Myles Murphy was the biggest loser in the announced ACC teams.
Once again ACC media and football coaches continue to be absurd when it comes to its weekly and post-season awards.
The 2020 ACC football awards were announced Tuesday and Clemson football had 12 selections on the first, second, and third teams that are voted on by 49 media members and 15 head coaches.
Clemson freshman defensive Myles Murphy was a man among boys this season and he was thrown into a starting role alongside fellow freshman Bryan Bresee after injuries at defensive end piled up. Murphy responded in a big way.
He accumulated nine tackles for loss and four sacks as he helped lead Clemson football to 103 tackles for loss in 2020 – only Pittsburgh had more (111). What did Myles Murphy earn for his efforts?
A measly honorable mention.
No one should have expected him to be named first-team as guys like Patrick Jones II, Rashad Weaver, and Quincy Roche all had a special year, but Murphy should have easily been named to the second team. It is clear that the voters wanted to recognize upperclassmen instead of those actually deserving.
We see this every week from the ACC.
A Clemson football defensive lineman should not be shocked to be left off by voters.
As elite as Christian Wilkins was in college, he was not recognized by the ACC during their weekly honors until his senior year. Go back and look at the games he had his first three years and tell us that this was not garbage.
If I am not mistaken, Dexter Lawrence was never named to any of the weekly ACC teams – that may be a bigger travesty itself.
This will just be something that Myles Murphy files away for future use. I can assure you as petty as Coach Swinney is, he will remind Myles Murphy all the time how disrespected he was and will help him use it as fuel to set the conference and future opponents on fire.