Wake Forest's Skinner wins ACC rookie award

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Riley Skinner wasn&#39;t even supposed to play much for Wake Forest this year.<br> <br> But when starting quarterback Ben Mauk&#39;s season ended shortly after it started, Skinner, a redshirt freshman, had to step in.<br> <br> And after he led the Demon Deacons to their best season ever, he seemed a natural choice to be the Atlantic Coast Conference&#39;s rookie of the year that is, to anybody but Skinner himself.<br> <br> Skinner received 48 of a possible 80 votes by members of the Atlantic Coast Sports Media Association, besting Clemson running back C.J. Spiller by 23 points.<br> <br> ``I don&#39;t see how I could win over C.J. Spiller you put me next to C.J. Spiller, and I&#39;d pick C.J. Spiller as well,&#39;&#39; Skinner said Tuesday. ``But it&#39;s a huge honor. It really is. I couldn&#39;t ask for anything more, and it really is humbling to know that I&#39;ve received that award.&#39;&#39;<br> <br> Skinner was rushed into the lineup during the Demon Deacons&#39; opener against Syracuse after Mauk was lost for the season with a broken right arm and dislocated shoulder.<br> <br> He wound up leading Wake Forest to a 10-2 season, an Atlantic Division championship, a No. 16 national ranking and a berth in the conference title game opposite No. 23 Georgia Tech with a spot in the Orange Bowl on the line.<br> <br> Along the way he engineered victories over nationally ranked Boston College and a landmark 30-0 rout of Florida State Wake Forest&#39;s first win in Tallahassee, Fla., since 1959 and Bobby Bowden&#39;s first shutout loss at Doak Campbell Stadium in 31 years.<br> <br> Skinner also established himself as the most efficient passer in the ACC, finishing the regular season with a 142.2 rating.<br> <br> Skinner and Spiller were the overwhelming favorites for the award. No other player received more than two votes.<br> <br> But Skinner isn&#39;t dwelling on his accomplishment, not with the Demon Deacons&#39; first ACC title since 1970 on the line this week.<br> <br> ``I&#39;m excited about it, but I can&#39;t really dwell on it too much right now,&#39;&#39; Skinner said. ``Maybe after the season I can think about it, but we&#39;ve got a pretty task ahead of us right now that I&#39;m looking forward to.&#39;&#39;