Four Deacs To Appear In All-Star Football Games
12/16/2003 12:00:00 AM | Football
Dec. 16, 2003
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - A quartet of Demon Deacon seniors -- linebacker Kellen Brantley, offensive guard Tyson Clabo, senior offensive tackle Mark Moroz and senior free safety Quintin Williams -- have been selected to play in post-season all-star games. Brantley, Moroz and Williams have been invited to the Blue-Gray All-Star Classic in Troy, Ala. The first post-season all-star games of the season, this year's Blue Gray Classic takes place on Thursday, Dec. 25 and is slated for a 3:00 p.m. kickoff on ESPN2.
The Blue Gray Classic returns this year after a one-year hiatus and this year's game, the 65th such event, will be played at Movie Gallery Stadium on the Troy State University campus. Head coaches for this year's Blue Gray game include Joe Novak of Northern Illinois, Marshall's Bob Pruett, Guy Morriss of Baylor, and North Carolina's John Bunting.
Brantley, who hails from Miami, Fla., led the Demon Deacons in sacks this season with four. He also ranked fifth on the team with 65 total tackles, including nine for loss. The three-year starter, who ended his career with 36 consecutive starting nods, also had two forced fumbles and a 64-yard interception return for a touchdown in 2003. He was named ACC Defensive Back of the Week following his performance against Duke, in which he had six tackles, an interception, forced fumble, a sack and two pass break-ups.
Moroz, a second-team All-ACC selection in 2003, returned early from a preseason knee injury to see action in 11 games and earn eight starting nods. The native of Welland, Ontario graded out at 87.7 percent for the season and averaged 9.1 knockdowns a contest. He was named ACC Player of the Week following his performance in Wake Forest's win over Clemson, in which he graded out at 90 percent with a team season-high 18.5 knockdowns.
Williams, from Goldsboro, N.C., was Wake Forest's second-leader tackler with 88 stops in 2003, and finished his collegiate career with 264 career tackles. He also had four tackles for loss, five pass break-ups an interception return for 44 yards and led the ACC with three forced fumbles. The four-year starter closed out his career ranked 18th all-time at WFU with 175 solo tackles, seventh with 24 PBU and was a two-time Academic All-District selection.
As previously announced, Clabo will play in the 79th annual East-West Shrine Game. Clabo is a member of the East roster, which will be coached by Pittsburgh's Walt Harris. UNLV's John Robinson will guide the West squad. The all-star contest takes place January 10, 2004 at Pac Bell Park in San Francisco.
Clabo, a first-team All-ACC pick, proved to be one of the nation's most versatile and reliable senior linemen. The Knoxville, Tenn. product played every position but center for the Deacs this season, and closed out his career with 37 starts, 36 consecutive nods. Recipient of the team's Bill George Award (given to the most outstanding lineman), Clabo graded out at 87 percent for the season and average nine knockdowns a game.
Brantley, Moroz and Williams are the 43rd, 44th and 45th Wake Forest players to participate in the Blue Gray Classic. Clabo is the 15th Demon Deacon to play in the East-West game, and the first since Bryan Ray in 2000.