Hello everyone and welcome back to another installment of the top returning players in college football. We are now less than 50 days from kickoff and fall camps are opening soon. To get you ready for the 2023 campaign we here at Last Word On College Football are going conference by conference naming the best returning special teams players. So far we’ve done the Big 12, Big 10, and Pac-12. This time out it’s the ACC. We begin our top returning ACC specialists in 2023 with the kickers. As a reminder, a player who transferred from another conference isn’t eligible. However, one who stayed in the league is.
Clutch Kickers
3- James Turner– Louisville- A season ago Turner earned Honorable Mention All-ACC Honors making 20 of 22 field goals and 38 of 39 extra points. His 2o field goals tied the Cardinal record for most in a single season. In addition, his 98 total points were the sixth most in a season. Turner also made Honorable Mention following the 2020 campaign.
2- Anders Borregales– Miami- In a rather disappointing 2022 for the Hurricanes Borregales was a bright spot. Making 17 of 20 field goals and all 32 extra points he led the team with 83 points as a sophomore. He also hit four of five kicks from 40-49 yards including a season high 49 yarder against Florida State. Borregales makes our list for the second year in a row.
1- Ben Sauls– Pittsburgh- Sauls burst onto the scene for the Panthers during his junior campaign. Making 20 of 24 field goals and all 47 extra points Sauls finished with 107 total points, putting him fourth in the ACC in total points. Furthermore, his 107 points were the third-highest total by a kicker in school history. He capped off a huge season by making all five of his extra points and two field goals including the 47 yard game winner in the Sun Bowl win over UCLA.
Continuing on with our top returning ACC specialists in 2023 let’s move to the punters.
Big Game Boomers
3- David Shanahan– Georgia Tech- The Ireland native tied for the ACC lead with 73 punts. He led the league in punting yards with 3,172 and fifth in average with 43.5. Shanahan landed 15 of his kicks inside the 20-yard line. It’s a year off but a cool homecoming for him as the Yellow Jackets kick off the 2024 season against Florida State in Ireland.
2- Daniel Sparks– Virginia– A second-team All-ACC selection Sparks matched the school punting record at 45.9 yards per punt. That punt him second in the conference and eighth in the nation in yardage. Sparks had three 60-yard punts against Pittsburgh, the first time that’s happened in school history. As a result, he made the Ray Guy Award watch list.
1- Ben Kiernan– North Carolina- Another Ray Gay watch list nominee, Kiernan was a third-team All-ACC selection in 2o22. His 46.8-yard average led the league and was fourth in the nation. He had 18 kicks inside the 20, with only two going for a touchback. In addition, he boomed 14 punts over 50 yards. Kiernan won National Punter of the Week averaging 54.2 yards on five punts against Georgia State. You could flip a coin with our top two but Kiernan gets the edge just slightly.
Time to wrap up our top ACC specialists for 2023 with a look at the best kickoff and return players.
Ace Return Men
3- M.J. Devonshire– Pittsburgh– During the 2022 campaign Devonshire averaged 9.7 yards per punt return, leading the ACC and 12th in the country. He was a second-team All-ACC punt returner and Honorable Mention at cornerback. He became the first Panther player since Darrelle Revis in 2006 to have a punt return and interception return for a touchdown in the same game in their win over Rhode Island.
2- Jaylen Stinson– Duke- During his junior season Stinson finished second in the conference in kickoff return yards averaging 25.3. As well as being ranked third in total yards with 380. As a result, he made the Paul Hornung Award watch list for the most versatile player in college football. He sits in the Blue Devils’ top ten in kickoff return yards.
1- Will Shipley– Clemson- A season ago Shipley became the first player in ACC history to be named first-team in three different categories: running back, all-purpose, and specialist. Furthermore, he was one of four finalists for the Hornung Award.
Will Shipley was the only player in the country with 1,150+ rushing yards, 200+ receiving yards and 300+ KR yards in 2022.
He joined C.J. Spiller as the only ACC players to do so since 2000. The group of Power Five players to do it in the last 20 seasons is quite a list. pic.twitter.com/gHsk0GNmIr
— Ross Taylor (@ClemsonFBRoss) January 23, 2023
After his first two years at Clemson Shipley is averaging 26.1 yards per kick return including a 69-yarder against Florida State. Not only is he looking for a third straight All-ACC selection he heads our picks as the top return man.
Thanks for checking out the top returning ACC specialists for 2023 here at Last Word On College Football. Stay tuned for more previews as we get you ready for the upcoming season.
