University of North Carolina Athletics
Kelvin Bryant Named To 2009 ACC Legends Class
September 2, 2009 | Football
Sept. 2, 2009
Greensboro, N.C. -- Former North Carolina tailback Kelvin Bryant has been named to the Dr. Pepper ACC Football Championship Game Legends Class of 2009.
The Legends will be honored at this year's Dr Pepper ACC Football Championship Game weekend. They will appear at the ACC Coaches and Awards Luncheon at noon on Friday, Dec. 4, and will be honored at the "ACC Night of Legends" held at the Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay on Friday evening. They will also be recognized during pre-game ceremonies at Raymond James Stadium for the 5th Annual Dr Pepper ACC Football Championship, which has an 8 p.m. kickoff on Dec. 5 and will be nationally televised by ESPN.
The group of 12 former gridiron standouts from current ACC schools includes three former ACC Players of the Year, seven former All-Americas, nine players who combined for 79 years of professional football experience and 10 who were drafted into the National Football League including two first-round picks and the No. 1 choice in the 1987 draft (Vinnie Testaverde).
In all, the collection of players and coaches combined to capture two national championships, one NFL World Championship and 15 ACC team titles.
Bryant, a native and current resident of Tarboro, N. C., is one of the most talented running backs in ACC history who helped lead North Carolina to the 1980 ACC title. Bryant rushed for over 1,000 yards in three consecutive seasons, despite having a potential monster season in 1981 limited to just seven games due to injury. That year. in less than seven complete games, Bryant rushed for 1,015 yards and 17 touchdowns before suffering a season-ending knee injury. He still holds NCAA records for touchdowns scored in two (11 TDs) and three (15) consecutive games. Another who shared playing time in a crowded backfield with talents such as Amos Lawrence, Ethan Horton and Tyrone Anthony, Bryant still ranks fourth in career rushing at UNC and earned two first-team All-ACC selections. A seventh-round draft choice of the Washington Redskins in the NFL, Bryant instead played three seasons in the USFL with Philadelphia (1983-84) and Baltimore (1985)--rushing for over 4,000 yards in three seasons--before completing his pro career with the Redskins (1986-90).
2009 ACC Football Legends RosterName School Years Position Hometown (Current Residence) Mike Mayock Boston College 1976-80 Defensive Back Philadelphia, PA (Newtown Square, PA) Danny Ford Clemson 1979-88 Head Coach Gadsden, AL (Pendleton, SC) ob Pascal Duke 1953-55 Halfback Bloomfield, NJ (Easton, MD) Chris Weinke Florida State 1998-00 Quarterback St. Paul, MN (Austin, TX) Eddie Lee Ivery Georgia Tech 1975-78 Halfback Thomson, GA (Same) Kevin Glover Maryland 1982-84 Center Columbia, MD (Largo, MD) Vinny Testaverde Miami 1982-86 Quarterback Elmont, NY(Odessa, FL) Kelvin Bryant North Carolina 1979-82 Tailback Tarboro, N. C. (Same) Willie Burden NC State 1971-73 Running Back Raleigh, NC (Statesboro,GA) Jim Bakhtiar Virginia 1955-57 Running Back Abadan, Iran (Charlestown, W. Va.) ob Schweickert Virginia Tech 1962-64 Quarterback Richmond, VA (Grayslake, IL) ill Barnes Wake Forest 1954-56 Running Back Landis, NC (Same)
