Wake Forest Athletics News - Wake Forest University Athletics

Gold Rush: Player Spotlight: Calvin Pace

Nov. 12, 2002

By Sam Walker

Calvin Pace says there's no secret to his skills other than perhaps having a high motor. And that's really no secret. The senior defensive end from Douglasville, Ga., has firmly etched his name into the Wake Forest record books having already become the Deacons' career leader in tackles-for-loss. He rose to the top spot in that category with six tackles-for-loss against Duke. And with a two-sack performance in a 31-0 thrashing of North Carolina, Pace moved within two sacks of breaking the school's sack record (32 held by former Deacon and NFL veteran Mike McCrary.

But the fifth-year senior is more than a statistical ladder climber. His high motor has just helped drive him down the road to record-book fame while he and the Deacons have tried to travel the highway to post-season bowl bliss. It's a highway every team begins the season driving but most veer off somewhere along the way. The Deacons have run it over onto the shoulder a few times, but Pace has been there to steer it back on the road, keep it between the lines.

You see, Pace is the stick that stirs the defensive drink in the three-man front Wake Forest uses in a defensive back-dominated scheme. His ability to apply pressure, even when he's double-teamed, blocked additionally by tight ends and fullbacks, and guard and tackle combinations simply glues together a young and improving defense. He makes the defense work game in and game out with his pressure, and it's safe to say that the Deacons' defense would be far more vulnerable without his presence.

Quarterbacks want to look out their ear holes to see if Pace is closing. That was evident as the Deacons dealt North Carolina a shutout, and Pace picked up two more sacks. And the ACC knew he would be coming hard in 2002. Back in August, Pace was named to the Lombardi watch list. A total of 122 down linemen and defensive players who line up within five yards of the ball are eligible for the Lombardi Award. And Pace's play this season has proven he's worthy of being listed among the nation's best.

"It's been a process," Pace said. "Every scheme has its perks, but this one allows us to put a lot of athletes on the field. There's no secret. It's really just preparation. I've been here five years and played against guys consecutive years. But there's no secret. If you have a high motor and want to get to the quarterback, you can do it. You can't get down on yourself. You might not get there in the first quarter, but if you can get there in the fourth quarter when it counts..."

And that, more than anything, is what Pace wants to do: get there when it counts. His ego is small, but the expectations he holds for himself are high. His coaches call him a consummate team player that refuses to use "I" when he is talking Wake Forest football. He wants to help get the Deacons to a bowl game but realizes it's a step-by-step process, earned game by game.

"Sometimes Calvin is amazing when we're just rushing three," Grobe said following Wake's victory over the Tar Heels. And he is amazing.

"There's a lot of kids who are great athletes but are not great football players," defensive line Coach Ray McCartney said. "In Calvin's case, he's very conscientious, prepares very well. He prepares year-round. He's conscientious in studying the game plan; he's good about watching tape of our opponents. He's always on time - always. He's the model student-athlete with a desire to excel. He has a presence and doesn't like to be embarrassed. He prepares so well that he doesn't get surprised very often. The kind of trick plays our opponents run - he's watched them over and over again on video, so he rarely gets fooled. He really likes to be the stick that stirs the drink.

"He has great instincts, and that can't be taught. He has great instincts when it comes to recognition of plays, how to play off blocks, how to make plays, and that's just God-given. Along with that, he's a very intelligent football player. With Calvin, I only have to go over something with him one time, and he gets it. Some of the other guys I have to go over things over and over. Calvin's very in-tune with the game and often makes suggestions."

Pace is the type of player Jim Grobe envisioned playing for his Wake Forest program. The senior began to stand out just about the time Grobe arrived on campus. Last year he accumulated 16 tackles-for-loss and six sacks, which earned him second-team All-ACC honors. After his rampage against Duke this season Pace was named the ACC Defensive Lineman of the Week. But honors really don't seem to motivate Pace. Even the fast approaching school record for sacks seemed to be no more than an afterthought.

"I just wanted to come out, help my team, gets some sacks and if we can get pressure it's going to be a good day for us," Pace said after the North Carolina game. "I just try to go out and play the same way every time. Teams aren't stupid. I think they think I'm a decent pass rusher and I see double teams, but even if I don't get a sack I want to get some pressure on him, force a high throw, get a hand on him. If I don't get the sack my teammate can get it. But I think teams respect me, recognize that I'm out there and have to account for me. I don't think they game plan against me. The guy on the other side is no slouch. But basically, it's me beating the guy (on the other side of me). The record, sure I think about it. But the sacks will come."

And it's that mentality that Pace's coaches eat up. "You know, I couldn't even have gotten into Wake Forest," McCartney said. "When I first came to Wake Forest, Calvin taught me the word nuances and some other words. Calvin said, 'Coach I have some nuances in this and after he told me what nuances meant...' But on game day what I will do is get Calvin Pace, Rod Stephen and Montique Sharpe on the phone from the press box and quiz them. Calvin is usually the guy who will speak up first and say 'coach, we can run this, we can do that'.... and within the next five or six plays we'll run usually what he has suggested because he's so in-tune to what our opponent is doing.

"I've had seven go on to the NFL, and Calvin Pace has a tremendous pride and desire to excel," McCartney said. "That really helps him be a great player. He doesn't take anything for granted. He works his rear end off in everything he does. He never takes a lazy step. He competes in everything he does. We would take all the Calvin Paces we could find. To be frank, when I go recruiting all over this great nation, this is the guy I'm looking for, and I describe what Calvin Pace is all about."

Right now, Pace is all about winning football games. He will likely become the school's all-time leader in sacks against Florida State, a team against which he says he's never had a sack. And the bowl game qualification the Deacons want so badly is just one victory away. The coaching staff expects Pace to take them there, and Pace plans to drive that high motor to go bowling.

"We need Calvin down the stretch to lead us in everything we do defensively," McCartney said. "That responsibility falls on his shoulders as a fifth-year senior."

"You just have to have a high motor," Pace said. "You're not going to beat everybody, but if you can keep your motor going, keep running well, and you'll get there."