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Four Cavaliers Earn All-ACC Football Honors
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CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA – Four Virginia football players were named to the All-Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) football team, announced Monday, including one first-team selection.
Defensive tackle Nate Collins was named to the first team, while cornerback Ras-I Dowling earned second-team accolades for the second straight season. Both linebacker Steve Greer and placekicker Robert Randolph earned honorable mention recognition.
Collins emerged on the scene during his senior campaign by earning ACC Defensive Lineman of the Week honors following stellar career outings against then No. 11 Georgia Tech and at Maryland. The Port Chester, N.Y., native finished the season ranked No. 5 in the ACC with 6.0 sacks. A part-time starter a season ago, Collins started all 12 games a set a career high with 16 tackles against then No. 11 Georgia Tech. Collins also snared his first career interception and returned it 32 yards for the go-ahead touchdown at Maryland, prompting an appearance on ESPN’s Top 10 plays. On the season Collins finished second on the team with 77 tackles.
Dowling, a junior, earned his second straight second team nod, anchoring the ACC’s No. 4 and the nation’s No. 21 pass defense. The Chesapeake, Va., native finished the season ranked No. 6 in the ACC in passes defended (11) and No. 11 in interceptions (three). After recording a career-high nine tackles, including his first career sack against Indiana, Dowling earned the ACC Defensive Back of the Week nod by the league. He also averaged 3.4 tackles per game and had two tackles for loss.
Greer led the UVa and all ACC freshmen in tackles with 92. The Solon, Ohio native also ranked No. 5 among the nation’s freshmen with his 92 stops, which included a career-high 14 tackles at Miami.
Randolph, a sophomore, is one of two ACC kickers listed as a semifinalist for the Lou Groza Placekicker Award. Connecting on 17-of-19 field goal attempts, the Naples, Fla., native ranked No. 2 in the ACC in field goal accuracy and No. 28 in the nation with 1.42 field goals per game.