Nov. 28, 2016
THE FLATS – Three Georgia Tech seniors — center Freddie Burden, place kicker Harrison Butker and defensive tackle Patrick Gamble earned all-ACC recognition from the Atlantic Coast Sports Media Association, the ACSMA announced on Monday. Burden was named to the third-team offense while Butker and Gamble received honorable-mention recognition.
Burden is the anchor of a Georgia Tech offensive line that paved the way for the Yellow Jackets to lead the ACC and rank 10th nationally in rushing offense at 257.4 yards per game. He made 11 starts at center (missing one game due to injury) and was named the ACC Offensive Lineman of the Week after taking eight defenders to the ground while the Jackets rushed for 289 yards and amassed 511 yards of total offense in a 38-7 win over Vanderbilt on Sept. 17.
Butker leads Georgia Tech and ranks among the ACC’s top 15 players (all positions) with 76 points this season. He has made 11-of-13 field goals this season (including 6-of-6 from 40-plus yards out), good for a .846 percentage that ranks second in the ACC and 19th nationally, and has been perfect on 43 PAT attempts. Additionally, he has been a huge weapon on kickoffs, with 47-of-64 traditional kickoffs (pooch kicks not included) going for touchbacks and only five kicks returned past the 25 yard line. With 322 career points, he is tied with Luke Manget (1999-2002) for Georgia Tech’s all-time scoring record.
Gamble has recorded 47 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks from his defensive tackle position this season and was particularly impressive during Georgia Tech’s three-game winning streak to close the regular season, tallying 19 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks in wins over ACC Coastal Division champion Virginia Tech, Virginia and Georgia. He notched a career-high 11 stops in last Saturday’s triumph at UGA.
Burden received all-ACC recognition for the third-straight season, as the three-year starter was an honorable-mention selection as a sophomore and junior in 2013 and 2014. The recognition was the first for Butker and Gamble.
Voting for the ACC coaches’ all-conference teams will be conducted following Saturday’s ACC Championship Game in Orlando and announced on Wednesday, Dec. 7.
With its regular season complete at 8-4, Georgia Tech will learn its bowl destination when pairings are announced on Sunday. For more bowl information and to reserve tickets, visit togetherweswarm.com/bowl.
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