You may have forgotten about him. He plays for North Carolina State. He was first team All-ACC QB last year. You remember right?
Look, I the Wolfpack was pretty forgettable this year, and I can only assume that's why you felt uncomfortable putting its leader in the marquee, first-team slot. You squeezed State's George Bryan in as a first-team tight end, but, you couldn't even find room for Wilson on the second team?
State lost 16 players to season-ending injuries this season, and had a defense that finished tied for last in the conference in total points surrendered.
But State likely would have won zero games against FBS schools without Mr. Wilson. He threw four touchdowns to beat rival UNC, three to beat Maryland and, oh yeah, four more when the Pack beat Pittsburgh, who until last Saturday hadn't lost to anyone else in the country.
You guys made some pretty decent choices this week. You managed to sneak C.J Spiller onto the first-team by slotting the guy you picked as player of the year as the token special-teams guy instead of a running back. Very clever. It left you guys room to give much-earned props to Virginia Tech's freshman phenom Ryan Williams, and Georgia Tech super-back Jonathan Dwyer.
But, running back is exactly the position in which Georgia Tech deserved a first-team All-ACC player. About your quarterback selection...
Yeah, things got awkward.
You tabbed Josh Nesbitt as tops in the league. Questionable.
Nesbitt ran the ball exactly 100 times more than he threw it this season (237-137). Just because a guy lines up under center doesn't make him a quarterback. You didn't see the Dolphins listing Ronnie Brown in the same spot as Chad Henne just because he took a lot of snaps.
Nesbitt's a great player, but he's a runner, he's not a quarterback.
Russell Wilson passed for over 3,000 yards (fourth best), was tied for second in the conference in efficiency (147.8), and threw five more touchdown passes than the second-highest total in the conference. Josh Nesbitt was not even in the top ten in any of those categories.
Sure Nesbitt scored with his feet, but you don't judge quarterbacks by their legs.
Iif you want a runner back there Wilson, Duke's Thaddeus Lewis—who you tabbed as second-best—VT's Tyrod Taylor, FSU's Christian Ponder and Miami's Jacory Harris ran for plenty themselves and all had passing stats to boot—Lewis led the conference in yards (3,300) and Taylor lead it in efficiency (149.3).
You could have gone with any one of those guys, or even Wake Forest's Riley Skinner—who was second in TD passes and efficiency—and it may have made sense, but only Skinner and Wilson ranked in the top four in all three major quarterbacking categories. Wilson had the added burden of carrying his entire team on his shoulders. Would Gorge Bryan have been All-ACC with Mike Glennon throwing him the ball?
NC State managed to fill the stadium in its last two home games, despite having already been out of contention for a bowl game. Why? Because people want to see Wilson play, and they know the Pack can score. Wilson gave the team a chance when it played, even against a ranked rival (UNC), or a team that cracks the top ten (Pitt). He's fun to watch and the heart of his team.
Statistically, Wilson is the best quarterback. Intangibly, Wilson is the best quarterback.
Listen, voters, you have to find room the best quarterback in the conference on one of the All-ACC teams. After all, you did find room for four kickers.
