CLEMSON, S.C. — Patrick Sapp, a former Clemson standout and NFL player, received the Brian Dawkins Lifetime Achievement Award at Clemson’s annual football banquet on Saturday afternoon.
Since 2013, Dabo Swinney has presented the honor to a former Clemson player who has consistently demonstrated the qualities of leadership, community service and other high qualities that are consistent with excellence since graduating from the Clemson program. Recipients must be out of school at least 10 years to qualify. Dawkins, who played 16 years in the NFL and was named to nine Pro Bowls and was a finalist for many public service awards, was the first recipient.
This year’s recipient, Sapp, is close to Dawkins’s heart and one for whom a case could be made that Dawkins would not have come to Clemson had it not been for Sapp. Sapp was a highly recruited quarterback from Jacksonville, Fla. in the early 1990s. In the process of recruiting Sapp, Clemson coaches were impressed with Dawkins, Sapp’s close friend and teammate on the gridiron and the basketball court at Raines High School.
In 1992, they both entered Clemson, Sapp as a quarterback and Dawkins as a defensive back. Sapp became one of Clemson’s finest all-around athletes since college football adopted the two-platoon substitution system in 1965. Over the last 50 years, he is one of just six players to start over the course of a season on both sides of the ball. He also played on the Clemson basketball team for Rick Barnes during the 1994-95 season.
A quarterback for the Tigers his first three years, Sapp led Clemson to a 33-point win over a top 20 North Carolina team as a freshman in 1992 and later threw a game-winning touchdown pass to Terry Smith in the 1993 Peach Bowl to beat Kentucky by a point.
In 1995, Sapp moved to defensive end, where he started 12 games for the Tigers’ Gator Bowl team. He finished that season fifth on the squad in tackles. In the spring of 1996, despite playing just one season on defense, the San Diego Chargers selected Sapp as a defensive end with the 50th overall selection of the NFL Draft. He went on to play four productive seasons in the NFL.
After graduation, Sapp returned to Clemson to work in university administration in 2006 as Director of Major Gifts and Alumni Engagement, a role in which he served for 14 years. Today, he is the Vice President of Development for Rosemont Holdings’ Skore Hotels. He is also Chief Operating Officer of Universal Therapeutic Services in Greenville, a company that partners with the community to provide human resource services, including mental health.
Additionally, Sapp has been involved in many community service projects. He served as Chairman of the Board of Leaders R Us Foundation in Greenville. He is the co-founder of the Greenville Red Raider Youth Organization and is a founder of the One Clemson Board. He also served as a board member of Greenville Technical College and serves as board chair for Brian Dawkins’s Impact Foundation.
Sapp’s connection to Clemson has continued with the matriculation of his son, Josh, a freshman tight end on Clemson’s 2022 squad.
Brian Dawkins Lifetime Achievement Award Recipients
2013: Brian Dawkins, 1992-95
2014: Bill Smith, 1977-81
2015: Warren Forney, 1991-95
2016: Jerry Butler, 1975-78
2017: Jeff Davis, 1978-81
2018: Mark Richardson, 1979-82
2019: Michael Allen, 1995-98
2020: Michael Dean Perry, 1984-87
2021: Carl Martin, 1979-82
2022: Dexter Davis, 1988-90
2023: Patrick Sapp, 1992-95
In addition to Sapp’s selection for this honor, Clemson’s list of awards presented at the team’s annual awards banquet on Saturday afternoon is included below.
OFFENSIVE AWARDS
Solid Rock Award
Most solid, consistent and dependable player(s) at each position
QB DJ Uiagalelei
RB Phil Mafah
RB Will Shipley
WR Beaux Collins
WR Joseph Ngata
TE Davis Allen
OL Jordan McFadden
OL Will Putnam
Hustle Award
Consistent effort and served as an inspiration to teammates
RB Phil Mafah
OL Walker Parks
OL Will Putnam
WR Drew Swinney
12th Man Award
TE Jake Briningstool
QB Cade Klubnik
RB Phil Mafah
OL Mitchell Mayes
WR Brannon Spector
Iron Man Award
Dependable player with resilient persistence and leadership
TE Davis Allen
OL Mac Cranford
WR Tye Herbstreit
OL Jordan McFadden
RB Will Shipley
Most Improved Offensive Players of the Year
TE Jake Briningstool
TE Sage Ennis
RB Phil Mafah
WR Drew Swinney
OL Marcus Tate
Rookies of the Year
QB Cade Klubnik
OL Blake Miller
WR Antonio Williams
Defensive Scout Team Players of the Year
LB Jesiah Carlton
S Jacob Hendricks
DE Evan McCutchen
Tiger Pride Award (MVP)
TE Davis Allen
OL Jordan McFadden
RB Will Shipley
WR Antonio Williams
Future Impact Players
RB Keith Adams Jr.
TE Sage Ennis
OL Collin Sadler
TE Josh Sapp
WR Cole Turner
WR Adam Randall
PAW Award
Most blue collar/unselfish players
WR Hampton Earle
OL Walker Parks
TE Luke Price
OL Will Putnam
DEFENSIVE AWARDS
Solid Rock Award
Most solid, consistent and dependable player(s) at each position
DE K.J. Henry
DE Myles Murphy
DT Tyler Davis
DT Ruke Orhorhoro
LB Barrett Carter
LB Jeremiah Trotter Jr.
CB Sheridan Jones
CB Nate Wiggins
S R.J. Mickens
S Jalyn Phillips
Hustle Award
Consistent effort and served as an inspiration to teammates
DT Tyler Davis
S Jalyn Phillips
LB Trenton Simpson
LB Jeremiah Trotter Jr.
S Tyler Venables
12th Man Award
DE Justin Mascoll
S R.J. Mickens
S Tyler Venables
LB Wade Woodaz
Iron Man Award
Dependable player with resilient persistence and leadership
LB David Cote
DT Tyler Davis
S Andrew Mukuba
DT Ruke Orhorhoro
S Jalyn Phillips
Most Improved Defensive Players of the Year
DE K.J. Henry
DT Ruke Orhorhoro
S Tyler Venables
CB Nate Wiggins
Rookies of the Year
CB Toriano Pride Jr.
LB Wade Woodaz
Offensive Scout Team Players of the Year
OL Nathan Brooks
WR Jackson Crosby
WR Blackmon Huckabee Jr.
QB Trent Pearman
Tiger Pride Award (MVP)
LB Barrett Carter
DT Tyler Davis
DE K.J. Henry
LB Jeremiah Trotter Jr
Future Impact Players
DT DeMonte Capehart
S Sherrod Covil Jr.
DE Cade Denhoff
LB T.J. Dudley
CB Jeadyn Lukus
DT Payton Page
CB Toriano Pride Jr.
PAW Award
Most blue collar/unselfish players
LB LaVonta Bentley
DT Bryan Bresee
S Carson Donnelly
LB Keith Maguire
DE Justin Mascoll
DT Ruke Orhorhoro
SPECIAL TEAMS AWARDS
Most Improved Special Teams Players of the Year
LS Holden Caspersen
LS Philip Florenzo
P Aidan Swanson
PK Jonathan Weitz
Offensive Special Teams Players of the Year
TE Davis Allen
TE Luke Price
WR Brannon Spector
WR Drew Swinney
WR Antonio Williams
Defensive Special Teams Players of the Year
S Carson Donnelly
LB Keith Maguire
LB Wade Woodaz
Special Teams Scout Team Players of the Year
WR Jackson Crosby
S Peter Nearn
S Caleb Nix
Specialist of the Year
PK B.T. Potter
STRENGTH AWARDS
NSCA Strength and Conditioning All-American Candidates
TE Davis Allen
DT Tyler Davis
OL Will Putnam
Dedication Award
TE Davis Allen
PK B.T. Potter
LB Jeremiah Trotter Jr.
Power Hour Development Award
LB Reed Morrissey
All-In Accountability Challenge Champion Captains
WR Joseph Ngata
DE Xavier Thomas
PK Jonathan Weitz
All-In Accountability Challenge Champion Team Members
TE Griffin Batt
TE Will Blackston
PK Liam Boyd
LB Barrett Carter
S/P Brodey Conn
WR Hamp Greene
S Jacob Hendricks
QB Cade Klubnik
LB Reed Morrissey
PK Hogan Morton
RB Kobe Pace
OL Chapman Pendergrass
DT Etinosa Reuben
S Tyler Venables
LB Wade Woodaz
ADDITIONAL AWARDS
Most Inspirational Players of the Year
DE K.J. Henry
QB DJ Uiagalelei
GPA Awards
Overall: LB David Cote and RB Will Shipley
Senior: WR Drew Swinney
Junior: WR Hamp Greene
Sophomore: LB Joey Eddis
Redshirt Freshman: PK Hogan Morton
True Freshman: S/P Brodey Conn and S Caleb Nix
True Tigers of the Year
Presented by Nieri Family Student-Athlete Enrichment Center staff
QB Hunter Helms
DE K.J. Henry
OL Tristan Leigh
DE Justin Mascoll
Spiritual Leadership Award
LB Riggs Faulkenberry
Tim Bourret Award
Player(s) who best represents himself, his teammates and Clemson University in the media
DE K.J. Henry
QB DJ Uiagalelei
P.A.W. Journey Professional of the Year
PK B.T. Potter
P.A.W. Journey Service Above Self Award
RB Will Shipley
P.A.W. Journey P.A.T. Man of the Year
TE Davis Allen
Team Captains
TE Davis Allen
DT Tyler Davis
DE K.J. Henry
OL Jordan McFadden
S Jalyn Phillips
Well deserved of Sapp.