CHARLOTTE, N.C. (theACC.com) – Duke redshirt senior defensive tackle DeWayne Carter has been named the recipient of the 2023 Jim Tatum Award, the Atlantic Coast Conference announced Monday.
The award is given annually in memory of the late Jim Tatum to the top senior student-athlete among the league's football players. Tatum, a two-time ACC Coach of the Year, coached in the 1950s at both Maryland and North Carolina and believed strongly in the concept of the student-athlete.
A finalist for the 2023 William V. Campbell Trophy, which is presented annually by the National Football Foundation (NFF) and the College Football Hall of Fame to the best football scholar-athlete in the nation for their combined academic success, football performance and exemplary leadership, Carter has a 3.47 cumulative grade point average while working toward a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a minor in education and theater studies.
The only three-year team captain in Duke history, Carter has played a key role in Duke's transformation from a 3-9 record in 2021 to a 9-4 finish last season in 2022, including a victory in the Military Bowl. The success has carried over into 2023, as the Blue Devils started the season at 4-0 for the first time since 1994, were ranked in the top 25 eight weeks of the season, set a record with six wins at home on the season, and will be bowl eligible for the second consecutive year.
Carter is a significant reason why Duke ranks 14th nationally in red zone defense (.756), 21st in scoring defense (19.8 ppg), 28th in team tackles-for-loss (6.3 per game), 30th in fourth-down conversion percentage defense (.440), 33rd in team passing efficiency defense (123.01), 38th in passing defense (208.2 ypg), and 45th in total defense (354.6 ypg).
He has compiled 39 tackles, 3.5 tackles-for-loss, 1.0 sacks, four quarterback pressures, three pass breakups, one fumble recovery and one blocked kick in 12 games. He is also a key component as to why the Blue Devils have relinquished just 237 points on the year and only 14 rushing scores.
A 2021 College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District Team selection and a two-time Academic All-ACC pick, Carter was named a 2021 Arthur Ashe Sports Scholar finalist. Last spring, he earned a spot on the 2023 NFF Hampshire Honor Society for his exceptional academic performance in college, while this year he was also named a 2023 Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year semifinalist.
A member of the 2022 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team and the 2020 recipient of the Ace Parker Award, which is presented annually to an individual who overcomes adversity to contribute to the team, Carter has done extensive outreach in the community. His volunteer work has included time with Habitat for Humanity, reading to elementary school students, coaching little league baseball, and tutoring in the KIPP Durham College Prep program. He is a board member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, the vice president of Duke's Omega Psi Phi fraternity, and the public relations chair of the United Black Athletes.
The two-time All-ACC selection has appeared in 51 career games, registering 124 tackles, 25.0 tackles-for-loss, 12.0 sacks, 10 pass breakups, seven forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries, 16 quarterback pressures, and one blocked kick. He returned two of his fumble recoveries for touchdowns, including one against UConn earlier this year.
Carter is the eighth Duke football student-athlete to be honored with the ACC's Jim Tatum Award and the first since the Blue Devils had a winner four straight years from 2012-15 (Sean Renfree – 2012, Perry Simmons – 2013, David Helton – 2014, and Jeremy Cash – 2015).
ACC Jim Tatum Award Winners
1979 Scott Hamilton, OG, Duke
1980 No Award
1981 Bert Krupp, LB, Virginia
1982 Pat Chester, S, Virginia
Phil Denfield, TE, Wake Forest
1983 Phil Denfield, TE, Wake Forest
1984 Not Available
1985 Kevin Anthony, QB, North Carolina
1986 David Cardenas, DB. Virginia
1987 Harris Barton, OT, North Carolina
1988 Not Available
1989 Doug Kley, DT, Duke
1990 Charlie Cobb, C, NC State
1991 Steve Ainsworth, OL, Wake Forest
1992 Not Available
1993 Thomas Burns, LB, Virginia
1994 Ed Glenn, TE, Clemson
1995 Russell Babb, OT, North Carolina
1996 Daryl Bush, DB, Florida State
1997 Stephen Phelan, DB, Virginia
Jonathan Claiborne, S, Maryland
1998 Ebenezer Ekuban, DE, North Carolina
1999 Noel LaMontagne, OG, Virginia
2000 Louis Marchetti, OT, North Carolina
2001 Kyle Young, C, Clemson
2002 Jeremy Muyres, DB, Georgia Tech
2003 Chris Douglas, RB, Duke
2004 Nick Novak, PK, Maryland
2005 Brendan Dewan, LB, Duke
David Castillo, C, Florida State
2006 Josh Wilson, DB, Maryland
2007 Tom Santi, TE, Virginia
2008 Darryl Richard, DT, Georgia Tech
2009 Riley Skinner, QB, Wake Forest
2010 Christian Ponder, QB, Florida State
2011 Danny Coale, WR/P, Virginia Tech
2012 Sean Renfree, QB, Duke
2013 Perry Simmons, OT, Duke
2014 David Helton, LB, Duke
2015 Jeremy Cash, S, Duke
2016 Ryan Janvion, S, Wake Forest
2017 Braxton Berrios, WR, Miami
2018 Christian Wilkins, DT, Clemson
2019 Jordan Mack, LB, Virginia
2020 Kingsley Jonathan, DE, Syracuse
2021 Zach Tom, OT, Wake Forest
2022 Dillan Gibbons, OG, Florida State
2023 DeWayne Carter, DT, Duke