Retired NFL Player and Wake Forest Sports Hall of Fame Member Calvin Pace Joins the Deac2Deac Podcast
1/13/2022 12:00:00 PM | Football
Pace was a four-year letterman for Wake Forest and a 13-year veteran of the NFL.
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Soundcloud | YouTube | GoDeacs.com/Watch
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C - Calvin Pace was a mainstay in the Wake Forest football team's defensive line from 1999-2002. During his four years with the Demon Deacons, Pace set numerous defensive records that still stand today.
Before coming to Wake Forest, Pace was a three sport athlete at Lithia Springs High School in Georgia, excelling in football, baseball, and basketball. However, football was his passion and his dream was to, one day, make it to the National Football League.
In 1999, Pace enrolled at Wake Forest, taking his first steps towards his dream of getting to the NFL. During his freshman year with the Deacs, Pace played seven games and recorded four tackles. In 2000, Pace played eleven games and recorded nine sacks. His nine sacks ranks 7th for the most sacks in a single-season in program history.
Pace would continue to improve in his junior season, registering 10 sacks in the 2001 season. At the time, his 10 sacks was the most by a Wake Forest player in a single-season. His record has since been broken but his 10 sacks still ranks fourth all-time. In his senior season, Pace logged eight sacks and 22 tackles-for-loss.
In the Wake Forest football record book, Pace is a prominent figure. His 22 tackles-for-loss in his senior season is still the second most in a single-season in program history. Additionally, Pace's name appears three times in the all-time top 10 for sacks in a single-season. His eight sacks in 2002 ranks 10th, nine sacks in 2000 ranks seventh, and his 10 sacks in the 2001 season ranks fourth.
Pace was a two-time All-ACC selection, garnering first team honors in his senior season. In that same season he was also named an All-American. He was also named team MVP in 2002.
In 2003, Pace was drafted 18th overall to the Arizona Cardinals in the NFL Draft. Thus fulfilling his dream of playing in the NFL. Pace would go on to play 187 games in the NFL with the Cardinals and the New York Jets. The Detroit, Mich. native recorded 60 sacks over his 13-year career, 10 of those sacks came in the 2013 season.
In 2015, Pace was inducted into the Wake Forest Sports Hall of Fame.
Listeners are encouraged to send feedback and ideas to smithka@wfu.edu or @Deac2Deac on Twitter.
The Deac2Deac podcast is available now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, YouTube and GoDeacs.com/Watch.
