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Justin Thomas: ACC Player of the Year?

By Jonathan Savitske

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Georgia Tech quarterback Justin Thomas placed third in the voting for projected ACC Player of the Year yesterday at the ACC Football Kickoff event in Pinehurst, North Carolina.

Justin Thomas received 13 first place votes yesterday, placing third behind Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson who received 69 votes, and Pitt running back James Conner who received 46 votes. Considering what Georgia Tech accomplished last season — with wins over Clemson, Georgia, Mississippi State, and taking FSU to almost the final buzzer at the ACC Championship — it seems that projecting Justin Thomas at third is low for a quarterback on a contending team in the ACC.

-= Related: Paul Johnson: Best Coach in the ACC? =-

Justin Thomas was the backbone of Paul Johnson‘s triple option offense at Georgia Tech last season, rushing for 1086 yards while averaging 5.7 yards per carry. Thomas also threw for almost 2000 yards (1719) last year in an offense where an effective running game is tantamount to throwing the ball down the field. He also completed over 50 percent of his pass attempts.

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In the triple option, the quarterback is the key cog in the machine. Without good decision-making and a high football intelligence, the offense will lose its efficacy and will be unable to wear down the opponent’s defense. Though undersized at 5’11” and 185 pounds, Thomas demonstrates all the qualities of a star quarterback on a team that may very well find itself in a position to potentially contend for a College Football playoff spot coming out of the ACC. His play last year, especially toward the end of the season, demonstrated that Justin Thomas belongs in the upper echelon of college quarterbacks for the 2015 season.

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While Clemson’s Deshaun Watson is perhaps the most hyped player in the ACC at this current time (and rightfully so), he does not possess the experience nor the perceived lack of talent on his team as Thomas does at Tech. James Conner is also coming off a year where he carried the ball over 300 times, and may see his workload decrease. Because the triple option is an unselfish offensive system, Justin Thomas’s success and the effect he has on his team tends to get lost in the box score.

With Georgia Tech looking primed to win the ACC’s Coastal Division for the second consecutive season, the team’s success in the coming year will dictate whether Thomas is able to secure the ACC Player of the Year award. With the uncertainty of Deshaun Watson’s ability to remain healthy for the entirety of the 2015 season, Justin Thomas may very well come home with the coveted award.

Next: Georgia Tech Picked to Win Coastal at ACC Kickoff

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