DURHAM, N.C. – Redshirt freshman quarterback Daniel Jones was named the recipient of the Carmen Falcone Most Valuable Player Award at Duke University's annual football banquet held Sunday evening at Penn Pavilion on campus.
Jones, a native of Charlotte, N.C., established 23 school records including most total offensive yards by a freshman (3,322). For the season, he completed 270-of-430 (.628) pass attempts for 2,836 yards with 16 touchdowns and nine interceptions while rushing for 486 yards and a team-leading seven scores. Jones was a four-time ACC Rookie of the Week honoree following performances against Notre Dame, Georgia Tech, North Carolina and Pittsburgh.
Other honorees included Kane Banner (Micah Harris Trinity Teammate Award), Casey Blaser (K.D. Kennedy Iron Devil Award), Breon Borders (Willis Aldridge Award), Clark Bulleit (Mike Suglia Award), Austin Davis (Dan “Tiger” Hill Award),Elijah Deveaux (Sonny Falcone Iron Duke Award), Jela Duncan (Steve Brooks Captain Award, Bob Pascal Award & Frances Cutcliffe Spirit of Perseverance Award), DeVon Edwards (Steve Brooks Captain Award), Bryon Fields (Sonny Falcone Iron Duke Award & Ace Parker Award), Joe Giles-Harris (Vincent Rey Award), Zach Harmon (Sonny Falcone Iron Duke Award), Ben Humphreys (Vincent Rey Award), Johnathan Lloyd (Sonny Falcone Iron Duke Award), Jaylen Miller (Sonny Falcone Iron Duke Award), T.J. Rahming (Clarkston Hines Award), Alonzo Saxton II (Bill Keziah Award), Thomas Sirk (Steve Brooks Captain Award) and A.J. Wolf (Steve Brooks Captain Award & Mike McGee Award).
Banner, a senior wide receiver from Lumberton, N.C., was the recipient of the Micah Harris Trinity Teammate Award, which is presented annually to the member of the Duke football 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.
Blaser, a redshirt senior offensive tackle from Charlotte, N.C., earned the K.D. Kennedy Iron Devil Award for playing the most snaps of any Blue Devil during the regular season. He played a total of 960 snaps in 2016.
Borders, a senior cornerback from Statesville, N.C., earned the Willis Aldridge Award as the team's top defensive back. Despite missing the final three games due to injury, he was a third team All-ACC selection after posting 27 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, two interceptions and 11 pass breakups.
Bulleit, a sophomore offensive guard from Tampa, Fla., received the Mike Suglia Award, which is presented annually to the 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.
Davis, a redshirt junior center from Mansfield, Texas, received the Dan “Tiger” Hill Award as Duke's top offensive lineman. He helped open holes for three Duke backs to rush for 450-plus yards while protecting Jones, who set Duke rookie records for passing yardage and touchdowns.
The Sonny Falcone Iron Duke Award is presented annually to offensive, defensive and developmental program members for their year-round commitment to strength training and conditioning. These players best exemplify the strength staff's expectations with their daily effort, commitment, pride, toughness and discipline. This year, the honorees were Deveaux, a freshman running back from Charlotte, N.C., Fields, a redshirt junior cornerback from Charlotte, N.C., Lloyd, a redshirt sophomore wide receiver from Graham, N.C., Harmon, a redshirt sophomore offensive guard from Toledo, Ohio, and Miller, a freshman offensive guard from Jacksonville, Fla.
Duncan, a redshirt senior running back from Charlotte, N.C., earned the Frances Cutcliffe Spirit of Perseverance Award, which is presented annually to the player who best displays the toughness and perseverance to overcome challenges and continue to strive for victory. In addition, he received the Bob Pascal Award as Duke's top offensive back as well as the Steve Brooks Captain Award. Despite playing in just seven games due to injury, Duncan rushed for 450 yards and six touchdowns in 2016.
Edwards, a redshirt senior safety from Covington, Ga., received the Steve Brooks Captain Award. He played in just four contests in 2016 before suffering a career-ending knee injury in Duke's win over Notre Dame.
Fields also earned the Ace Parker Award, which is presented annually to an individual who displays unparalleled commitment to the team and 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. After missing the entire 2015 season due to a knee injury, Fields started all 12 games this past season and recorded 30 tackles and two interceptions.
Giles-Harris, a redshirt freshman linebacker from Nyack, N.Y., and Humphreys, a sophomore from Newport Beach, Calif., shared the Vincent Rey Award as Duke's top linebacker. Giles-Harris posted 107 tackles on the year and received honorable mention All-ACC honors while Humphreys totaled 106 stops and garnered third team All-ACC accolades.
Rahming, a sophomore wideout from Powder Springs, Ga., received the Clarkston Hines Award as Duke's top receiver after catching 70 passes for 742 yards.
Saxton II, a junior safety from Columbus, Ohio, earned the Bill Keziah Award as the team's most outstanding special teams performer after leading the Blue Devils with eight tackles on coverage units.
Sirk, a redshirt senior quarterback from Glen St. Mary, Fla., received the Steve Brooks Captain Award. He missed the 2016 campaign due to an Achilles injury.
For the second consecutive season, Wolf, a redshirt senior defensive tackle from Greenwich, Conn., garnered the Mike McGee Award as the team's most outstanding defensive lineman. Wolf, who also received the Steve Brooks Captain Award, recorded 47 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss and 5.5 quarterback sacks in his final season.
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