Boston College Athletics
Three Eagles Named To Preseason All-ACC Team
July 23, 2008 | Football
July 23, 2008
GREENSBORO, N.C. - Boston College seniors Ron Brace, Ryan Purvis, and Brian Toal were each named to the 2008 Preseason All-ACC Football Team, announced July 23 by the conference office. Purvis was one of seven student-athletes named to the team who earned first-team All-ACC honors in 2007.
Clemson quarterback Cullen Harper was tabbed the ACC Preseason Player of the Year, receiving over half of the votes. The Tigers, Wake Forest, and Florida State led with four honorees apiece with Boston College and Georgia Tech both putting three players on the preseason list.
Brace, a defensive tackle from Springfield, was an All-ACC honorable mention recipient last season after leading BC with 7.5 tackles for a loss. He racked up 27 tackles in 2007 with 14 of them being solo stops. He also recorded a career-high 2.5 sacks. Brace was named to the Outland Trophy Watch List which is given to the best interior lineman in the nation.
Purvis, who started all 14 games at tight end in 2007, caught 54 passes for a total of 553 yards and four touchdowns. Each of those numbers ranked fourth on the team. The Reinholds, Pa. product was named to the Rotary Lombardi Award Watch List, given annually to the college lineman of the year.
Toal, who sat out last season with a shoulder injury, had 50 tackles at linebacker during the 2006 campaign and notched 20 solo stops. He also had 19 rushes for 35 yards and scored a team-high six touchdowns running out of the backfield on offense. The Wyckoff, N.J. native also recorded 4.5 tackles for a loss and a pair of interceptions.
The Eagles will open the 2008 schedule on Saturday, August 30 when they travel to Cleveland Browns Stadium to take on Kent State at 7:30 p.m.
2008 Preseason All-ACC Football Team
(Offense)
QB - Cullen Harper, Clemson
RB - Josh Adams, Wake Forest
RB - James Davis, Clemson
WR - Aaron Kelly, Clemson
WR - Hakeem Nicks, North Carolina
TE - Ryan Purvis, Boston College
T - Andrew Gardner, Georgia Tech
T - Eugene Monroe, Virginia
G - Rodney Hudson, Florida State
G - Sergio Render, Virginia Tech
C - Edwin Williams, Maryland
(Defense)
DE - Everette Brown, Florida State
DE - Michael Johnson, Georgia Tech
DT - Ron Brace, Boston College
DT - Vance Walker, Georgia Tech
LB - Aaron Curry, Wake Forest
LB - Clint Sintim, Virginia
LB - Brian Toal, Boston College
CB - Victor Harris, Virginia Tech
CB - Alphonso Smith, Wake Forest
S - Michael Hamlin, Clemson
S - Myron Rolle, Florida State
(Specialists)
PK - Sam Swank, Wake Forest
P - Graham Gano, Florida State
RET - Brandon Tate, North Carolina
