UofL Picked to Finish Fourth in ACC, Atwell & Hawkins named to Preseason All-ACC Team

Louisville Football has been picked fourth in the ACC's Preseason Poll, and a pair of Cardinals have landed on the Preseason All-ACC team as well.

Louisville's preseason hype continues to roll on heading into year two of the Scott Satterfield era. 

Just one year removed from being picked to finish dead last in the ACC Atlantic Division, the Cardinals find themselves in a much better position as they have been picked to finish fourth in the Atlantic Coast Conference, the league announced Friday.

Junior wide receiver Tutu Atwell and redshirt sophomore running back Javian Hawkins were also named to the 2020 All-Atlantic Coast Conference Preseason Football Team.

Preseason honors were determined by a vote of 134 league media members, who picked Clemson to win the league followed by Notre Dame & North Carolina. Atwell & Hawkins also received the second most votes at each of their respective positions.

Following an abysmal 2018 season that resulted in a 2-10 record and the firing of the majority of the coaching staff, Scott Satterfield & his staff turned things around immediately. In his first year, he guided the Cardinals to an 8-5 record including a Music City Bowl win vs. Mississippi State - resulting in him taking home 2019 ACC Coach of the Year honors.

After appearing in just three games and carrying the ball one time for seven yards before taking a redshirt in 2018, Hawkins ranked seventh in the nation in rushing with 1,525 yards as well as nine touchdowns last season. He not only broke the freshman rushing record for a running back held by Victor Anderson, but also the school single-season rushing record for a running back held by Howard Stevens.

Like Cunningham & Hawkins, Atwell had an incredible breakout year under year one of head coach Scott Satterfield. He recorded 1,276 receiving yards and 12 receiving touchdowns in 2019, both of which led the ACC. Not only was his yardage mark eighth in the nation, but it broke the single-season school record previously held by Harry Douglas' 1,265 yards in 2007. His 12 touchdowns also ties a single-season school record with Ibn Green in 1998 & DeVante Parker in 2014.

ACC Preseason Poll
(First-place votes in parenthesis, followed by total points)
1. Clemson (132) – 2008 (also picked to win ACC Football Championship Game)
2. Notre Dame (2) – 1824
3. North Carolina – 1682
4. Louisville – 1434
5. Virginia Tech – 1318
6. Miami – 1280
7. Florida State – 1177
8. Pitt – 1132
9. Virginia – 994
10. Wake Forest – 659
11. NC State – 634
12. Duke – 618
13. Boston College – 532

14. Syracuse – 449

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., DE, Wake Forest – 1

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