CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - Ten North Carolina players have been named to Phil Steele's 2012 postseason All-ACC squad led by first-team selections Giovani Bernard at running back/punt return, Jonathan Cooper at guard, James Hurst at offensive tackle, Sylvester Williams at defensive tackle and Kevin Reddick at linebacker.
Tight end Eric Ebron, defensive end Kareem Martin and punter Tommy Hibbard were second-team picks. Quarterback Bryn Renner and place-kicker Casey Barth earned a spot on the third team.
Bernard led the Atlantic Coast Conference in rushing, scoring, all-purpose yards and punt return average. He rushed for 1,228 yards on 184 carries, finishing 11th in the nation with 122.8 yards per game. Despite missing two games this season, he scored a league-best 19 touchdowns (12 rushing, five receiving, two on punt returns) and averaged 11.4 points per game to rank fifth in the nation. Bernard finished fourth nationally with a single-season school record 198.1 all-purpose yards per game.
Cooper graded out at a team-best 90 percent and had double-digit knockdown blocks in nine of 12 games this season. Hurst was an oustanding blocker, lining up beside Cooper to provide one of the best blocking tandems in the country.
Williams posted 42 tackles, 13.5 tackles for losses and six sacks. A transfer from Coffeyville Community College in Kansas, Williams started all 25 games at UNC.
Reddick captained the defense and had 85 tackles and led the ACC with 18.5 tackles for losses.
