Five Cavaliers earned a spot on the 1999 All-ACC football team, which was announced Tuesday.
Three Virginia players made the first team. Cav tailback Thomas Jones racked up yet another honor when all 69 members of the Atlantic Coast Sports Writers Association unanimously selected him.
The Big Stone Gap, Va., native set a new Virginia career rushing record this season, while his 1,789 yards broke the ACC single-season rushing mark.
Joining Jones on the first team are two of his blockers, center John St. Clair and guard/tackle Noel LaMontagne.
St. Clair returned from an injury-plagued 1998 campaign to reap All-ACC honors. LaMontagne, meanwhile, is named to the first team for the second consecutive season.
Linebackers Shannon Taylor and Byron Thweatt also claimed two of the three linebacking spots on the second team.
In his final year with the Cavs, Taylor led the team in total tackles (81), solo tackles (57) and sacks (six). Thweatt was slowed by nagging injuries all year, but still tallied 66 tackles, with 41 of them unassisted.
Conspicuous by his absence, however, was Virginia defensive tackle Maurice Anderson. Despite making 74 tackles this season -- a staggering total for a defensive lineman -- including seven tackles for loss and four sacks, Anderson was not honored by the ACC.
Georgia Tech quarterback and Heisman Trophy candidate Joe Hamilton joined Jones as the only other unanimous selection.
The Seminoles had more players on the first team -- eight -- than any other member of the Conference. Florida State placed another seven players on the second team.
Tommy Bowden finally beats dad
Clemson Coach Tommy Bowden came close to upending his father Bobby's Florida State squad but couldn't quite get the job done. The first-year Tiger coach, however, was able to beat out his father and take the ACC Coach of the Year award.
After leading Tulane to an undefeated season in 1998, Bowden inherited a Clemson team that posted an abysmal 3-8 record, their worst mark since 1975.
Bowden's Tigers posted a 6-5 record and 5-3 ACC mark to tie Virginia and Georgia Tech for second in the Conference. The Tigers also will play in the Peach Bowl against a currently undetermined SEC team.
Jones named finalist for Doak Walker
Thomas Jones was announced as a finalist for the Dr Pepper Doak Walker Award, given to the top back in college football, yesterday afternoon.
Wisconsin's Ron Dayne, who set a new NCAA career rushing record, and Alabama's Shaun Alexander join Jones as finalists.
The three backs will fly to Orlando for the presentation of the award at the Home Depot College Football Awards show Dec. 9. The show will be telecast live on ESPN at 5 p.m.
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