On Tuesday afternoon, the ACC announced its all-conference selections for the 2022 football season. Virginia Tech was the only school not represented on the first, second or third teams. However, the Hokies did have six All-ACC Honorable Mention performers.
Wide receiver Kaleb Smith (22 points), offensive tackle Silas Dzansi (21), defensive end TyJuan Garbutt (38), linebacker Dax Hollifield (22), cornerback Mansoor Delane (19) and punt returner Tucker Holloway (26) each earned honorable mention accolades.
Smith has a COVID year of eligibility and could return to Blacksburg if he so chooses. However, the collegiate careers of Dzansi, Garbutt and Hollifield are over. That quartet combined for 202 appearances in their careers.
Garbutt had 12 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks in nine games this year, both team highs Hollifield finished with a team-best 82 tackles, 15 more than safety Chamarri Conner in second. He and Garbutt combined for three forced fumbles, too. Meanwhile, Smith led the Hokies in receiving by a wide margin: 37 catches for 674 yards (18.2 avg) and three touchdowns. Tight end Nick Gallo was next at 256 yards.
Two true freshmen, Delane and Holloway, both burst on the scene late in the year. When veteran cornerback Dorian Strong was lost for the season with a hand injury, Delane stepped in and was excellent, tallying 38 tackles, nine passes defended and two forced fumbles in eight games (four starts).
Though he didn't have much of an impact at wide receiver, Holloway was huge on special teams. He came up big for Virginia Tech against Georgia Tech on Nov. 5 when he returned a punt 90 yards to the house. Against the Yellow Jackets, he fielded seven kicks for 188 yards, a new single-game record in Blacksburg, breaking the previous mark set by Antonio Freeman.
Overall, it's the first time Virginia Tech has not had a first, second or third team all-conference player since 1950. Note that the Hokies were an Independent from 1965-1991. Therefore, it's the first time in 46 years in a conference that Tech doesn't have an all-league performer.