB/KR, Duke - 1
