Three Tar Heels Named Preseason All-ACC; North Carolina Ranked Third in Preseason Poll

These three Tar Heels consistently lead the pack for national recognition.

North Carolina and Coach Mack Brown are heading into the season with high expectations; analysts and fans are all expecting Brown's second year to explode with talent, wins, and championships. 

The Atlantic Coast Conference released the 2020 preseason poll and predicted North Carolina would finish third behind Clemson and Notre Dame. Along with the ranking, three Tar Heels were named to the 2020 Preseason All-ACC team, Michael Carter, Dazz Newsome, and Chazz Surratt. 

Carter has rushed for a career-high of 1,003 yards, 466 return yards, and 154 receiving yards his junior year. During 2019, Carter was named to 2019 Third-Team All-ACC (RB), 2019 Honorable Mention All-ACC (All-Purpose), 2019 Doak Walker Award Watch List and is on pace to set a school record with a 6.03 yards per rush average for a career. Carter has also been named to Doak Walker and Paul Hornung Award Watch Lists. 

Newsome was second-team All-ACC selection for his junior year and led the team with 72 receptions and 84.8 receiving yards per game. The Virginia native had 1,018 receiving yards and ten receiving touchdowns. He is also named to the 2020 Biletnikoff Award Watch List.

Linebacker, Surratt was the runner-up for ACC Defensive Player of the year due to a monstrous junior year. Surratt led Carolina and ranked second in the ACC with 115 tackles in his first true season at linebacker. Starting as a quarterback for Carolina, Surratt has also been named to Bednarik, Butkus, and Nagurski Watch Lists.

North Carolina opens the season on September 12th against Syracuse at Keenan Stadium. 

Below is the complete listing of votes:

ACC Preseason Poll (First-place votes in parenthesis, followed by total points)
1. Clemson (132) – 2008
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
15. 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 – , North Carolina (75)
TE – Brevin Jordan, Miami (77)
AP – , 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 – , 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. , QB, North Carolina – 1
4. , LB, North Carolina – 1
5. Ian Book, QB, Notre Dame – 1
6. Carlos Basham Jr., Wake Forest – 1 

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