When Robert Nkemdiche broke his verbal commit to Clemson and signed with Ole Miss a few years back, Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney was not upset. Instead he walked into the coaches’ locker room and said, “It doesn’t matter because we got Shaq Lawson.”
Swinney was right. While Nkemdiche had a good career in his own right at Ole Miss, Lawson’s has been equally, if not, better than Nkemdiche’s. It again went up another notch for Lawson on Thursday when the Associated Press named him as its Defensive Player of the Year in the ACC.
This past Sunday, the Clemson defensive end was named to the news outlet’s All-America First-Team Defense. Lawson led the country in tackles for loss this season with 22.5. He also led the Tigers with 9.5 sacks as well.
“To see him develop and have the kind of success he has had is neat,” Clemson defensive coordinator Brent Venables said. “Part of the success, and being on a successful team, is being recognized nationally, so good for him.”
Lawson’s honor is a momentous one for top-ranked Clemson. It gave the Tigers a complete sweep in the league’s individual honors as Swinney was named Coach of the Year and quarterback Deshaun Watson was named Offensive Player of the Year. It marked the first time in Clemson history the program swept all three major categories on an All-ACC team.
The honors did not stop there for Lawson. He also appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated’s College Football Playoff Preview Magazine on Thursday. Though it was a regional issue, it marked the third time a Clemson player graced the cover of SI this football season. Watson had been on the other two.
No Clemson player had been on the cover of SI since Jan. 11, 1982 when Perry Tuttle was on the cover following the Tigers’ victory over Nebraska in the 1982 Orange Bowl to secure the 1981 National Championship.
“Hopefully we have some kind of reason to hang it up … put it in a picture frame and hang it up and maybe ask him to sign it, but for now it is kind of resume focus (on Oklahoma),” Venables said.
Top-ranked Clemson will play No. 4 Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl on Dec. 31 as part of the College Football Playoffs.
Lawson, a finalist for both the Nagurski (top defensive player) and Lombardi (top lineman) awards, received seven Defensive Player of the Year votes from the panel of 14 reporters, one from every school, that cover the ACC. Duke’s Jeremy Cash received six votes. Watson received 11 votes for the offensive award, while Swinney had 10 of the 14 votes for the coach’s award.
Offensive tackle Mitch Hyatt even received two votes for newcomer of the year, but ultimately the award went to Pitt running back Qadree Ollison and safety Jordan Whitehead, who each had five votes.
Six players were unanimous selections to the inaugural AP All-ACC first team: Watson, Cook, Lawson and Cash plus Pitt receiver Tyler Boyd and North Carolina guard Landon Turner.
Watson and Lawson were joined on the first team by teammates Eric Mac Lain at guard and Mackensie Alexander at cornerback. Nine more made the second team following Clemson’s best season since 1981, when the Tigers claimed their only national title.
In winning the Davey O’Brien Award as the top quarterback in college football, Watson led the ACC with 3,512 yards passing and added 887 yards rushing – good for seventh-most among all ACC rushers. The Heisman finalist is the only player in the nation with more than 3,500 yards passing and 850 yards rushing.
Clemson finished with the ACC’s most productive offense, averaging 510.6 total yards, and ranked second in total defense, giving up 295.7 yards per game. The Tigers rank in the top four in each of the eight major statistical categories.
“The game is about performance so if I win or lose some awards, I’ve pretty much got to still go out there and do my job,” Watson told the Associated Press. “You celebrate and enjoy it and appreciate all the hard work and support of your teammates and coaches around you. You make sure you don’t take it for granted.”
Swinney, who was also named the Coach of the Year by the Sporting News on Friday, kept the Tigers rolling despite the departure of offensive coordinator Chad Morris to SMU and the early season loss of star receiver Mike Williams to a neck injury on the opening drive of the season.
“I enjoy it, but I enjoy it for our team because that’s just a team award,” Swinney said to the Associated Press. “I haven’t caught a ball. I haven’t made a tackle. (Coaches) of the years are really made by the players. That’s just the way it is. It’s an honor and it’s great to be recognized, but it’s truly a reflection of the team and the staff.”
—The Associated Press contributed to this story
All-ACC TEAM
FIRST TEAM
Offense
WR — u-Tyler Boyd, Pittsburgh, 6-2, 200, Jr.
WR — Isaiah Ford, Virginia Tech, 6-2, 188, So.
OT — Rodrick Johnson, Florida State, 6-7, 323, So.
OT — Joe Thuney, N.C. State, 6-5, 295, Sr.
OG — u-Landon Turner, North Carolina, 6-4, 325, Sr.
OG — Eric Mac Lain, Clemson, 6-5, 315, Sr.
C — Matt Skura, Duke, 6-4, 305, Sr.
TE — Jaylen Samuels, N.C. State, 5-11, 236, So.
QB — u-Deshaun Watson, Clemson, 6-2, 210, So.
RB — u-Dalvin Cook, Florida State, 5-11, 202, So.
RB — Elijah Hood, North Carolina, 6-0, 220, So.
K — Roberto Aguayo, Florida State, 6-1, 204, Jr.
K — t-Michael Badgley, Miami, 5-10, 180, So.
All-Purpose — DeVon Edwards, Duke, 5-9, 180, Jr.
Defense
L — u-Shaq Lawson, Clemson, 6-3, 270, Jr.
L — Ejuan Price, Pittsburgh, 6-0, 250, Sr.
L — Connor Wujciak, Boston College, 6-3, 300, Sr.
L — Luther Maddy, Virginia Tech, 6-2, 283, Sr.
LB — Micah Kiser, Virginia, 6-2, 240, So.
LB — Brandon Chubb, Wake Forest, 6-1, 245, Sr.
LB — Keith Kelsey, Louisville, 6-1, 236, Jr.
CB — Jalen Ramsey, Florida State, 6-1, 202, Jr.
CB — Mackensie Alexander, Clemson, 5-11, 195, So.
S — u-Jeremy Cash, Duke, 6-2, 210, Sr.
S — Quin Blanding, Virginia, 6-2, 205, So.
P — Alex Kinal, Wake Forest, 6-4, 205, Sr.
SECOND TEAM
Offense
WR — Artavis Scott, Clemson, 5-11, 190, So.
WR — Canaan Severin, Virginia, 6-2, 205, Sr.
L — Jon Heck, North Carolina, 6-7, 300, Jr.
L — Adam Bisnowaty, Pittsburgh, 6-6, 300, Jr.
L — Caleb Peterson, North Carolina, 6-5, 300, Jr.
L — Dorian Johnson, Pittsburgh, 6-5, 300, Jr.
C — Jay Guillermo, Clemson, 6-3, 325, Jr.
TE — Jordan Leggett, Clemson, 6-5, 255, Jr.
QB — Marquise Williams, North Carolina, 6-2, 225, Sr.
RB — Wayne Gallman, Clemson, 6-1, 215, So.
RB — Qadree Ollison, Pittsburgh, 6-2, 230, Fr.
K — Greg Huegel, Clemson, 5-11, 185, Fr.
All-Purpose — Ryan Switzer, North Carolina, 5-10, 185, Jr.
Defense
L — DeMarcus Walker, Florida State, 6-3, 281, Jr.
L — Mike Rose, N.C. State, 6-3, 270, Sr.
L — Carlos Watkins, Clemson, 6-3, 300, Jr.
L — Nile Lawrence-Stample, Florida State, 6-1, 302, Sr.
LB — B.J. Goodson, Clemson, 6-1, 250, Sr.
LB — Steven Daniels, Boston College, 6-0, 243, Sr.
LB — Ben Boulware, Clemson, 6-0, 240, Jr.
CB — Artie Burns, Miami, 6-0, 197, Jr.
CB — M.J. Stewart, North Carolina, 5-11, 200, So.
S — Jayron Kearse, Clemson, 6-5, 220, Jr.
S — Justin Simmons, Boston College, 6-3, 201, Sr.
P — Riley Dixon, Syracuse, 6-5, 219, Sr.
Offensive Player of the Year
Deshaun Watson, Clemson
Defensive Player of the Year
Shaq Lawson, Clemson
Coach of the Year
Dabo Swinney, Clemson
Newcomer of the Year
t-Qadree Ollison, Pittsburgh
t-Jordan Whitehead, Pittsburgh