FSU’s Winston voted ACC player of year
Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston has picked up two more
individual awards from the Atlantic Coast Conference.
The ACC on Wednesday selected Winston as both its overall and
offensive player of the year, one day after he was picked as rookie
of the year.
Pittsburgh defensive tackle Aaron Donald also was voted the
ACC’s defensive player of the year.
Winston is the first redshirt freshman in the 61-year history of
the league to win the overall award.
He received 47 of 65 votes from members of the Atlantic Coast
Sports Media Association for the overall award. Boston College
running back Andre Williams had 13 votes and Donald had four.
Winston led the Seminoles to a No. 1 ranking and a berth in the
ACC championship game opposite No. 20 Duke.
He is the first Florida State player to win the award since
Heisman Trophy winner Chris Weinke in 2000.
Winston leads the nation with a 192.6 pass efficiency rating, is
tops in the ACC with 3,490 yards passing and 35 touchdown passes
and has emerged as a leading Heisman candidate.
He’s one touchdown shy of the FBS record for freshmen, set by
Oklahoma’s Sam Bradford in 2007.
Florida State ranks second nationally in scoring, averaging 53.7
points. The Seminoles are seventh in total offense with an average
of 526.1 total yards.
In separate offensive player of the year voting, Winston had 44
votes to 19 for Williams and two for Clemson QB Tajh Boyd.
Donald had 44 votes for the defensive award to 10 for Wake
Forest nose tackle Nikita Whitlock and eight for Florida State
cornerback Lamarcus Joyner.
Donald leads the nation with 26 1/2 tackles for losses, and has
10 sacks and four forced fumbles. His blocked extra point in the
Panthers’ 17-16 win over Syracuse on Nov. 23 made them bowl
eligible.