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Duke Football Honors 2023 Award Winners
12/16/2023 11:14:00 PM | Football
DURHAM – Redshirt senior defensive tackle DeWayne Carter was named the recipient of the Carmen Falcone Team Most Valuable Player Award as interim head coach Trooper Taylor and the Blue Devils football program handed out team honors at the Duke Football Awards event on Saturday evening.
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The Blue Devils also acknowledged 41 seniors during the show.
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Carter, a 6-3, 305-pound native of Pickerington, Ohio, was a finalist for the William V. Campbell trophy and earned All-ACC honors for the third time in his career. In 2023, Carter tallied 39 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, 1.0 sack, four quarterback hurries, three pass breakups, one blocked kick and one fumble recovery for a touchdown. He is the first three-time team captain in program history and was a key component as to why the Blue Devils relinquished just 237 points and 14 rushing touchdowns this year. In his career, Carter has tallied 124 tackles, 25.0 tackles for loss, 12.0 sacks, 10 passes defended, seven caused fumbles, four fumble recoveries and one blocked kick. He ranks tied for fourth in program history in caused fumbles (seven) and tied for 11th in career sacks (12.0).
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Other honorees included Graham Barton (Offensive Lineman of the Year), Malik Bowen-Sims (Micah Harris Trinity Teammate Award), Matt Craycraft (Mike Suglia Award), Ja'Mion Franklin (Defensive Lineman of the Year), Tre Freeman (Ace Parker Award), Brandon Johnson (Defensive Skill Player of the Year), Beau Lilly III (Offensive Scout Team Player of the Year), Jacob Monk (K.D. Kennedy Iron Devil Award), Jordan Moore (Offensive Skill Player of the Year), Brian Parker II (Offensive Rookie of the Year), Aeneas Peebles (Cutcliffe Family Award), DaShawn Stone (Sonny Falcone Iron Duke Award), Semaj Turner (Defensive Scout Team Player of the Year), Jordan Waters (Offensive MVP), Wesley Williams (Defensive Rookie of the Year), and Porter Wilson (Special Teams Player of the Year). Carter also earned the Defensive MVP Award.
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Barton, a senior offensive lineman from Brentwood, Tenn., was named the offensive lineman of the year for the second consecutive season. He started in nine games for the Blue Devils at left tackle, helping the offense accumulate 2,027 rushing and 2,168 passing yards. He also helped Duke rank tied for second in the ACC and tied for 20th nationally in sacks allowed (15), tied for second in the league and tied for 30th nationally in tackles for loss allowed (4.67) and fourth in the ACC and tied for 30th nationally in rushing touchdowns (25). Additionally, he tallied a team-high five knockdown blocks against No. 9 Clemson and four against No. 4 Florida State, and only allowed 11 total quarterback pressures on the season with no sacks allowed against the Tigers and Seminoles. Barton played a key role in Duke only losing 158 yards on the year, fewest in the ACC and was tabbed a second team All-American and first team All-ACC recipient.
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Bowen-Sims, a senior wide receiver from Mount Juliet, Tenn., was awarded the Micah Harris Trinity Teammate Award, which is presented annually to the member of the program who displays the highest teammate qualities such as inspiration, unselfishness and commitment to the team. Micah Harris was tragically killed in an automobile accident in June of 2004, just prior to his senior year at Duke. This season Bowen-Sims has seen action in six games, recording three receptions for 13 yards. Throughout his Blue Devil career, Bowen-Sims has appeared in 31 games, hauling in 13 catches for 107 yards.
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Craycraft, a redshirt freshman offensive lineman from Dallas, Texas, was the recipient of the Mike Suglia Award, which is presented annually to a second-year member of the Duke football program who best exemplifies the qualities of the late Mike Suglia. Suglia was an offensive lineman at Duke in 1976-77 who died suddenly during the spring of his sophomore year. He was an excellent student, an outstanding football player, and, most importantly, a young man of the highest integrity. Craycraft has seen action in eight contests for 127 snaps this season.
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Franklin, a graduate student defensive tackle from Ridgley, Md., received the defensive lineman of the year award. He has appeared in 12 games for the Blue Devils this season, recording 28 tackles, 3.0 tackles for loss and 1.0 sack. Franklin was a key component as to why the Blue Devils relinquished just 237 points and 14 rushing touchdowns in 2023. He also helped the Duke defense hold 9-of-12 opponents to under 25 points, including four to under 10 points, while shutting out No. 9 Clemson, Lafayette and NC State in the second half.
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Freeman, a redshirt sophomore linebacker from Durham, received the Ace Parker Award, which is presented annually to an individual who overcomes adversity to contribute. Parker, one of 12 former Duke players and coaches to be enshrined into the College Football Hall of Fame, was a two-time All-America pick in 1935 and 1936. Following his successful NFL career, he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1972. This season, Freeman has registered a team-leading 97 tackles, 5.0 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, one interception, one caused fumble, six quarterback hurries and two pass breakups. He ranks sixth in the ACC in tackles and is just three tackles away from becoming the first Duke player since 2019 to register 100-plus tackles in a single-season.Â
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Johnson, a junior safety from Newton, N.C., was tabbed as the defensive skill player of the year. He completed the regular season with 56 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks, four passes defended and three quarterback hurries. He is tied for the team lead in tackles for loss and posted a season-high eight tackles against No. 4 Florida State. Johnson was a key reason for the Blue Devils' defense that ranks 14th nationally in red zone defense (.756), 33rd in pass defense efficiency rating (123.01), 38th in passing yards allowed per outing (208.20) and tied for 30th in fourth-down conversion percentage defense (.440). Additionally, Johnson was named to the Pro Football Focus team of the week for week four and was an honorable mention All-ACC recipient.
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Lilly III, a freshman wide receiver from Dallas, Texas, was named the offensive scout team player of the year.
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Monk, a graduate offensive lineman from Clayton, N.C., received the K.D. Kennedy Iron Devil Award, which is presented annually to a player who demonstrates the most heart, durability, and toughness throughout the year. He anchored an offensive line that helped Duke accumulate 2,027 rushing and 2,168 passing yards, while ranking tied for second in the ACC and tied for 20th nationally in sacks allowed (15), tied for second in the league and tied for 30th nationally in tackles for loss allowed (4.67), and fourth in the ACC and 30th nationally in rushing touchdowns (25). Monk was tabbed as the ACC's Offensive Lineman of the Week in Duke's 24-3 victory over NC State, after leading a Duke offense that registered 301 total yards on just 42 snaps, good for an average of 7.2 yards per play against a Wolfpack defense which entered the week allowing just 5.3 yards per play. Additionally, he earned All-ACC honors for the third time in his career, after being named to the second team.
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Moore, a junior wide receiver from Sykesville, Md., was named the offensive skill player of the year. He started all 12 games for the Blue Devils this season and was tabbed a second team All-ACC recipient after hauling in a team-best 59 receptions for 794 yards with eight touchdowns. He ranks tied for fourth in the ACC in receiving touchdowns and receptions, tied for fifth in receptions per game (4.92), sixth in receiving yards, and seventh in receiving yards per game. Earlier this year, he became the first player with back-to-back 100-plus yard receiving games since Jake Bobo did so against Northwestern (11-109) and Kansas (7-105) in 2021. Moore currently ranks tied for seventh all-time in program history with eight others with eight receiving touchdowns in a single season.
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Parker II, a redshirt freshman offensive lineman from Cincinnati, Ohio, was named the offensive rookie of the year. He has appeared in 11 games for the Blue Devils this season, making six starts, and has been on the field for 533 snaps.
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Peebles, a senior defensive tackle from Raleigh, N.C., earned the Cutcliffe Family Award, which is awarded to the overall most improved player in the program. The third team All-ACC recipient appeared in all 12 games this season, tallying 40 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, 4.0 sacks, two passes defended, one caused fumbles and one fumble recovery. Peebles was a key contributor to Duke's defense that ranks 14th nationally in red zone defense (.756), 21st in scoring defense (19.80), 28th in defensive yards per play allowed (5.15), 30th in fourth-down conversion defense (.440) and 45th in total defense (354.58). He has also helped the Duke defense hold 9-of-12 opponents to under 25 points, including four to under 10 points, while shutting out No. 9 Clemson, Lafayette and NC State in the second half this season.
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The Sonny Falcone Iron Duke Award is presented annually to the developmental player who had the best fall in the weight room. This year, the winner was Stone, a freshman safety from Asheville, N.C. During his first year in Durham, he has seen action in four games.
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Turner, a freshman defensive end from Winston-Salem, N.C., received the defensive scout team player of the year. He has appeared in three games for the Blue Devils this season, recording three tackles.
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Waters, a graduate running back from Fairmont, N.C., was the recipient of the offensive MVP award. He has appeared in all 12 games this season, registering a team-high 142 rushes for 753 yards with 12 touchdowns. His rushing touchdowns are fourth in the ACC and tied for fifth all-time with two others for most in a single season in program history. Waters has registered at least one rushing score in eight of the Blue Devils' 12 contests, including opening the season with scores in six-straight contests. He is averaging 5.30 rushing yards per carry and 62.75 rushing yards per game, which ranks sixth and 10th in the ACC, respectively. Additionally, the Fairmont, N.C., native has registered 500-plus rushing yards in back-to-back seasons after accumulating 556 just a year ago. Waters was also tabbed a third team All-ACC recipient at the conclusion of the regular season.
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Williams, a redshirt freshman defensive end from Gainesville, Va., was named the defensive rookie of the year. He has tallied 37 tackles, 6.0 tackles for loss, 1.0 sack, three quarterback hurries, one pass breakup and blocked two kicks against No. 9 Clemson to open the season.
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Wilson, a graduate student punter from Akron, Ohio, was named the special teams player of the year. He was a semifinalist for the Ray Guy Award and was named to the "Ray's 8" list on three separate occasions this season, including being tabbed the punter of the week for week 10. He registered 50 total punts on the year for 2,331 yards for an average of 46.62 yards per punt. He is the only punter in the ACC with over 2,300 punting yards and 15-plus kicks inside the 20 with 20-plus boots of 50-plus yards. He is a significant reason why Duke ranks third nationally in net punting (43.63) and ranks first in the ACC and eighth nationally in punting this season, which is on pace to set Duke's program record for punting average in a single season. Wilson has pinned opponents inside the 20 on 18 occasions this season and allowed the Blue Devils to relinquish just 54 yards on 18 attempts (3.00), a mark that ranks Duke 15th nationally and first in the ACC.
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#GoDuke
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The Blue Devils also acknowledged 41 seniors during the show.
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Carter, a 6-3, 305-pound native of Pickerington, Ohio, was a finalist for the William V. Campbell trophy and earned All-ACC honors for the third time in his career. In 2023, Carter tallied 39 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, 1.0 sack, four quarterback hurries, three pass breakups, one blocked kick and one fumble recovery for a touchdown. He is the first three-time team captain in program history and was a key component as to why the Blue Devils relinquished just 237 points and 14 rushing touchdowns this year. In his career, Carter has tallied 124 tackles, 25.0 tackles for loss, 12.0 sacks, 10 passes defended, seven caused fumbles, four fumble recoveries and one blocked kick. He ranks tied for fourth in program history in caused fumbles (seven) and tied for 11th in career sacks (12.0).
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Other honorees included Graham Barton (Offensive Lineman of the Year), Malik Bowen-Sims (Micah Harris Trinity Teammate Award), Matt Craycraft (Mike Suglia Award), Ja'Mion Franklin (Defensive Lineman of the Year), Tre Freeman (Ace Parker Award), Brandon Johnson (Defensive Skill Player of the Year), Beau Lilly III (Offensive Scout Team Player of the Year), Jacob Monk (K.D. Kennedy Iron Devil Award), Jordan Moore (Offensive Skill Player of the Year), Brian Parker II (Offensive Rookie of the Year), Aeneas Peebles (Cutcliffe Family Award), DaShawn Stone (Sonny Falcone Iron Duke Award), Semaj Turner (Defensive Scout Team Player of the Year), Jordan Waters (Offensive MVP), Wesley Williams (Defensive Rookie of the Year), and Porter Wilson (Special Teams Player of the Year). Carter also earned the Defensive MVP Award.
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Barton, a senior offensive lineman from Brentwood, Tenn., was named the offensive lineman of the year for the second consecutive season. He started in nine games for the Blue Devils at left tackle, helping the offense accumulate 2,027 rushing and 2,168 passing yards. He also helped Duke rank tied for second in the ACC and tied for 20th nationally in sacks allowed (15), tied for second in the league and tied for 30th nationally in tackles for loss allowed (4.67) and fourth in the ACC and tied for 30th nationally in rushing touchdowns (25). Additionally, he tallied a team-high five knockdown blocks against No. 9 Clemson and four against No. 4 Florida State, and only allowed 11 total quarterback pressures on the season with no sacks allowed against the Tigers and Seminoles. Barton played a key role in Duke only losing 158 yards on the year, fewest in the ACC and was tabbed a second team All-American and first team All-ACC recipient.
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Bowen-Sims, a senior wide receiver from Mount Juliet, Tenn., was awarded the Micah Harris Trinity Teammate Award, which is presented annually to the member of the program who displays the highest teammate qualities such as inspiration, unselfishness and commitment to the team. Micah Harris was tragically killed in an automobile accident in June of 2004, just prior to his senior year at Duke. This season Bowen-Sims has seen action in six games, recording three receptions for 13 yards. Throughout his Blue Devil career, Bowen-Sims has appeared in 31 games, hauling in 13 catches for 107 yards.
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Craycraft, a redshirt freshman offensive lineman from Dallas, Texas, was the recipient of the Mike Suglia Award, which is presented annually to a second-year member of the Duke football program who best exemplifies the qualities of the late Mike Suglia. Suglia was an offensive lineman at Duke in 1976-77 who died suddenly during the spring of his sophomore year. He was an excellent student, an outstanding football player, and, most importantly, a young man of the highest integrity. Craycraft has seen action in eight contests for 127 snaps this season.
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Franklin, a graduate student defensive tackle from Ridgley, Md., received the defensive lineman of the year award. He has appeared in 12 games for the Blue Devils this season, recording 28 tackles, 3.0 tackles for loss and 1.0 sack. Franklin was a key component as to why the Blue Devils relinquished just 237 points and 14 rushing touchdowns in 2023. He also helped the Duke defense hold 9-of-12 opponents to under 25 points, including four to under 10 points, while shutting out No. 9 Clemson, Lafayette and NC State in the second half.
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Freeman, a redshirt sophomore linebacker from Durham, received the Ace Parker Award, which is presented annually to an individual who overcomes adversity to contribute. Parker, one of 12 former Duke players and coaches to be enshrined into the College Football Hall of Fame, was a two-time All-America pick in 1935 and 1936. Following his successful NFL career, he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1972. This season, Freeman has registered a team-leading 97 tackles, 5.0 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, one interception, one caused fumble, six quarterback hurries and two pass breakups. He ranks sixth in the ACC in tackles and is just three tackles away from becoming the first Duke player since 2019 to register 100-plus tackles in a single-season.Â
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Johnson, a junior safety from Newton, N.C., was tabbed as the defensive skill player of the year. He completed the regular season with 56 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks, four passes defended and three quarterback hurries. He is tied for the team lead in tackles for loss and posted a season-high eight tackles against No. 4 Florida State. Johnson was a key reason for the Blue Devils' defense that ranks 14th nationally in red zone defense (.756), 33rd in pass defense efficiency rating (123.01), 38th in passing yards allowed per outing (208.20) and tied for 30th in fourth-down conversion percentage defense (.440). Additionally, Johnson was named to the Pro Football Focus team of the week for week four and was an honorable mention All-ACC recipient.
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Lilly III, a freshman wide receiver from Dallas, Texas, was named the offensive scout team player of the year.
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Monk, a graduate offensive lineman from Clayton, N.C., received the K.D. Kennedy Iron Devil Award, which is presented annually to a player who demonstrates the most heart, durability, and toughness throughout the year. He anchored an offensive line that helped Duke accumulate 2,027 rushing and 2,168 passing yards, while ranking tied for second in the ACC and tied for 20th nationally in sacks allowed (15), tied for second in the league and tied for 30th nationally in tackles for loss allowed (4.67), and fourth in the ACC and 30th nationally in rushing touchdowns (25). Monk was tabbed as the ACC's Offensive Lineman of the Week in Duke's 24-3 victory over NC State, after leading a Duke offense that registered 301 total yards on just 42 snaps, good for an average of 7.2 yards per play against a Wolfpack defense which entered the week allowing just 5.3 yards per play. Additionally, he earned All-ACC honors for the third time in his career, after being named to the second team.
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Moore, a junior wide receiver from Sykesville, Md., was named the offensive skill player of the year. He started all 12 games for the Blue Devils this season and was tabbed a second team All-ACC recipient after hauling in a team-best 59 receptions for 794 yards with eight touchdowns. He ranks tied for fourth in the ACC in receiving touchdowns and receptions, tied for fifth in receptions per game (4.92), sixth in receiving yards, and seventh in receiving yards per game. Earlier this year, he became the first player with back-to-back 100-plus yard receiving games since Jake Bobo did so against Northwestern (11-109) and Kansas (7-105) in 2021. Moore currently ranks tied for seventh all-time in program history with eight others with eight receiving touchdowns in a single season.
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Parker II, a redshirt freshman offensive lineman from Cincinnati, Ohio, was named the offensive rookie of the year. He has appeared in 11 games for the Blue Devils this season, making six starts, and has been on the field for 533 snaps.
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Peebles, a senior defensive tackle from Raleigh, N.C., earned the Cutcliffe Family Award, which is awarded to the overall most improved player in the program. The third team All-ACC recipient appeared in all 12 games this season, tallying 40 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, 4.0 sacks, two passes defended, one caused fumbles and one fumble recovery. Peebles was a key contributor to Duke's defense that ranks 14th nationally in red zone defense (.756), 21st in scoring defense (19.80), 28th in defensive yards per play allowed (5.15), 30th in fourth-down conversion defense (.440) and 45th in total defense (354.58). He has also helped the Duke defense hold 9-of-12 opponents to under 25 points, including four to under 10 points, while shutting out No. 9 Clemson, Lafayette and NC State in the second half this season.
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The Sonny Falcone Iron Duke Award is presented annually to the developmental player who had the best fall in the weight room. This year, the winner was Stone, a freshman safety from Asheville, N.C. During his first year in Durham, he has seen action in four games.
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Turner, a freshman defensive end from Winston-Salem, N.C., received the defensive scout team player of the year. He has appeared in three games for the Blue Devils this season, recording three tackles.
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Waters, a graduate running back from Fairmont, N.C., was the recipient of the offensive MVP award. He has appeared in all 12 games this season, registering a team-high 142 rushes for 753 yards with 12 touchdowns. His rushing touchdowns are fourth in the ACC and tied for fifth all-time with two others for most in a single season in program history. Waters has registered at least one rushing score in eight of the Blue Devils' 12 contests, including opening the season with scores in six-straight contests. He is averaging 5.30 rushing yards per carry and 62.75 rushing yards per game, which ranks sixth and 10th in the ACC, respectively. Additionally, the Fairmont, N.C., native has registered 500-plus rushing yards in back-to-back seasons after accumulating 556 just a year ago. Waters was also tabbed a third team All-ACC recipient at the conclusion of the regular season.
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Williams, a redshirt freshman defensive end from Gainesville, Va., was named the defensive rookie of the year. He has tallied 37 tackles, 6.0 tackles for loss, 1.0 sack, three quarterback hurries, one pass breakup and blocked two kicks against No. 9 Clemson to open the season.
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Wilson, a graduate student punter from Akron, Ohio, was named the special teams player of the year. He was a semifinalist for the Ray Guy Award and was named to the "Ray's 8" list on three separate occasions this season, including being tabbed the punter of the week for week 10. He registered 50 total punts on the year for 2,331 yards for an average of 46.62 yards per punt. He is the only punter in the ACC with over 2,300 punting yards and 15-plus kicks inside the 20 with 20-plus boots of 50-plus yards. He is a significant reason why Duke ranks third nationally in net punting (43.63) and ranks first in the ACC and eighth nationally in punting this season, which is on pace to set Duke's program record for punting average in a single season. Wilson has pinned opponents inside the 20 on 18 occasions this season and allowed the Blue Devils to relinquish just 54 yards on 18 attempts (3.00), a mark that ranks Duke 15th nationally and first in the ACC.
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#GoDuke
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