Dec. 2, 2013
THE FLATS — Georgia Tech junior guard Shaquille Mason and senior defensive end Jeremiah Attaochu were named to the All-Atlantic Coast Conference teams announced Monday afternoon by the Atlantic Coast Sports Media Association (ACSMA).
Mason was named first team All-ACC and Attaochu earned second team honors.
Three Yellow Jackets – senior running backs Robert Godhigh and David Sims, and senior guard Will Jackson — were named honorable mention.
The Coaches’ All-ACC Team will be announced Dec. 11.
With Mason’s selection, Georgia Tech has been represented on the All-ACC first team for 18 consecutive seasons. This marks the seventh straight year that a Yellow Jacket offensive lineman has been named first team All-ACC.
Mason, who has started 25 consecutive games, was named ACC Offensive Lineman of the Week two times during the regular season. The Columbia (Tenn.) native helped the Georgia Tech offense rank sixth nationally in rushing offense, seventh in third-down percentage, 15th in fewest sacks allowed and 16th in red-zone offense.
Attaochu earned second team All-ACC honors after being selected honorable mention in both 2011 and 2012. The Washington (DC) product is the first Tech defender to earn All-ACC honors since linebacker Julian Burnett was named second team in 2011, and Attaochu is the first Yellow Jacket defensive end to be named to the team since Derrick Morgan was a first-team selection in 2009.
Attaochu enjoyed one of the best Novembers of any defensive player in college football. He has 10.0 sacks over the last five games, including a career-high 4.0 sacks against Georgia in the regular season finale – the third-most single-game sacks in Yellow Jacket history. His 12.0 sacks this season are the sixth-most in Tech history, and he enters the postseason tied with Greg Gathers (31.0 career sacks) for the most career sacks in school history.
Jackson, who started at both guard and tackle this season, and has 41 career starts under his belt, was named honorable mention All-ACC for the second time.
Godhigh and Sims were named honorable mention for the first time. Godhigh, Tech’s top big-play threat and one of the nation’s leaders in offensive plays of 30-plus yards, averages 10.1 yards per carry and 20.0 yards per reception. Sims will enter Tech’s bowl game with 846 rushing yards and 11 rushing touchdowns, both team highs.
Surprisingly, senior defensive back Jemea Thomas was left off the All-ACC team and honorable mention list. Thomas, who is expected to be taken in the 2014 NFL Draft, leads the team in tackles (73), solo tackles (62), pass break-ups (8) and is tied for the team lead with two interceptions.
Georgia Tech now awaits its 17th consecutive postseason bowl bid, which is expected to be announced on Sunday. The Yellow Jackets concluded the regular season 7-5 overall, 5-3 in the ACC.
