REENSBORO, N.C. (AP, ACSMA) - Florida State defensive end Bjoern Werner, a 6-4, 255-pound defensive end from Berlin, Germany, whose 13 sacks lead the ACC, and 1.08 sacks per game are third-best nationally, is the ACC's Defensive Player of the Year in the conference for 2012 in balloting by the Atlantic Coast Sports Media Association.
Werner, who as an exchange student played only two years of US high school football, was named on 27 of 46 ballots. Fellow Seminoles' defensive end Cornellius Carradine finished second in the balloting with nine votes, while Maryland tackle Joe Vellano and Boston College linebacker Nick Clancy each had three, and Florida State cornerback Xavier Rhodes had two. Seminoles' safety Lamarcus Joyner and Duke cornerback Russ Cockrell each had one.
Werner was named ACC Defensive Lineman of the Week, the first and last weeks of the regular season. In the Seminoles' final game of the regular season, Werner matched his career high with 3.5 sacks and recovered a fumble. He is the ACC's career active leader in sacks with 23.5 and is one of five finalists for the Bronco Nagurski Trophy, announced last week by the Football Writers Association of America and the Charlotte Touchdown Club. He is the sixth Seminole to win the ACC's Defensive Player of the Year award (Derrick Brooks - 1993, Derrick Alexander - 1994, Peter Boulware - 1996, Andre Wadsworth - 1997, Darnell Docket - 2003)
Florida State head coach Jimbo Fisher said, "There is not a more well-deserving award than this one for Bjoern, who's had an unbelievable year for us and his statistics prove it...but his worth goes well beyond his statistics."
"The value he has to his team...the effect he has on his teammates, off the field and in the classroom and as a team leader is tremendous, and the things he's sacrificed to give up for other guys to make plays on our defense. He's a tremendous team player, he's a tremendous leader and he's a tremendous winner and I think he'll go down as one of the great football players in Florida State football history. He has had a tremendous year this year and I can't be happier for him," Fisher said.
Voting for the 2012 Atlantic Coast Conference Offensive Rookie of the Year award, as voted on by 46 members of the Atlantic Coast Sports Media Association.
ACC DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Bjoern Werner, DE, Florida State (27)
Cornellius Carradine, DE, Florida State (9)
Joe Vellano , DT, Maryland (3)
Nick Clancy, LB, Boston College (3)
Xavier Rhodes , CB, Florida State (2)
Lamarcus Joyner, S, Florida State (1)
Russ Cockrell, CB, Duke (1)