Greensboro, NC – Record-setting quarterbacks, hard-hitting defenders, big-play receivers and a legendary head coach highlight the 2021 Atlantic Coast Conference Football Honors class announced Tuesday.
Virginia Tech football coach Frank Beamer after winning the 2010 ACC Football Championship game against Florida State. (photo by Gene Galin)
The 14-member group includes Boston College’s Mark Herzlich, Clemson’s David Treadwell, Duke’s Anthony Dilweg, Florida State’s Peter Warrick, Georgia Tech’s Morgan Burnett, Louisville’s Harry Douglas, Miami’s Reggie Wayne, North Carolina’s Vonnie Holliday, NC State’s Jerricho Cotchery, Pitt’s Dan Marino, Syracuse’s Markus Paul, Virginia’s Shawn Moore, Virginia’s Tech’s Frank Beamer and Wake Forest’s Desmond Clark.
This year’s class will be honored during the ACC Football Honors presented by the Charlotte Sports Foundation at the Blumenthal Arts Center’s Booth Playhouse on the evening of Friday, Dec. 3, and during the on-field pregame festivities at the 17th annual Subway ACC Football Championship Game, set for 8 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 4, at Charlotte’s Bank of America Stadium.
The complete 2021 ACC Football Honors class:
Mark Herzlich, LB, Boston College (2006-10)
Won the Rudy Award and the ACC’s Brian Piccolo Award in 2010 as the league’s most courageous player after coming back from Ewing’s sarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer, which caused him to miss the 2009 season • Started all 13 games in 2010 • Earned numerous honors for his courage and outreach, including the Disney Spirit Award, an honorary Lott Trophy and the ACC Commissioner’s Cup • Had a terrific season in 2008 earning ACC Defensive Player of the Year honors and First Team All-America honors by Rivals.com and Scouts.com • Was an AP Third Team All-American and honorable mention by Pro Football Weekly and SI.com • Finalist for the Butkus Award, presented annually to the nation’s top linebacker • Quarterfinalist for the Lott Trophy • Led the team with 110 tackles and 81 stops, six interceptions, eight pass break-ups, two forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries • Played for the New York Giants from 2011-18 • Currently broadcasts football games for ACC Network.
David Treadwell, PK, Clemson (1984-87)
Consensus first-team All-American walked on to the team and redshirted, then was a reserve behind Donald Igwebuike in 1984 • Leading vote-getter on the All-ACC Sportswriters’ first team, receiving all but one of the votes in 1987 • Fifth in the nation with 1.8 field goals per game that year • Perhaps best remembered for beating Georgia with field goals inside the last 10 seconds in 1986 and 1987 • Won or tied games with field goals inside the last three minutes of the fourth quarter six times in his career • Participated in the Hula Bowl, kicking three field goals and an extra point • Played in the Pro Bowl after the 1989 season as an NFL rookie with the Denver Broncos • All-Rookie team selection in 1989 • Played with New York Giants in 1993 and 1994 • Inducted into the Clemson Hall of Fame in 1997.
Anthony Dilweg, QB, Duke (1985-88)
Started all 11 games as a senior in 1988 and produced the top single-season quarterback performance in Duke history while being named ACC Player of the Year • Established ACC single-season records for passing yards (3,824), total offensive yards (3,713), pass attempts (484), touchdown passes (24) and touchdown responsibility (26) • Led the ACC in both pass efficiency (134.6) and total offense (337.5 ypg) in 1988 while ranking second nationally in both passing yards and total offense and fourth in TD passes • Holds school career record for pass efficiency rating (128.94) • Named the Offensive MVP of the 1989 Hula Bowl after completing 12-of-17 (.706) passes for 145 yards and three TDs while leading the East squad to a 21-10 victory • Third-round choice (74th overall pick) of the Green Bay Packers in the 1989 NFL Draft.
Peter Warrick, WR, Florida State (1995-99)
One of the most electrifying players to don the Garnet and Gold • Helped lead the Seminoles to a 45-4 record and the 1999 national championship • Named MVP of the national title game victory over Virginia Tech after catching six passes for 163 yards and two touchdowns • Added another touchdown on a 59-yard punt return as FSU became the only team in college football history to go wire-to-wire as the AP No. 1-ranked team • A two-time consensus All-American who still holds the FSU record with 32 career receiving touchdowns • His 3,517 career receiving yards were the most in ACC history and ranked second on FSU’s all-time list • Also ranked second in school history with 207 catches, 15 100-yard receiving games and an average of 4.81 receptions per game • Inducted into the FSU Athletics Hall of Fame in 2010, had his jersey retired by FSU in 2018 and was a member of the ACC 50th Anniversary Team.
Morgan Burnett, S, Georgia Tech (2007-09)
One of the most decorated defensive backs in Georgia Tech history, Burnett was named first-team All-America in 2008 by Pro Football Weekly, second team by Rivals, Sports Illustrated and Sporting News and third team by Phil Steele • Twice named All-ACC second team • Despite playing only three seasons at Georgia Tech, tied for second in school history with 14 career interceptions • His seven interceptions in 2008 are tied for the fourth most in single-season school history and tied for the most in the nation that season • The College Park, Georgia, native led the Yellow Jackets in tackles in 2008 with 93, and led Tech in interceptions each of his three seasons (three in 2007, seven in 2008, four in 2009) • His Tech teams won 27 games in three seasons, including back-to-back ACC Coastal Division championships and an appearance in the 2009 ACC Championship Game • Selected in the third round of the 2010 NFL Draft by the Green Bay Packers, Burnett had 770 tackles, 10 interceptions and 10 fumble recoveries and 9.5 sacks in 10 NFL seasons and earned Super Bowl XLV ring as a member of the Packers.
Harry Douglas, WR, Louisville (2004-07)
One of the top receivers in school history • Ranks second in career receiving yards at Louisville with 2,924 yards, and his 223 receiving yards on 13 catches against Kentucky in 2007 are a a school single-game record • The Jonesboro, Georgia, native earned second-team All-America honors as a junior in 2007 and was twice honored on the All-Big East first team • His 1,265 receiving yards on 70 receptions in 2006 are the second most by a Cardinal and helped Louisville to a 12-1 record, the Big East Championship and a win over Wake Forest in the Orange Bowl • His four career 150-yard receiving games are tied for the most by a Louisville player • His 15 career receiving touchdowns rank ninth in school history • A third-round NFL Draft pick of the Atlanta Falcons who played nine pro seasons with Atlanta and the Tennessee Titans.
Reggie Wayne, WR, Miami (1997-2000)
• Named 1997 BIG EAST Rookie of the Year, a Sporting News Freshman All-American, and second-team all-conference • Led the Hurricanes with 640 yards receiving on 48 catches, the latter breaking Michael Irvin’s previous school freshman record of 46 • In 1998, again led Miami with 42 receptions, and was second in receiving yards (629) despite missing two games with an ACL injury • As a junior in 1999, caught 40 passes for 486 yards and four touchdowns • As a senior in 2000, led the team with 755 yards receiving and a 17.6 yards per catch average on 43 receptions • His 10 touchdowns tied for third most in a single season all time at Miami • A first-round draft pick of the Indianapolis Colts, where his Pro Bowl career included a Super Bowl championship • Remains Miami’s career leader in total receptions with 173, ranks a close second to Santana Moss in receiving yards (2,510) and is tied for fourth in career touchdowns with 20.
Vonnie Holliday, DE, North Carolina (1994-97)
Four-year letterman and team captain as a senior on the 1997 Tar Heel squad that finished 11-1 and ranked No. 6 nationally • First-team All-ACC in 1997 • Academic All-ACC in 1996 • Tallied 162 tackles, 11 sacks and 28 tackles for loss in his college career • First-round (19th overall) NFL Draft pick by the Green Bay Packers in 1998 • NFL All-Rookie selection • Runner-up in 1998 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year • Played in 214 NFL games over 15 seasons, making 598 tackles, 62.5 sacks, nine forced fumbles and 12 fumble recoveries • Founded the Vonnie Holliday Foundation in his hometown of Camden, South Carolina, in 2001, which assists children’s hospitals and the Camden Bulldogs football camp with visits and fund raising activities.
Jerricho Cotchery, WR, NC State (2000-03)
Ranked as NC State’s all-time receiving leader for 14 seasons following his graduation with 200 career receptions • His 3,119 receiving yards and 21 touchdowns rank second in school history • His reception total still ranks 23rd in ACC history, and while his receiving yards are the ninth-most ever among conference players • Tied for third in ACC history with 15 100-yard receiving games (an NC State record) • Played in 49 games for the Wolfpack, catching a pass in 39 consecutive games to set a school record • A fourth-round pick of the New York Jets in the 2004 NFL Draft • Twelve-year playing career included two seasons with the Carolina Panthers (2014-15), where he competed in Super Bowl 50 • Played in 175 NFL games, starting 89, tallying 524 receptions for 6,623 yards and 34 touchdowns • From 2017-20, he served as an assistant coach for the Panthers.
Dan Marino, QB, Pitt (1979-82)
Broke nearly every major passing record in school history, including career marks for passing yards (8,597) and completions (693) • Still holds Pitt records for touchdown passes in a career (79) and season (37) • Led Pitt to four consecutive top 10 finishes, including a pair of No. 2 rankings • Enhanced his reputation for delivering in the clutch in the 1982 Sugar Bowl, when he threw a 33-yard touchdown pass to tight end John Brown with 35 seconds left to give Pitt a come-from-behind 24-20 victory over Georgia • Named a 1981 All-American and finished fourth in the Heisman Trophy balloting that year • A first-round draft pick of the Miami Dolphins in 1983, Marino went on to gain recognition as one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history with a record-breaking 17-year career • Retired following the 1999 season as the league’s all-time leader in passing attempts (8,358), completions (4,967), yardage (61,361) and touchdowns (420) • Elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 2002 and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2005.
Markus Paul, S, Syracuse (1985-87)
A four-year starter for the Orange and a key member of the unbeaten 1987 team • A two-time finalist for the Jim Thorpe Award, presented to the nation’s most outstanding defensive back • Still owns the Orange career interceptions record with 19 • An All-American in 1988, Paul spent five years as a player in the NFL after being drafted by the Chicago Bears in the fourth round of the 1989 draft • Following his playing career, Paul embarked on a successful career in coaching, serving as a strength and conditioning coach for five Super Bowl champion teams • Coaching career included stints with the Chicago Bears, New Orleans Saints, New England Patriots, New York Giants and Dallas Cowboys • Passed away on Nov. 25, 2020 at the age of 54.
Shawn Moore, QB, Virginia (1987-90)
A three-year starter at quarterback for Hall of Fame coach George Welsh, Moore finished fourth in voting for the Heisman Trophy as a senior in 1990 • Completed his final collegiate season holding 41 school, ACC and NCAA individual records • Still holds many program records, including career total offense (7,897 yards) and touchdown responsibility (83) • Helped UVA to the 1989 co-ACC Championship and an appearance in the 1990 Florida Citrus Bowl • Became the first ACC quarterback to earn first-team All-America honors since NC State’s Roman Gabriel in 1961 • Only Division I-A quarterback in 1989 to pass for more than 2,000 yards and rush for more than 500 yards • Finished his UVa career throwing for 6,629 yards on 421-of-762 passing, including 55 touchdowns and 32 interceptions • Also accumulated a career mark of 1,268 rushing yards on 415 attempts, including 28 scores, for a total offense of 7,897 yards and 83 touchdowns.
Frank Beamer, CB/Head Coach, Virginia Tech (1966-68/1987-2015)
A three-year starter at cornerback who played on the Hokies’ 1966 and 1968 Liberty Bowl teams, Beamer returned “home” in 1987 as head coach of the Hokies’ following a successful stint at Murray State • Retired in 2015 having spent the final 29 years of his career in Blacksburg • Two hundred and thirty-eight of his 280 coaching wins came at Virginia Tech, as did seven conference championships – including four ACC titles • The Hokies were bowl eligible the final 23 years of his tenure • At the time of his retirement, he was the winningest active NCAA FBS coach, and he remains the sixth winningest coach in history at the Division I FBS level.
Desmond Clark, WR, Wake Forest (1995-98)
Four-year letterman for the Demon Deacons from 1995-98 • Became the school’s all-time receptions leader with 216, a mark that stood for nearly two decades • Second team All-ACC receiver in 1996 and 1998 • Team MVP as a sophomore and again as a senior • Set the school record for receptions in a season with 72 in 1997 • Finished his career with 2,834 receiving yards • Also ranked as the ACC’s all-time receptions leader following his senior season in 1998 •A sixth-round pick of the Denver Broncos in 1999, Clark played tight end at the pro level and also served as a long snapper • Spent 12 years in the NFL, starting 105 games and finishing with 323 career receptions for 3,591 yards and 27 touchdowns.