Eleven Deacons Named to All-ACC Academic Team
1/25/2022 2:00:00 PM | Football
This total marks a program record and is the sixth-consecutive season Wake Forest has placed four or more players on the team.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Eleven members of the Gator Bowl and ACC Atlantic Division Champion Wake Forest football team have been named to the All-ACC Academic team, as announced by the league office on Tuesday.
This marks the sixth-consecutive year the Demon Deacons have had four or more members on the All-Academic team and the third consecutive season five players garnered honors. Additionally, the 11 players on the All-ACC Academic team shattered the previous record of six Deacs on the team.
Only Clemson (12) had more honorees among all ACC programs.
The 11 Wake Forest players on the team include freshman defensive back Nick Andersen, freshman running back Justice Ellison, redshirt senior defensive lineman Miles Fox, redshirt freshman offensive lineman DeVonte Gordon, redshirt sophomore quarterback Sam Hartman, redshirt sophomore offensive lineman Michael Jurgens, redshirt senior linebacker Luke Masterson, redshirt freshman wide receiver Taylor Morin, redshirt senior defensive back Traveon Redd, redshirt junior offensive lineman Zach Tom and redshirt defensive lineman Luiji Vilain.
Tom was named to the team for the third consecutive season while Andersen, Morin and Redd all earned their second honors in their career.
This group was key in helping the Deacs capture 11 victories this season, taking home both ACC Atlantic Division and Gator Bowl titles.
Nationally after climbing into the top 10 of the Associated Press and Amway Coaches Poll in 2021, Wake Forest achieved its highest ranking in the College Football Playoff Poll in school history when the first ranking was released on Nov. 2, 2021, as the Demon Deacons were tabbed as the No. 9 that week according to the CFP selection committee. Wake Forest ended last fall ranked No. 15 in the Associated Press Poll, which marks the highest ranking to end a season in program history.
Wake Forest scored a program-best 574 points and averaged a school-record 41.0 ppg.
That point total ranks 43rd in modern FBS history and the fourth-most in ACC history. Additionally, Wake Forest became just the 20th ACC team in the college football modern era (Post-WWII) to cross over the milestone of 500 points scored in a single season. Individually, the Deacons topped 35 points in a game 12 times during the 2021 campaign. In the College Football Playoff Era, Wake Forest is one of seven teams (2014 Oregon, 2018 Alabama, 2018 Oklahoma, 2019 Alabama, 2019 LSU, 2020 Alabama) to accomplish that feat.
Minimum academic requirements for selection to the All-ACC Academic Team are a 3.0 grade point average for the previous semester and a 3.0 cumulative average during one's academic career. Athletic achievements during the most recent season are also considered in the selection process.
2022 All-ACC Academic Team
Nick Andersen | DB | Fr. | Undeclared
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Second consecutive season named to the team
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Finished seventh on the team with 44 total tackles while also adding three pass breakups and an interception
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Was one of 16 different Demon Deacons this season to force a turnover
Justice Ellison | RB | Fr. | Undeclared
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Averaged a team-best 5.19 yards per rush this season, ranking 10th in program history and the highest since Cade Carney in 2018.
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His 63-yard rush was the longest of the season by any Demon Deacon and his seven rushing touchdowns tied the most by any running back on the team.
Miles Fox | DL | R-Sr. | Liberal Studies
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Earned All-ACC Second Team status from the Coaches and Media.
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Was also an All-ACC honoree in 2020 and a team captain in 2021.
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Recorded 34 total tackles, seven tackles-for-loss and three sacks during the season.
DeVonte Gordon | OL | R-Fr. | Business Enterprise and Management
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Named a Freshman All-America selection by the Maxwell Football Foundation.
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Watch List member for the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award.
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Started all 14 games at right tackle
Sam Hartman | QB | R-So. | Communication
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Hartman rose the ranks in ACC single season history as the Charlotte, N.C. native became just the 10th 4,000-yard passer in conference history and finished the season with the sixth-most passing yards in ACC history with 4,228 yards.
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One of just three quarterbacks in ACC history to account for 50 total touchdowns in a single season and was one away from the highest total in conference history.
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Earned All-ACC Second Team status from the Coaches and Media.
Michael Jurgens | OL | R-So. | Master's of Business Administration
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Served as a captain for the Demon Deacons during the 2021 season, becoming just the third sophomore captain in the Dave Clawson era.
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Earned All-ACC Honorable Mention status from the Coaches and Media.
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Named ACC Offensive Lineman of the Week following a victory against NC State in Week 11.
Luke Masterson | LB | R-Sr. | Sustainability
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Led the team with 85 tackles on the season nearly doubling his previous career best of 52 tackles in 2018.
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Finished second on the team with 13.0 tackles for loss.
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Served as a captain for the Demon Deacons during the 2020 and 2021 seasons.
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Earned All-ACC Honorable Mention status from the Coaches and Media.
Taylor Morin | WR | R-Fr. | Engineering
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Second consecutive season named to the team
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Hauled in a career-best 43 catched for 621 yards and five touchdowns in his second season as a starter.
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Finished the season with 990 all-purpose yards as he added 369 punt and kickoff return yards.
Traveon Redd | DB | R-Sr. | Liberal Studies
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Earned All-ACC Second Team status from the Coaches and Media.
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Redd had a fumble recovery, forced fumble or interception in eight of 14 games this season including a six-game streak heading from Louisville to NC State.
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vs. Louisville (forced fumble)
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at Syracuse (fumble recovery)
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at Army (interception)
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vs. Duke (fumble recovery)
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at North Carolina (fumble recovery)
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vs. NC State (fumble recovery)
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Redd was named the ACC Defensive Back of the Week twice this season (Oct. 4 & Oct. 25, 2021) after standout performances against Army and Louisville.
Zach Tom | OL | R-Jr. | Master's of Business Administration
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Earned All-America honors from The Athletic, FWAA and Phil Steele.
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Named a First Team All-ACC selection while also being named the Jim Tatum Award winner as the top senior student-athlete in the conference.
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According to PFF, he has the highest pass blocking grade at 92.1 percent of any FBS offensive lineman who has played over 25 snaps.
Luiji Vilain | DL | R-Sr. | Liberal Studies
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Recorded a team-best 9.0 sacks for 56 yards while also finishing third on the team with 10.0 tackles for loss.
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His sack total tied the seventh most in program history and was the most since Carlos "Boogie" Basham Jr. recorded 11.0 sacks in 2019.
