July 27, 2009
Day 2 Photo Gallery GREENSBORO, N.C. - Wake Forest was picked to finish fourth in the ACC Atlantic Division in voting conducted by the media in attendance at the ACC Football Kickoff held this weekend at the Grandover Resort. The Demon Deacons received a total of seven first-place votes as four of the six teams in the Atlantic Division received at least one first-place vote. The media picked Florida State to win the Atlantic Division this season. The Seminoles received 56 first-place votes (out of a possible 87 total) and 479 points overall. Clemson was chosen second, garnering 14 first-place votes, while NC State was third collecting 10 first place votes. Maryland was picked fifth and Boston College rounded out the Atlantic Division in sixth. "I think our players have started to realize that everybody in our league is a tough out. Everybody has good players." said head coach Jim Grobe. "We try not to worry too much about where we start out but where we finish. "I think the [preseason polls] are fun. We appreciate the interest in our football teams. Sometimes it's fun to use that for ammunition, but our players are always pretty well motivated to go play. I think we were a little more motivated three years ago when we were picked sixth. But it's interesting...I think our players are interested; I think our fans are interested. It's fun to do a preseason poll and see how things turn out at the end of the year." Two-time defending ACC Champion Virginia Tech was picked to win the ACC Coastal Division for the third straight season. The Hokies were also the overwhelming pick to win the ACC Championship. Tech received 78 first-place votes in the division and had an ACC-leading 512 points overall. Georgia Tech was picked second and received the other nine first-place votes and 415 votes overall. The Tar Heels of North Carolina were picked third with a total of 350 votes and were followed by Miami in fourth, Virginia in fifth and Duke in sixth.
This is the second time Wake has been picked fourth in the Atlantic Division since the preseason voting went to the two-division format in 2005. Wake was also picked fourth in 2007 after coming off an ACC Championship in 2006. Last year, the Deacons were picked second in the division, which was the highest they had been picked in the four years. The Deacs were selected sixth in each of the first two years of the two-division voting. The media also selected Georgia Tech running back Jonathan Dwyer as the ACC Preseason Player of the Year. Dwyer received 39 votes compared to Clemson's C.J. Spiller's 28 votes. NC State quarterback Russell Wilson was third in the voting with 16 votes while Wake's Riley Skinner, Virginia's Vic Hall, Virginia Tech's Tyrod Taylor and Florida State's Christian Ponder all received one vote. The complete preseason All-ACC teams are scheduled to be released by the ACC office on Tuesday. Wake Forest is coming off an 8-5 campaign in 2008. The Deacons finished tied for third in the Atlantic and went on to defeat Navy in the Inaugural Eagle Bank Bowl. The Deacs open the 2009 season at home on Saturday, September 5, against Baylor. Atlantic Division (first place votes)
Coastal Division (first place votes)
Championship Game Winner: Virginia Tech (69) |
Wake Forest Football |
