From staff reports

GREENSBORO -- A trio of running backs who ruled the Triangle during their careers -- Duke's Bob Pascal, North Carolina's Kelvin Bryant and N.C. State's Willie Burden -- have been selected to represent their schools in the latest class of ACC Football Championship Game Legands announced by the conference on Wednesday.

Pascal led the ACC in total offense and ranked eighth in the nation in rushing in 1955, his senior season. Over the course of his career, he helped lead the Blue Devils to at least a share of the first three ACC championships. Pascal was named first-team All-ACC in 1954 and '55.

Pascal, now a successful businessman who lives in Easton, Md., remains active in the life of his alma mater. He recently teamed with Steve Brooks to give a $10 million gift to the university for football facilities.

Bryant, a native and current resident of Tarboro, helped lead UNC to the 1980 ACC title. Bryant rushed for more than 1,000 yards in three consecutive seasons, even though he had a potential monster season in 1981 cut short. That year, in fewer than seven complete games, Bryant rushed for 1,015 yards and 17 touchdowns before suffering a season-ending knee injury.

Bryant still holds NCAA records for touchdowns scored in two (11 TDs) and three (15) consecutive games. Despite sharing playing time 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.

Burden, a Raleigh native, was 1973 ACC player of the year after leading the conference in rushing with 1,014 yards and leading the Wolfpack to the ACC championship. Burden also shared time with three other talented running backs, teaming with Charley Young, Stan Fritts and Roland Hooks to form the famed "Stallions backfield" that fueled Coach Lou Holtz' potent split-back veer offense. The foursome went on to play a combined 22 seasons in professional football.

Burden enjoyed a record-setting eight-year career in the Canadian Football League, during which time he managed to rush for 6,234 career yards, including a then CFL-record 1,896 yards in 1975 for Calgary.

The Legends group, which will be honored at the ACC Football Championship Game weekend in Tampa Bay, also includes a pair of Heisman Trophy winning quarterbacks in Miami standout Vinny Testaverde (1986) and Florida State's Chris Weinke (2000).

Joining them are former Clemson coach Danny Ford, who led the Tigers to the 1981 NCAA title; former Wake Forest running back Billy Barnes, who was the 1956 ACC player of the year; former Georgia Tech running back Eddie Lee Ivery, who rushed for a then-NCAA record 356 yards against Air Force in a 1978 game; former Virginia running back Jim Bakhtiar, an All-American in 1957; former Boston College linebacker Mike Mayock, an All-American in 1981 who also starred on the baseball team; former Virginia Tech quarterback Bob Schweickert; and former Maryland center Kevin Glover.

All told, the group of 12 former gridiron standouts includes three former ACC players of the year, seven All-Americans, nine players who combined for 79 years of pro football experience and 10 who were drafted by NFL teams, including two first-round picks and the No. 1 choice in the 1987 draft (Testaverde).