See which Clemson Tigers received All-ACC preseason honors
After a top showing in Bryan Bresee’s collegiate debut with Clemson in 2020, the defensive tackle will be expected to keep it going.
Bresee finished third in the media’s preseason player of the year voting with eight votes and was named to the All-Atlantic Coast Conference team with 120 votes, released on Tuesday. The sophomore started 10 of 12 games played last season, contributing 33 tackles, 6.5 for loss, four quarterback sacks and two pass break-ups to help the Tigers reach the College Football Playoffs semifinals with a 10-2 record.
“I think Bryan has the ability to develop into a great defensive lineman,” Tigers defensive tackles coach Todd Bates said. “He’s definitely on the right track.”
Fellow Tigers sophomore and quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei pocketed six votes for preseason player of the year to finish fourth in the voting with North Carolina quarterback Sam Howell nabbing the honor with 114 votes.
Bresee is just one of eight Clemson players to make the All-ACC preseason team, more than any other squad in the league. After a standout freshman campaign, defensive end Myles Murphy earned preseason conference honors as well as defensive tackle Tyler Davis, linebacker James Skalski, cornerback Andrew Booth and safety Nolan Turner, the team’s second-leading tackler with 66, for the defensive side of the ball.
The Tigers led the conference in total defense last season (326.8 total yards per game) and were second in scoring defense (20.2 points per contest).
On the offensive side, Tigers wide receiver Justyn Ross and offensive tackle Jordan McFadden were given All-ACC honors. Ross, who sat out the 2020 season after having spinal surgery, was also named to the Biletnikoff Award watch list. He caught 112 passes for 1,865 yards and 17 touchdowns in his first two college seasons.
On Monday, Clemson was projected by the media to win the conference for a seventh straight year.
Preseason honors were determined by a vote of 147 media members, including several who were credentialed for last week’s ACC Football Kickoff in Charlotte, North Carolina.
2021 Preseason All-ACC Football Team
(Total votes in parenthesis)
QB Sam Howell, North Carolina (118)
RB Zonovan Knight, NC State (96)
RB Mataeo Durant, Duke (49)
WR Justyn Ross, Clemson (110)
WR Zay Flowers, Boston College (101)
WR Jaquarii Roberson, Wake Forest (80)
TE James Mitchell, Virginia Tech (77)
AP Jahmyr Gibbs, Georgia Tech (56)
OT Ikem Ekwonu, NC State (83)
OT Jordan McFadden, Clemson (53)
OG Zion Johnson, Boston College (82)
OG Joshua Ezeudu, North Carolina (56)
C Alec Lindstrom, Boston College (77)
DE Myles Murphy, Clemson (108)
DE Amare’ Barno, Virginia Tech (63)
DT Bryan Bresee, Clemson (120)
DT Tyler Davis, Clemson (53)
LB Payton Wilson, NC State (99)
LB James Skalski, Clemson (95)
LB Nick Jackson, Virginia (37)
CB Andrew Booth Jr., Clemson (86)
CB Tony Grimes, North Carolina (55)
S Bubba Bolden, Miami (100)
S Nolan Turner, Clemson (85)
PK Nick Sciba, Wake Forest (69)
P Lou Hedley, Miami (84)
SP Jahmyr Gibbs, Georgia Tech (60)
Preseason Player of the Year
1. Sam Howell, QB, North Carolina, 114
2. D’Eriq King, QB, Miami, 11
3. Bryan Bresee, DE, Clemson, 8
4. D.J. Uiagalelei, QB, Clemson, 6
5. Phil Jurkovec, QB, Boston College, 3
6. Zay Flowers, WR, Boston College, 2
6. Jahmyr Gibbs, AP, Georgia Tech, 2
This story was originally published July 27, 2021 at 9:15 AM.
