July 27, 2009
GREENSBORO, N.C. – Georgia Tech junior B-back Jonathan Dwyer was named the 2009 Preseason ACC Player of the Year in a vote by the media who attended the league’s annual Football Kickoff at the Grandover Resort in Greensboro, N.C. The Yellow Jackets were picked to finish second in the Coastal Division behind Virginia Tech.
The Kickoff, conducted at the development that houses the ACC’s headquarters, attracted a record number of attendees and voters. The electorate of 87 media representatives surpassed the standard of 83 set two years earlier.
Dwyer, the 2008 ACC Player of the Year, received 39 of the 87 votes submitted by the media. He bested Clemson’s C.J. Spiller (28) by 11 votes.
The Marietta, Ga. native, whose 107 rushing yards per game led the ACC and ranked 17th in the nation in 2008, is the first ACC Player of the Year to seek a repeat of the honor since Florida State’s Charlie Ward in 1993. Ward defended his conference distinction and won the Heisman Trophy in leading the Seminoles to the national championship in that 1993 season.
N.C. State quarterback Russell Wilson, the 2008 ACC Rookie of the Year, got 16 votes. Four others received one vote each.
Virginia Tech was picked to win the Coastal Division and to defeat Atlantic Division representative Florida State in the ACC Championships game set for Dec. 5 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla. The Hokies received 78 first-place votes and 512 points in divisional balloting.
The Jackets claimed the other nine first-place votes and 415 points for second. The media has not correctly picked Georgia Tech’s ACC finish since 1999. Last year the Yellow Jackets were tabbed to finish fourth in the Coastal and ended the season tied for first place. The previous season, in 2007, the Jackets were picked to finish second in the division.
North Carolina (350) and Miami (282) followed the top two and placed ahead of Virginia (148) and Duke (120).
2009 ACC Football Kickoff Preseason Media Balloting
Atlantic Division
1. Florida State (56) 479
2. Clemson (14) 387
3. NC State (10) 364
4. Wake Forest (7) 295
5. Maryland 157
6. Boston College 145
Coastal Division
1. Virginia Tech (78) 512
2. Georgia Tech (9) 415
3. North Carolina 350
4. Miami 282
5. Virginia 148
6. Duke 120
Predicted ACC Championship Game Winner
1. Virginia Tech 69
T2. Florida State 7
Georgia Tech 7
T4. Clemson 2
NC State 2
2009 Preseason ACC Player of the Year
1. Jonathan Dwyer, Georgia Tech 39
2. C.J. Spiller, Clemson 28
3. Russell Wilson, NC State 16
4. Christian Ponder, Florida State 1
Vic Hall, Virginia 1
Tyrod Taylor, Virginia Tech 1
Riley Skinner 1
