Hokie ClubGREENSBORO, N.C. – A total of 12 Virginia Tech football players have been identified by the conference with nine Hokies garnering spots on the 2016 All-ACC Football Team, as selected by the league’s 14 head coaches and announced today. The nine Hokies ties for the third-most among member schools, while Tech head coach Justin Fuente becomes the consensus ACC Coach of the Year with this selection by his peers. CLICK HERE for full ACC release.
It’s the third ACC Coach of the Year honor picked up by Tech’s first-year head coach, as he was tabbed the Atlantic Coast Conference Sports Media Association (ACSMA) Coach of the Year last week and The Associated Press ACC Coach of the Year on Wednesday. CLICK HERE for more info on Fuente’s first year with the Hokies.
Junior Joey Slye headlines the player’s selections as the Stafford, Virginia product becomes the first Hokie First Team kicker since Chris Hazley in 2010. Slye is fourth in the league in scoring with 113 points and first among kickers. With four points in the Belk Bowl, Slye will surpass the school record in points in a season by kicking which Hazley holds at 116 and set in 2010.
Senior defensive tackle Woody Baron follows up his ACSMA First Team selection with a spot on the Coaches’ Second Team. The Nashville, Tennessee native has been piling up the honors – his fourth this week – after putting forth one of the best seasons for a Tech interior lineman over the past 20 seasons. His 17.5 TFLs in 2016 leads all Power 5 defensive tackles this season and are the most at the school since J.C. Price had 23.0 in 1995.
Joining Baron on the Second Team defense are linebackers Tremaine Edmunds and Andrew Motuapuaka and defensive back Greg Stroman, who also earned an honorable mention as a specialist.
Edmunds, out of Danville, Virginia, has enjoyed his first year as a starter. He etched his name in the Tech record book by registering a TFL in 13 straight games, while he is just behind Baron this year with 17.0 for the season. In fact, Baron and Edmunds have combined for more TFLs in a single season than any other duo since 1998. He’s second on the team with 99 tackles and leads the squad with 53 solo. He and Baron on also tied for second on the team in sacks with 4.5.
Motuapuaka, a redshirt-junior from Virginia Beach, leads the Hokies with 106 total tackles and is second to Edmunds for the team-lead with 49 solo tackles, which includes 5.0 tackles-for-loss and 2.0 sacks. He has intercepted three passes this season, including one in the ACC Championship Game versus Clemson, broke up four more, has four quarterback hurries and adds two fumble recovers, one of which he took back 70 yards for a touchdown.
Stroman, who started the first nine games of the year before suffering an ankle injury, was well on his way to a strong season. The Bristow, Virginia product, had three interceptions, including two in the opener, and 10 pass breakups in those starts. On special teams, he blocked one field goal attempt that was returned for a touchdown and was one of a handful of players (at the time) with more than 400 kick return yards and 200 punt return yards, which included an 87-yard return for a touchdown.
Closing out the second team honorees is wide receiver Isaiah Ford, who is named to his third straight Coaches’ team. After setting single-season school records for receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns, the Jacksonville, Florida product has etched his name in the record books in those career categories. Ford currently has 24 career TDs, 2,911 receiving yards and 204 receptions. He is Tech's only 1,000 single-season yard receiver, and he's done it twice
Earning spots on the third team are tight end Bucky Hodges, offensive tackle Jonathan McLaughlin and offensive guard Augie Conte.
Hodges, a redshirt-junior from Virginia Beach, Virginia, is a repeat selection to the Coaches’ Team. He is third on the team in receptions (43) and receiving yards (640) and is tied with Ford in touchdown catches (7). He currently holds all the schools tight end marks and is fourth in the ACC in career catches and yards, while tied for first in career touchdowns for a tight end.
McLaughlin, a senior from Mauldin, South Carolina, has started all 13 games at the right tackle position and has 48 career starts to his name, the most on the team.
Conte, a redshirt-senior from Richmond, Virginia, has started all 13 games this year as well, at the right guard position, right next to McLaughlin. The pair have each started the last 26 consecutive games.
Three more Hokies were named honorable mention and include offensive guard Wyatt Teller, defensive end Ken Ekanem and safeties Terrell Edmunds.
Teller, a junior from Bealeton, Virginia, has played in all 13 games this season, earning 11 starts at left guard.
Ekanem, a senior from Centreville, Virginia, started in 12 games for the Hokies this season and leads the team with 6.5 sacks. He’s added 35 total tackles on the year, including 19 solo stops, and adds 11 quarterback hurries and two passes defended.
Edmunds, a redshirt-junior from Danville, Virginia, is fourth on the team in tackles, totaling 45 solo stops and 39 assists. He also tallied a career-high three interceptions on the year and one fumble recovery at safety. According to STATS, LLC, Edmunds allowed just one touchdown all season and is currently third among ACC strong safeties in total tackles.