EIGHT PANTHERS HONORED ON ACSMA ALL-ACC FOOTBALL TEAM
11/30/2015 12:00:00 AM | Football
PITTSBURGH—Eight Pitt players were recognized today on the All-Atlantic Coast Conference Football Team selected by the Atlantic Coast Sports Media Association (ACSMA).
The Panthers had two first-team selections, junior wide receiver Tyler Boyd and senior defensive end Ejuan Price.
Earning second-team honors were junior offensive tackle Adam Bisnowaty, junior offensive guard Dorian Johnson and redshirt freshman running back Qadree Ollison.
Pitt had two third-team selections in senior defensive tackle Darryl Render and freshman strong safety Jordan Whitehead. Additionally, sophomore cornerback Avonte Maddox received Honorable Mention.
For Boyd (Clairton, Pa./Clairton), this is the third All-ACC recognition of his career and second consecutive season he was a first-team pick. Boyd paces the ACC in receptions per game (7.7 avg.) and receiving yards per game (79.4 avg.). Boyd is Pitt's all-time career leader in catches (248) and receiving yards (3,308).
Price (Rankin, Pa./Woodland Hills) is fifth in the nation and first in the ACC with an average of 0.96 quarterback sacks per game. He has 11.5 total sacks, the most by a Pitt player since 2000. Price has compiled 19.5 tackles for loss on the year, ranking second nationally and second in the ACC (1.6 TFLs/game).
Bisnowaty (Pittsburgh, Pa./Fox Chapel) and Johnson (Belle Vernon, Pa./Belle Vernon Area) form the left side of a Pitt offensive line that produced a 1,000-yard rusher for the second consecutive season. The pair helped Pitt gain recognition as a semifinalist for the Joe Moore Award, presented to the nation's top offensive front.
Ollison (Niagara Falls, N.Y./Canisius) entered the 2015 season as the Panthers' third-string tailback. Three months later he became only the fifth freshman in Pitt history to achieve a 1,000-yard rushing season, compiling 1,048 yards and 10 touchdowns on 204 carries (5.1 avg.).
Whitehead (Aliquippa, Pa./Central Valley) has made an instant impact on Pitt's defense as a true freshman, leading the team with 99 tackles. His average of 8.2 tackles per game ranks eighth in the ACC and he is the only freshman among the league's top 10 tacklers. Whitehead has also been a catalyst on offense, averaging 7.9 yards per rush (79 yards on 10 carries) with two touchdowns.
A four-year fixture on the interior, Render (Cleveland, Ohio/St. Edward) has played an unheralded but invaluable role for the Panthers' nationally ranked defense. His statistics this season (16 tackles) belie his importance in eating up blocks, allowing Pitt's linebacker unit to roam free and make plays.
Maddox (Detroit, Mich./Martin Luther King) ranks fourth in the ACC and 25th nationally in passes defended with an average of 1.3 per game. He has 12 pass breakups and three interceptions (including one returned for a 30-yard touchdown against Louisville) on the year.
The Panthers, under the direction of first-year head coach Pat Narduzzi, finished the regular season with an 8-4 overall record and 6-2 ACC mark, the program's winningest campaign in six years. Pitt awaits its bowl destination, which will be announced this Sunday.
—PITT—
