ACC Announces Football Preseason Poll. Johnson and Petrula Named

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GREENSBORO, N.C. – Atlantic Coast Conference media members selected Boston College’s Zion Johnson and Ben Petrula to the 2020 All-ACC Preseason Team, the conference office announced Friday.

The league’s media members also picked BC to finish 13^th in the ACC in 2020.

Each ACC team is slated to play 11 games (10 conference, one non-conference) this season. The two teams with the highest conference winning percentages earn spots in the ACC Football Championship Game on Dec. 12 or Dec. 19 at Charlotte’s Bank of America Stadium.

Under first-year head coach Jeff Hafley, BC returns nine starters on defense, five starters on offense, including four of five All-ACC selections on the offensive line from a season ago. In addition, the Eagles return their starting kicker, punter, and long snapper on special teams from 2019.

Johnson, who was named a preseason All-American by Phil Steele, is coming off a dominant season in 2019 for the Eagles. The All-ACC selection quickly blossomed into one of the ACC’s best offensive linemen in 2019 after transferring from Davidson.

Johnson started seven games but played 90% of the snaps at left guard. A three-time ACC Offensive Lineman of the Week selection in 2019, Johnson was a key member of a BC offensive line that was among the national leaders in sacks allowed and rushing yards.

Petrula captured All-ACC second-team honors at offensive tackle in 2019 after collecting All-ACC honorable mention accolades a season ago.

He started all 13 games at right tackle and allowed just one sack the entire season.

The New Jersey native was one of the highest-rated run blockers at tackle in the ACC according to Pro Football Focus.

BC opens the 2020 season on Saturday, Sept. 19 at Duke. The opener marks the first game against the Blue Devils since 2015 in a series that began in 1927. BC leads the series 4-3.

ACC Preseason Poll

(First-place votes in parenthesis, followed by total points)

Clemson (132) – 2008
Notre Dame (2) – 1824
North Carolina – 1682
Louisville – 1434
Virginia Tech – 1318
Miami – 1280
Florida State – 1177
Pitt – 1132
Virginia – 994
Wake Forest – 659
NC State – 634
Duke – 618
Boston College – 532
Syracuse – 449
Georgia Tech – 339

2020 All-ACC Preseason Football Team
(Total votes in parenthesis)
Offense
WR – Tamorrion Terry, Florida State (100)
WR – Tutu Atwell, Louisville (96)
WR – Dazz Newsome, North Carolina (75)
TE – Brevin Jordan, Miami (77)
AP – Michael Carter, North Carolina (82)
OT – Jackson Carman, Clemson (64)
OT – Ben Petrula, Boston College (61)
OG – Zion Johnson, Boston College (78)
OG – Aaron Banks, Notre Dame (34)
C – Jimmy Morrissey, Pitt (80)
QB – Trevor Lawrence, Clemson (131)
RB – Travis Etienne, Clemson (133)
RB – Javian Hawkins, Louisville (80)
Defense
DE – Carlos Basham Jr., Wake Forest (89)
DE – Patrick Jones II, Pitt (37)
DT – Marvin Wilson, Florida State (108)
DT – Tyler Davis, Clemson (75)
LB – Chazz Surratt, North Carolina (106)
LB – Rayshard Ashby, Virginia Tech (66)
LB – Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, Notre Dame (47)
CB – Asante Samuel Jr., Florida State (90)
CB – Derion Kendrick, Clemson (85)
S – Paris Ford, Pitt (62)
S – Hamsah Nasirildeen, Florida State (56)

Special Teams
PK – Nick Sciba, Wake Forest (69)
P – Trenton Gill, NC State (43)
SP – Damond Philyaw-Johnson, Duke (48)

ACC Player of the Year
1. Trevor Lawrence, QB, Clemson – 100
2. Travis Etienne, RB, Clemson – 30
3. Sam Howell, QB, North Carolina – 1
4. Chazz Surratt, LB, North Carolina – 1
5. Ian Book, QB, Notre Dame – 1
6. Carlos Basham Jr., Wake Forest – 1