RALEIGH, N.C. – Twenty-eight student-athletes will represent their schools July 19-21 at the 2015 Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Football Kickoff that will take place at the Pinehurst Resort in the Village of Pinehurst, N.C. beginning on Sunday.
The event is the league’s signature media blitz and takes place across three days, with players from every school participating in a variety of interview formats on Monday, and the league’s head coaches participating in their media engagements on Tuesday.
As each school brings two of its standout players along with their coach, 12 of those attending this year’s Kickoff have been named to the preseason watch lists for the Maxwell, Bednarik, or Rimington Awards.
Also included on the list is Florida State placekicker Roberto Aguayo, who was the 2013 Lou Groza Award-winner and a consensus first-team All-American in 2014, first-team 2015 All-Americans James Conner of Pitt (AFCA) and Jalen Ramsey of Florida State (USA Today), and second-team All-Americans Kendall Fuller of Virginia Tech (FWAA, Walter Camp, USA Today, Phil Steele) and Jeremy Cash of Duke (FWAA, Walter Camp, Phil Steele).
Attendees named to the preseason Maxwell list, for the National Player of the Year Award, were Conner, N.C. State quarterback Jacoby Brissett, Miami quarterback Brad Kaaya, Georgia Tech quarterback Justin Thomas, and North Carolina quarterback Marquise Williams.
Those named to the preseason Bednarik Award watch list for Defensive Player of the Year include Cash, Ramsey, Fuller, Wake Forest linebacker Brandon Chubb, Louisville defensive end Sheldon Rankins and N.C. State defensive end Mike Rose.
Notes: Duke’s Matt Skura was one of five ACC pivotmen named to the Rimington Award’s preseason list, the recognition presented annually to the nation’s top center…North Carolina’s Williams is the only student-athlete who attended the 2014 ACC Kickoff held at Grandover Resort in Greensboro, N.C.
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2015 ACC Football Kickoff Student-Athletes
Player, School, Position
Harris Williams, Boston College, Offensive Lineman
Mehdi Abdesmad, Boston College, Defensive Tackle
Eric Mac Lain, Clemson, Offensive Guard
D.J. Reader, Clemson, Defensive Tackle
Matt Skura, Duke, Center
Jeremy Cash, Duke, Safety
Roberto Aguayo, Florida State, Placekicker
Jalen Ramsey, Florida State, Cornerback
Justin Thomas, Georgia Tech, Quarterback
D.J. White, Georgia Tech, Defensive Back
James Burgess, Louisville, Linebacker
Sheldon Rankins, Louisville, Defensive Line
Brad Kaaya, Miami, Quarterback
Raphael Kirby, Miami, Linebacker
Marquise Williams, North Carolina, Quarterback
Jeff Schoettmer, North Carolina, Linebacker
Jacoby Brissett, N.C. State, Quarterback
Mike Rose, N.C. State, Defensive End
James Conner, Pitt, Running Back
Darryl Render, Pitt, Defensive Tackle
Terrel Hunt, Syracuse, Quarterback
Zaire Franklin, Syracuse , Linebacker
Canaan Severin, Virginia, Wide Receiver
David Dean, Virginia, Defensive Tackle
Michael Brewer, Virginia Tech, Quarterback
Kendall Fuller, Virginia Tech, Cornerback
Alex Kinal, Wake Forest, Punter
Brandon Chubb, Wake Forest, Linebacker
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