CLEMSON FOOTBALL

Antonio Williams was named one of the offensive rookies of the year.
Antonio Williams was named one of the offensive rookies of the year.

Clemson announces 2022 football team awards


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CLEMSON, S.C. — Patrick Sapp, a former Clemson standout and NFL player, received the Brian Dawkins Lifetime Achievement Award at Clemson's annual football banquet on Saturday afternoon.

Since 2013, Dabo Swinney has presented the honor to a former Clemson player who has consistently demonstrated the qualities of leadership, community service and other high qualities that are consistent with excellence since graduating from the Clemson program. Recipients must be out of school at least 10 years to qualify. Dawkins, who played 16 years in the NFL and was named to nine Pro Bowls and was a finalist for many public service awards, was the first recipient.

This year’s recipient, Sapp, is close to Dawkins's heart and one for whom a case could be made that Dawkins would not have come to Clemson had it not been for Sapp. Sapp was a highly recruited quarterback from Jacksonville, Fla. in the early 1990s. In the process of recruiting Sapp, Clemson coaches were impressed with Dawkins, Sapp’s close friend and teammate on the gridiron and the basketball court at Raines High School.

In 1992, they both entered Clemson, Sapp as a quarterback and Dawkins as a defensive back. Sapp became one of Clemson's finest all-around athletes since college football adopted the two-platoon substitution system in 1965. Over the last 50 years, he is one of just six players to start over the course of a season on both sides of the ball. He also played on the Clemson basketball team for Rick Barnes during the 1994-95 season.

A quarterback for the Tigers his first three years, Sapp led Clemson to a 33-point win over a top 20 North Carolina team as a freshman in 1992 and later threw a game-winning touchdown pass to Terry Smith in the 1993 Peach Bowl to beat Kentucky by a point.

In 1995, Sapp moved to defensive end, where he started 12 games for the Tigers' Gator Bowl team. He finished that season fifth on the squad in tackles. In the spring of 1996, despite playing just one season on defense, the San Diego Chargers selected Sapp as a defensive end with the 50th overall selection of the NFL Draft. He went on to play four productive seasons in the NFL.

After graduation, Sapp returned to Clemson to work in university administration in 2006 as Director of Major Gifts and Alumni Engagement, a role in which he served for 14 years. Today, he is the Vice President of Development for Rosemont Holdings' Skore Hotels. He is also Chief Operating Officer of Universal Therapeutic Services in Greenville, a company that partners with the community to provide human resource services, including mental health.

Additionally, Sapp has been involved in many community service projects. He served as Chairman of the Board of Leaders R Us Foundation in Greenville. He is the co-founder of the Greenville Red Raider Youth Organization and is a founder of the One Clemson Board. He also served as a board member of Greenville Technical College and serves as board chair for Brian Dawkins’s Impact Foundation.

Sapp's connection to Clemson has continued with the matriculation of his son, Josh, a freshman tight end on Clemson's 2022 squad.

Brian Dawkins Lifetime Achievement Award Recipients

2013: Brian Dawkins, 1992-95

2014: Bill Smith, 1977-81

2015: Warren Forney, 1991-95

2016: Jerry Butler, 1975-78

2017: Jeff Davis, 1978-81

2018: Mark Richardson, 1979-82

2019: Michael Allen, 1995-98

2020: Michael Dean Perry, 1984-87

2021: Carl Martin, 1979-82

2022: Dexter Davis, 1988-90

2023: Patrick Sapp, 1992-95

In addition to Sapp’s selection for this honor, Clemson's list of awards presented at the team's annual awards banquet on Saturday afternoon is included below.

OFFENSIVE AWARDS

Solid Rock Award

Most solid, consistent and dependable player(s) at each position

QB DJ Uiagalelei

RB Phil Mafah

RB Will Shipley

WR Beaux Collins

WR Joseph Ngata

TE Davis Allen

OL Jordan McFadden

OL Will Putnam

Hustle Award

Consistent effort and served as an inspiration to teammates

RB Phil Mafah

OL Walker Parks

OL Will Putnam

WR Drew Swinney

12th Man Award

TE Jake Briningstool

QB Cade Klubnik

RB Phil Mafah

OL Mitchell Mayes

WR Brannon Spector

Iron Man Award

Dependable player with resilient persistence and leadership

TE Davis Allen

OL Mac Cranford

WR Tye Herbstreit

OL Jordan McFadden

RB Will Shipley

Most Improved Offensive Players of the Year

TE Jake Briningstool

TE Sage Ennis

RB Phil Mafah

WR Drew Swinney

OL Marcus Tate

Rookies of the Year

QB Cade Klubnik

OL Blake Miller

WR Antonio Williams

Defensive Scout Team Players of the Year

LB Jesiah Carlton

S Jacob Hendricks

DE Evan McCutchen

Tiger Pride Award (MVP)

TE Davis Allen

OL Jordan McFadden

RB Will Shipley

WR Antonio Williams

Future Impact Players

RB Keith Adams Jr.

TE Sage Ennis

OL Collin Sadler

TE Josh Sapp

WR Cole Turner

WR Adam Randall

PAW Award

Most blue collar/unselfish players

WR Hampton Earle

OL Walker Parks

TE Luke Price

OL Will Putnam

DEFENSIVE AWARDS

Solid Rock Award

Most solid, consistent and dependable player(s) at each position

DE K.J. Henry

DE Myles Murphy

DT Tyler Davis

DT Ruke Orhorhoro

LB Barrett Carter

LB Jeremiah Trotter Jr.

CB Sheridan Jones

CB Nate Wiggins

S R.J. Mickens

S Jalyn Phillips

Hustle Award

Consistent effort and served as an inspiration to teammates

DT Tyler Davis

S Jalyn Phillips

LB Trenton Simpson

LB Jeremiah Trotter Jr.

S Tyler Venables

12th Man Award

DE Justin Mascoll

S R.J. Mickens

S Tyler Venables

LB Wade Woodaz

Iron Man Award

Dependable player with resilient persistence and leadership

LB David Cote

DT Tyler Davis

S Andrew Mukuba

DT Ruke Orhorhoro

S Jalyn Phillips

Most Improved Defensive Players of the Year

DE K.J. Henry

DT Ruke Orhorhoro

S Tyler Venables

CB Nate Wiggins

Rookies of the Year

CB Toriano Pride Jr.

LB Wade Woodaz

Offensive Scout Team Players of the Year

OL Nathan Brooks

WR Jackson Crosby

WR Blackmon Huckabee Jr.

QB Trent Pearman

Tiger Pride Award (MVP)

LB Barrett Carter

DT Tyler Davis

DE K.J. Henry

LB Jeremiah Trotter Jr

Future Impact Players

DT DeMonte Capehart

S Sherrod Covil Jr.

DE Cade Denhoff

LB T.J. Dudley

CB Jeadyn Lukus

DT Payton Page

CB Toriano Pride Jr.

PAW Award

Most blue collar/unselfish players

LB LaVonta Bentley

DT Bryan Bresee

S Carson Donnelly

LB Keith Maguire

DE Justin Mascoll

DT Ruke Orhorhoro

SPECIAL TEAMS AWARDS

Most Improved Special Teams Players of the Year

LS Holden Caspersen

LS Philip Florenzo

P Aidan Swanson

PK Jonathan Weitz

Offensive Special Teams Players of the Year

TE Davis Allen

TE Luke Price

WR Brannon Spector

WR Drew Swinney

WR Antonio Williams

Defensive Special Teams Players of the Year

S Carson Donnelly

LB Keith Maguire

LB Wade Woodaz

Special Teams Scout Team Players of the Year

WR Jackson Crosby

S Peter Nearn

S Caleb Nix

Specialist of the Year

PK B.T. Potter

STRENGTH AWARDS

NSCA Strength and Conditioning All-American Candidates

TE Davis Allen

DT Tyler Davis

OL Will Putnam

Dedication Award

TE Davis Allen

PK B.T. Potter

LB Jeremiah Trotter Jr.

Power Hour Development Award

LB Reed Morrissey

All-In Accountability Challenge Champion Captains

WR Joseph Ngata

DE Xavier Thomas

PK Jonathan Weitz

All-In Accountability Challenge Champion Team Members

TE Griffin Batt

TE Will Blackston

PK Liam Boyd

LB Barrett Carter

S/P Brodey Conn

WR Hamp Greene

S Jacob Hendricks

QB Cade Klubnik

LB Reed Morrissey

PK Hogan Morton

RB Kobe Pace

OL Chapman Pendergrass

DT Etinosa Reuben

S Tyler Venables

LB Wade Woodaz

ADDITIONAL AWARDS

Most Inspirational Players of the Year

DE K.J. Henry

QB DJ Uiagalelei

GPA Awards

Overall: LB David Cote and RB Will Shipley

Senior: WR Drew Swinney

Junior: WR Hamp Greene

Sophomore: LB Joey Eddis

Redshirt Freshman: PK Hogan Morton

True Freshman: S/P Brodey Conn and S Caleb Nix

True Tigers of the Year

Presented by Nieri Family Student-Athlete Enrichment Center staff

QB Hunter Helms

DE K.J. Henry

OL Tristan Leigh

DE Justin Mascoll

Spiritual Leadership Award

LB Riggs Faulkenberry

Tim Bourret Award

Player(s) who best represents himself, his teammates and Clemson University in the media

DE K.J. Henry

QB DJ Uiagalelei

P.A.W. Journey Professional of the Year

PK B.T. Potter

P.A.W. Journey Service Above Self Award

RB Will Shipley

P.A.W. Journey P.A.T. Man of the Year

TE Davis Allen

Team Captains

TE Davis Allen

DT Tyler Davis

DE K.J. Henry

OL Jordan McFadden

S Jalyn Phillips

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Tags: Clemson Football, Patrick Sapp, Brian Dawkins, Jerry Butler, Jeff Davis, Michael Dean Perry, Dexter Davis, DJ Uiagalelei, Phil Mafah, Will Shipley, Beaux Collins, Joseph Ngata, Davis Allen, Jordan McFadden, Will Putnam, Walker Parks, Drew Swinney, Jake Briningstool, Cade Klubnik, Mitchell Mayes, Brannon Spector, Mac Cranford, Tye Herbstreit, Sage Ennis, Marcus Tate, Blake Miller, Antonio Williams, Jesiah Carlton, Jacob Hendricks, Evan McCutchen, Keith Adams, Collin Sadler, Josh Sapp, Cole Turner, Adam Randall, Hampton Earle, Luke Price, Myles Murphy, Tyler Davis, Ruke Orhorhoro, Barrett Carter, Sheridan Jones, Nate Wiggins, Jalyn Phillips, Trenton Simpson, Tyler Venables, Justin Mascoll, Wade Woodaz, David Cote, Andrew Mukuba, Toriano Pride, Nathan Brooks, Jackson Crosby, Trent Pearman, DeMonte Capehart, Cade Denhoff, Jeadyn Lukus, Payton Page, LaVonta Bentley, Bryan Bresee, Carson Donnelly, Keith Maguire, Holden Caspersen, Philip Florenzo, Aidan Swanson, Jonathan Weitz, Peter Nearn, Caleb Nix, Reed Morrissey, Xavier Thomas, Griffin Batt, Will Blackston, Liam Boyd, Brodey Conn, Hamp Greene, Hogan Morton, Kobe Pace, Chapman Pendergrass, Etinosa Reuben, Joey Eddis, Hunter Helms, Tristan Leigh, Riggs Faulkenberry, Keith Adams
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