Five Cavaliers Named to All-ACC Teams
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Charlottesville, VA — The Virginia football team (9-3) is represented by five players on this year’s All-Atlantic Coast Conference teams as voted by the Atlantic Coast Sports Media Association. Headlining that group is senior defensive end Chris Long, the only player to be a unanimous selection. He was named to all 73 first-team ballots.
Joining Long on the first team is junior offensive guard Branden Albert. Senior tight end Tom Santi and senior punter Ryan Weigand received second-team honors. Junior offensive tackle Eugene Monroe was an honorable mention selection.
Long, a finalist for the Lombardi, Nagurski and Lott awards, leads the ACC in both sacks (14) and tackles for loss (19) and tops all UVa defenders with 22 quarterback hurries. He is second on the team with 75 total tackles. He was named the ACC Defensive Lineman of the Week twice in the second half of the season for his play in games against Maryland and Wake Forest. Long is the first UVa defensive lineman to earn first-team All-ACC honors since Patrick Kerney in 1998.
“It is a great honor,” Long said. “I always think of the ACC as a great defensive conference with a lot of talented players on defense. To be mentioned with all of those guys is humbling and I have a great deal of respect for the players in the conference. A lot of us were together at the preseason ACC kickoff and I think we all hoped our teams would have the kind of success that we would be considered for this type of honor.”
Albert had the most votes of any offensive guard in the conference. He consistently graded out at over 80 percent this year to lead the veteran Cavalier offensive line. An extremely versatile and athletic player for his size, he started all 12 contests, including two games at tackle due to injuries on the line. Albert is the first UVa offensive guard to earn first-team All-ACC accolades since Elton Brown did in 2004.
“It meant a lot to me to have coach Groh nominate me for All-ACC honors,” Albert said. “It means he noticed how much I was able to contribute to the team this year. To be honored with a guy like Chris Long, who is up for all of these All-America awards, it means a lot to me. We have a lot of veteran players on our offensive line and I am proud to represent them with this honor.”
Santi was third on the team with 33 receptions and leads the team with 402 yards and three touchdowns. He averaged 12.2 yards per catch and had the team’s longest reception (45 yards) this year. He was named the ACC Offensive Lineman of the Week for his play in the win over Duke when he had six catches for 54 yards and two TDs. He is third on UVa’s career tight ends reception list with 94 career catches.
Weigand is second in the ACC in punting with a 45.5 average on 49 attempts. Weigand’s punting average is the second best in Cavalier history entering UVa’s bowl game. He had 10 punts of 50-plus yards, including a season-best kick of 61 yards at Wyoming.
Monroe is a fixture on the UVa line at left tackle, playing alongside Albert. He had 20 knockdown blocks this season and did not allow a sack from his position this year.
Long, Albert and Santi all served as team captains for Virginia this season.
2007 ACSMA/AP All-ACC Football Team
(Total Points) — 73 Total Ballots / Maximum 146 Points
1st Team Offense
Quarterback Matt Ryan, Boston College, Sr. (143)
Running Back Tashard Choice, Georgia Tech, Sr. (143)
James Davis, Clemson, Jr. (131)
Wide Receiver Aaron Kelly, Clemson, Jr. (128)
Kenny Moore, Wake Forest, Sr. (117)
Tight End Ryan Purvis, Boston College, Jr. (109)
Tackle Barry Richardson, Clemson, Sr. (120)
Andrew Gardner, Georgia Tech, Jr. (85)
Guard Branden Albert, Virginia, Jr. (105)
Chris McDuffie, Clemson, Sr. (100)
Center Steve Justice, Wake Forest, Sr. (122)
2nd Team Offense
Quarterback Cullen Harper, Clemson, Jr. (70)
Running Back Andre Callender, Boston College, Sr. (72)
Josh Adams, Wake Forest, Fr. (51)
Wide Receiver Hakeem Nicks, North Carolina, So. (75)
Eron Riley, Duke, Jr. (38)
Tight End Tom Santi, Virginia, Sr. (60)
Tackle Duane Brown, Virginia Tech, Sr. (79)
Gosder Cherilus, Boston College, Sr. (64)
Guard Andrew Crummey, Maryland, Sr. (86)
Rodney Hudson, Florida State, Fr. (51) tie
Derrick Morse, Miami, Sr. (51) tie
Center Kevin Tuminello, Georgia Tech, Sr. (65)
Honorable Mention (20 points or more)
RB Keon Lattimore, Maryland, Sr. (25)
WR Brandon Robinson, Boston College, Jr. (30)
OT Eugene Monroe, Virginia, Jr. (46)
OG Kalani Heppe, NC State, Sr. (21)
1st Team Defense
Defensive End Chris Long, Virginia, Sr. (146)#
Chris Ellis, Virginia Tech, Sr. (70)
Defensive Tackle Vance Walker, Georgia Tech, Jr. (93)
Dre Moore, Maryland, Sr. (51)
Linebacker Erin Henderson, Maryland, Jr. (111)
Xavier Adibi, Virginia Tech, Sr. (104)
Geno Hayes, Florida State, Jr. (69)
Cornerback Alphonso Smith, Wake Forest, Jr. (127)
Victor Harris, Virginia Tech, Jr. (81)
Safety Jamie Silva, Boston College, Sr. (130)
Kenny Phillips, Miami, Jr. (85)
#Unanimous Selection
2nd Team Defense
Defensive End Hilee Taylor, North Carolina, Sr. (66)
Darrell Robertson, Georgia Tech, Sr. (36)
Defensive Tackle Barry Booker, Virginia Tech, Sr. (50)
Kentwan Balmer, North Carolina, Sr. (42)
Linebacker Durell Mapp, North Carolina, Sr. (64)
Aaron Curry, Wake Forest, Jr. (54)
Jolonn Dunbar, Boston College, Sr. (48) tie
Philip Wheeler, Georgia Tech, Sr. (48) tie
Cornerback DeJuan Tribble, Boston College, Sr. (77)
Brandon Flowers, Virginia Tech, Jr. (73)
Safety Michael Hamlin, Clemson, Jr. (49)
DaJuan Morgan, NC State, Jr. (48)
Honorable Mention (20 points or more)
DE Phillip Merling, Clemson, Jr. (32); Calais Campbell, Miami, Jr. (29); Alex Albright, Boston College, So. (22)
DT Ron Brace, Boston College, Jr. (39); DeMario Pressley, NC State, Sr. (38); Carlton Powell, Virginia Tech, Sr. (25);
Dorell Scott, Clemson, Jr. (25)
LB Vince Hall, Virginia Tech, Sr. (38)
CB Patrick Robinson, Florida State, So. (47)
S — Chip Vaughn, Wake Forest, Jr. (45); Jamal Lewis, Georgia Tech, Sr. (25); D.J. Parker, Virginia Tech, Sr. (23)
Special Teams
1st Team
Placekicker Travis Bell, Georgia Tech, Sr. (64)
Punter Durant Brooks, Georgia Tech, Sr. (126)
Specialist Eddie Royal, Virginia Tech, Sr. (74)
2nd Team
Placekicker Gary Cismesia, Florida State, Sr. (40)
Punter Ryan Weigand, Virginia, Sr. (32)
Specialist Darrell Blackman, NC State, Sr. (44)
Honorable Mention (20 points or more)
PK Connor Barth, North Carolina, Sr. (35); Sam Swank, Wake Forest, Jr. (29)
P Graham Gano, Florida State, Jr. (24)
SP Kevin Marion, Wake Forest, Sr. (32); C.J. Spiller, Clemson, So. (27); Brandon Tate, North Carolina, Jr. (25)