Clemson’s Lawrence Honored as ACC Player of the Year
Notre Dame’s Owusu-Koramoah Earns Top Defensive Honor
GREENSBORO, N.C. (theACC.com) – Clemson junior quarterback Trevor Lawrence has been voted the Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year after leading the Tigers to their sixth consecutive league title and sixth straight College Football Playoff selection.
Notre Dame senior linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah earned ACC Defensive Player of the Year honors after keying the Fighting Irish to an unbeaten regular season and a CFP berth.
The ACC’s 2020 season award winners were chosen by a vote of a select 49-member media panel and the league’s 15 head coaches.
Named the MVP of the ACC Football Championship Game following Clemson’s 34-10 win over Notre Dame last Saturday, Lawrence has thrown for 2,753 yards and 22 touchdowns in nine games. He leads the ACC in total offense (329.3 yards per game), passing yards per game (305.9) and pass completion percentage (.692).
Also recognized as the 2020 ACC Offensive Player of the Year, Lawrence has rushed for an additional seven touchdowns this season, including a 34-yard run for a score in the ACC Championship Game. With a 34-1 career mark, the Cartersville, Georgia, native stands as the winningest starting quarterback in Clemson history and owns the best record by an FBS starting quarterback since Division I split in 1978.
The only starting quarterback to win three ACC Football Championship Games, Lawrence enters the CFP as the third-leading passer in Clemson history (9,698 yards) and ranks fourth all-time among ACC players with 88 career touchdown passes.
Clemson becomes the first school to claim three consecutive overall ACC Player of the Year honors with Lawrence’s selection, following those of Tiger teammate Travis Etienne in both 2018 and 2019. Clemson has claimed 12 total overall ACC Player of the Year awards, including four of the last six.
The ACC Defensive Player of the Year recognition is the second major honor of the week for Owusu-Koramoah, who on Monday became the second consecutive ACC linebacker to be named winner of the Butkus Award.
Owusu-Koramoah has registered 56 tackles in 11 games, tying for the team lead on a unit that ranks second in the ACC in yards allowed (335.5 per game) and scoring defense (18.6 ppg).
A native of Hampton, Virginia, Owusu-Koramoah has made 11 tackles for loss, including 1.5 quarterback sacks. He has forced three fumbles, recovered two (returning one for a touchdown) and has one interception this season.
Owusu-Koramoah’s efforts have helped Notre Dame rank third among ACC teams in rushing yards allowed per game (110.9) and passing yards allowed (224.5).
ACC Player of the Year voting:
Player of the Year
Trevor Lawrence, QB, Clemson, 44
Travis Etienne, RB, Clemson, 7
Ian Book, QB, Notre Dame, 5
Javonte Williams, RB, North Carolina, 3
Sam Howell, QB, North Carolina, 3
Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, LB, Notre Dame, 1
D’Eriq King, Miami, 1
Offensive Player of the Year
Trevor Lawrence, QB, Clemson, 45
Travis Etienne, RB, Clemson, 7
Ian Book, QB, Notre Dame, 5
Javonte Williams, RB, North Carolina, 3
Sam Howell, QB, North Carolina, 3
D’Eriq King, QB, Miami, 1
Defensive Player of the Year
Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, LB, Notre Dame, 29
Jaelan Phillips, DE, Miami, 8
Rashad Weaver, DE, Pitt, 7
Patrick Jones II, DE, Pitt, 6
Payton Wilson, LB, NC State, 6
Chazz Surratt, LB, North Carolina, 5
Nolan Turner, S, Clemson, 1
Max Richardson, LB, Boston College, 1
Carlos Basham Jr., DE, Wake Forest, 1
