GREENSBORO, N.C. – Florida State’s Cameron Erving has been voted the 2013 Jacobs Blocking Trophy, Atlantic Coast Conference Commissioner John Swofford announced Sunday. With Erving’s selection, six Seminole offensive linemen have now claimed the honor a combined nine times.
The Jacobs Blocking Trophy has been awarded annually since 1953 to the player voted the most outstanding blocker in the ACC by a poll of the league’s head coaches and defensive coordinators. The trophy is given in memory of William P. Jacobs, who served as president of Presbyterian College from 1935 to 1945. The trophy will be presented at the ACC’s Night of Legends event, which will be held this Friday (6 p.m.) at the Charlotte Convention Center as part of festivities held around the Dr Pepper ACC Football Championship Game.
Erving, a 6-6, 320-pound redshirt junior from Moultrie, Ga., earned this year’s honor in only his second season playing on the offensive line. Erving played on the defensive line in 2011 before switching to the offensive side of the ball last season. Erving amassed 16 total points in the coaches’ voting, edging out teammate Bryan Stork (13), Virginia’s Morgan Moses (10) and North Carolina’s James Hurst (8) to capture the 60th ACC Jacobs Blocking Trophy. No trophy was given in 1996. In all, 14 different ACC offensive linemen received votes in the balloting.
“I’m very happy for Cam,” Florida State head coach Jimbo Fisher said. “He’s really developed into a fine offensive lineman. He’s put in a lot of hard work and is a true team player. He has a bright future playing there, and I’m very proud of him for what he’s contributed to our success.”
Erving has started all 12 games for the unbeaten Seminoles this season and has made 26 consecutive starts on the offensive line dating back to 2012. He has consistently graded out among the Seminoles’ top offensive lineman this fall and was named the ACC Offensive Lineman of the Week for his play in FSU’s 51-14 win over fellow top-five Atlantic Division foe Clemson on Oct. 19.
Erving has played a prominent role on a Florida State line which has paved the way for an offensive unit that has scored an ACC-record 644 points. FSU ranks second nationally in scoring offense at 53.7 points per game and scored more than 40 points in 11 of 12 regular-season games. The Seminoles rank seventh nationally in total offense, averaging 526.1 yards a game.
He becomes the sixth Florida State player to be named a recipient of the Jacobs Blocking Trophy, and the first since guard Rodney Hudson earned back-to-back honors in 2009 and 2010. Other past FSU winners include center Clay Shiver (1994 and 1995), tackle Tra Thomas (1997), tackle Tarlos Thomas (2000) and tackle Brett Williams (2001 and 2002).
Previous Winners of the ACC Jacobs Blocking Trophy
1953 Bill Wohrman, FB, South Carolina
1954 Bill Wohrman, FB, South Carolina
1955 Bob Pellegrini, C, Maryland
1956 Hal McElhaney, FB, Duke
1957 Hal McElhaney, FB, Duke
1958 John Saunders, FB, South Carolina
1959 Doug Cline, FB, Clemson
1960 Dwight Bumgarner, T, Duke
1961 Art Gregory, T, Duke
Jim LeCompte, G, North Carolina
1962 Art Gregory, T, Duke
1963 Chuck Walker,T, Duke
1964 Eddie Kesler, FB, North Carolina
1965 John McNabb, G, Duke
1966 Wayne Mass, T, Clemson
1967 Harry Olszewski, G, Clemson
1968 Greg Shelly, T, Virginia
1969 Ralph Sonntag, T, Maryland
1970 Dan Ryczek, C, Virginia
1971 Geoff Hamlin, FB, North Carolina
1972 Ron Rusnak, G, North Carolina
1973 Bill Yoest, G, NC State
1974 Ken Huff, G, North Carolina
1975 Billy Bryan, C, Duke
1976 Billy Bryan, C, Duke
1977 Joe Bostic, G, Clemson
1978 Jim Ritcher, C, NC State
1979 Jim Ritcher, C, NC State
1980 Ron Wooten, G, North Carolina
1981 Lee Nanney, T, Clemson
1982 Dave Pacella, T, Maryland
1983 James Farr, G, Clemson
1984 Jim Dombrowski, T, Virginia
1985 Jim Dombrowski, T, Virginia
1986 Paul Kiser, G, Wake Forest
1987 John Phillips, G, Clemson
1988 Jeff Garnica, C, North Carolina
1989 Chris Port, T, Duke
1990 Ray Roberts, T, Virginia
1991 Ray Roberts, T, Virginia
1992 Ben Coleman, T, Wake Forest
1993 Mark Dixon, G, Virginia
1994 Clay Shiver, C, Florida State
1995 Clay Shiver, C, Florida State
1996 no recipient
1997 Tra Thomas, T, Florida State
1998 Craig Page, C, Georgia Tech
1999 John St. Clair, C, Virginia
2000 Tarlos Thomas, T, Florida State
2001 Brett Williams, T, Florida State
2002 Brett Williams, T, Florida State
2003 Elton Brown, G, Virginia
2004 Elton Brown, G, Virginia
2005 Eric Winston, T, Miami
2006 Josh Beekman, G-C, Boston College
2007 Steve Justice, C, Wake Forest
2008 Eugene Monroe, T, Virginia
2009 Rodney Hudson, G, Florida State
2010 Rodney Hudson, G, Florida State
2011 Blake DeChristopher, T, Virginia Tech
2012 Jonathan Cooper, G, North Carolina
2013 Cameron Erving, T, Florida State
