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Six Cavaliers Named to Phil Steele All-ACC Team
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CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Six Virginia Cavaliers were named to Phil Steele’s Postseason All-ACC team. Phil Steele’s College Football Preview is one of the nation’s most informative preseason football magazines and has always released preseason, midseason and postseason All-American teams in addition to an All-ACC team.
Headlining the six Cavaliers are second-team honorees Raynard Horne, Chase Minnifield and Keith Payne. Horne was selected as a kick returner, while Minnifield is as a cornerback and Payne as a running back.
Payne, a senior, concluded his collegiate career leading the ACC in scoring at 8.7 points per game with a league-best 16 total touchdowns. His 14 rushing scores is a mark that is No. 3 all-time in the UVa annals and second-most since the end of World War II.
Minnifield, a junior, finished the regular season No. 2 in the ACC and No. 6 nationally with six interceptions. Twice during the season he was named honorable mention for the Jim Thorpe Defensive Back of the Week honor. He also shared ACC Defensive Back of the Week honors on Nov. 1 with teammate Corey Mosley after snaring two interceptions in UVa’s 24-19 upset of Miami.
Horne battled injury the second half of the season after leading the league for most of the year in kick return average, finishing the season third in the ACC at 24.9 in kick return yards. Horne was one of two in the ACC ‘s top 10 return specialists to return a kick for a touchdown, going 87 yards for a score against VMI.
Wide receiver Kris Burd and defensive end Cam Johnson were named to the third-team. Burd led UVa with 58 receptions and was No. 5 in the ACC in receptions (4.8) and No. 7 in receiving yards (66.6). Johnson ranked No. 6 in the ACC with 6.5 sacks and No. 7 in the ACC with 14.5 tackles for a loss.
Rounding out the group of six is wide receiver Dontrelle Inman who was named to the fourth-team. Inman ranked No. 6 in the ACC in yards per game (67.9) and No. 10 in receptions per game (4.2).
The Phill Steele Postseason All-American Team will be released on Monday at 4 p.m. EST.