Davis, Kelly, McDuffie and Richardson All Make First Team All-ACC
Clemson junior running back James Davis, junior wide receiver Aaron Kelly, senior offensive guard Chris McDuffie, and senior offensive tackle Barry Richardson were all named First-Team All-ACC, announced Monday by the conference. Junior quarterback Cullen Harper and junior cornerback Michael Hamlin were also second-team selections, while Phillip Merling (DE), Dorell Scott (DT), and C.J. Spiller (Specialist) each received honorable mention honors.
James Davis (Atlanta, GA) has rushed for 992 yards in 12 games, good for an average of 82.7 yard per contest. He is averaging 5.2 yards per carry and has scored nine touchdowns. In his three-year career at Clemson, he has rushed for 3,058 yards and 35 touchdowns. It is the second straight year that James Davis has been named First-Team All-ACC, the first Tiger running back to do that since Terry Allen (1987,88).
Kelly (Marietta, GA) has already set the school record for receptions in a season with 84. He also has 1,045 receiving yards and a Tiger-record 11 receiving touchdowns. His first-team selection gives the Tigers a First-Team All-ACC wideout for four consecutive seasons.
McDuffie (Danville, VA) and Richardson (Mount Pleasant, SC) are two big reasons the Tigers are in the top three in the ACC in almost every offensive category. McDuffie, originally a defensive lineman at Clemson, has helped pave the way for James Davis and Spiller to rush for a combined 1,648 yards this season.
Richardson, who is in his fourth year as a starter, has been the Tigers' top-graded offensive lineman this season with a season's grade of 87 percent. Richardson was a First-Team All-ACC pick in 2006 as well. Both McDuffie and Richardson have helped protect Harper, who has also set numerous school records.
Harper (Alpharetta, GA) has completed 66.6 percent of his passes for 2,887 yards and a school-record 27 touchdown passes against only six interceptions. His 146.9 pass efficiency rating is the third-best in Clemson history, while his 2,887 passing yards are second-most in Tiger history.
Hamlin (Timmonsville, SC) is the Tigers' lone defensive All-ACC selection, as he has led the Tigers to a #5 national ranking in total defense. On the season, he has a team-tying-high four interceptions and 80 tackles along with two recovered fumbles to give him a team-best six takeaways.
Clemson's six total selections tied for fourth-most among league members, trailing only Georgia Tech's eight All-ACC selections, and Boston College's and Virginia Tech's seven. Wake Forest (5), North Carolina (4), Virginia (4), Florida State (3), Maryland (3), Miami (2), N.C. State (2), and Duke (1) were also represented on the All-ACC team. Clemson's four first-team selections only trailed Georgia Tech's five first-team selections as well.
Clemson had the most first-team selections on offense with four. It marked the second straight season that Clemson had four First-Team All-ACC picks on offense.
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