Phil Mafah earned a Solid Rock award and also a King of the CASL honor for having the most recovery sessions.
Phil Mafah earned a Solid Rock award and also a King of the CASL honor for having the most recovery sessions.

Clemson football hands out Brian Dawkins Award, team honors


CU Athletic Communications -

CLEMSON, S.C. — Former Clemson defensive back and eight-year NFL veteran Coty Sensabaugh received the Brian Dawkins Lifetime Achievement Award at Clemson's annual football banquet on Saturday evening.

Dabo Swinney has annually presented the honor to a former Clemson player who has consistently demonstrated the qualities of leadership, community service and others 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 in 2013.

A native of Kingsport, Tenn., Sensabaugh arrived at Clemson in the fall of 2007 as an unheralded recruit. After redshirting the 2007 season, he became a consistent contributor in the secondary, playing 52 career games between 2008-11.

As a senior in 2011, he played 993 defensive snaps as a starting cornerback, still the most by a defensive player in Clemson history. He led the team with 13 pass breakups and was named as one of the team’s permanent captains, as his leadership contributed to Clemson winning its first ACC Championship in 20 years.

Sensabaugh was a fourth-round draft pick of the Tennessee Titans in the 2012 NFL Draft. He played eight seasons and 105 regular season games in his NFL career that spanned 2012-19.

Sensabaugh was known for accomplishments both on the gridiron and off over his career. In 2017, he was one of five NFL players to receive the Daily Point of Light Tribute Award, one of the most outstanding volunteer service awards in the philanthropic community. He was featured on ESPN for his partnership with Food for the Hungry, an organization that provides freshwater systems to communities in Haiti.

In July 2016, Sensabaugh married his wife, Dominique, a fellow Clemson graduate, in Atlanta. In lieu of gifts, the couple asked wedding guests to make a contribution to Soles4Souls, an organization that provides shoes to the needy. Instead of going on a honeymoon, the couple traveled to the Dominican Republic to distribute shoes to people in need. He has also raised money in support of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society in honor of his late brother Jamaar, who died of cancer at age 16.

Sensabaugh has been active in his support of Clemson’s P.A.W. Journey program. He and Dominique also formed the Sensabaugh Family Foundation, which serves to improve vulnerable communities through financial development, domestic and global philanthropy and youth empowerment.

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

2024: Levon Kirkland, 1987-91

2025: Coty Sensabaugh, 2007-11

In addition to Sensabaugh’s selection the award bearing Dawkins’ name, 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 Cade Klubnik

RB Phil Mafah

WR Antonio Williams

TE Jake Briningstool

OL Ryan Linthicum

OL Blake Miller

Hustle Award

Consistent effort and served as an inspiration to teammates

OL Tristan Leigh

12th Man Award

RB Jay Haynes

OL Trent Howard

TE Olsen Patt-Henry

Iron Man Award

Dependable player with resilient persistence and leadership

RB Phil Mafah

OL Tristan Leigh

OL Walker Parks

Most Improved Offensive Players of the Year

RB Jay Haynes

C Ryan Linthicum

WR Cole Turner

Rookies of the Year

WR T.J. Moore

OL Elyjah Thurmon

WR Bryant Wesco Jr.

Defensive Scout Team Players of the Year

S Jacob Hendricks

CB Michael Mankaka

LB Joseph Roberto

DT Champ Thompson

Tiger Pride Award (MVP)

TE Jake Briningstool

QB Cade Klubnik

RB Phil Mafah

WR Antonio Williams

Future Impact Players

TE Christian Bentancur

RB David Eziomume

WR Misun Kelley

OL Elyjah Thurmon

PAW Award

Most blue collar/unselfish players

OL Walker Parks

WR Adam Randall

DEFENSIVE AWARDS

Solid Rock Award

Most solid, consistent and dependable player(s) at each position

DE T.J. Parker

DT Payton Page

DT Peter Woods

LB Barrett Carter

LB Wade Woodaz

CB Avieon Terrell

S R.J. Mickens

Hustle Award

Consistent effort and served as an inspiration to teammates

LB Sammy Brown

DT Payton Page

CB Avieon Terrell

12th Man Award

LB Sammy Brown

DE Cade Denhoff

CB Ashton Hampton

Iron Man Award

Dependable player with resilient persistence and leadership

S Khalil Barnes

LB Barrett Carter

DT Payton Page

DE T.J. Parker

CB Avieon Terrell

Most Improved Defensive Players of the Year

LB Dee Crayton

DE Cade Denhoff

DT Stephiylan Green

DE Jahiem Lawson

Rookies of the Year

LB Sammy Brown

CB Ashton Hampton

Offensive Scout Team Players of the Year

QB Ethan Anderson

WR Charlie Johnson

RB Tristen Rigby

Tiger Pride Award (MVP)

LB Barrett Carter

S R.J. Mickens

DE T.J. Parker

CB Avieon Terrell

LB Wade Woodaz

Future Impact Players

LB Dee Crayton

CB Corian Gipson

DT Stephiylan Green

DB Ronan Hanafin

S Ricardo Jones

PAW Award

Most blue collar/unselfish players

S Khalil Barnes

LB Barrett Carter

S Tyler Venables

LB Wade Woodaz

DL Peter Woods

SPECIAL TEAMS AWARDS

Most Improved Special Teams Players of the Year

S Rob Billings

LB Dee Crayton

Offensive Special Teams Players of the Year

OL Chapman Pendergrass

WR Adam Randall

WR/H Clay Swinney

Defensive Special Teams Players of the Year

LB Jamal Anderson

DE Cade Denhoff

DB Ronan Hanafin

Special Teams Scout Team Players of the Year

S Noah Dixon

LB Joseph Roberto

DT Patrick Swygert

Specialists of the Year

PK Nolan Hauser

P Aidan Swanson

STRENGTH AWARDS

NSCA Strength and Conditioning All-American Candidates

RB Phil Mafah

DT Payton Page

OL Walker Parks

Dedication Award

DB Ronan Hanafin

OL Tristan Leigh

DT Payton Page

Power Hour Development Award

S Noah Dixon

LB Joseph Roberto

All-In Accountability Challenge Champion Captains

DT DeMonte Capehart

PK Quinn Castner

All-In Accountability Challenge Champion Team Members

S Khalil Barnes

TE Christian Bentancur

LB Griffin Batt

DT Vic Burley

LS Holden Caspersen

OL Dominic Cardone

RB David Eziomume

PK Hogan Morton

TE Colby Shaw

ADDITIONAL AWARDS

Most Inspirational Player of the Year

OL Tristan Leigh

Spiritual Leadership Award

WR Clay Swinney

P.A.W. Journey First-Class Man Award

OL Tristan Leigh

P.A.W. Journey Service Above Self Award

PK Hogan Morton

P.A.W. Journey Promising Professional Award

OL Trent Howard

P.A.W. Journey Young Alumni Award

Travis Blanks (2012-15)

P.A.W. Journey P.A.T. Man of the Year

RB Phil Mafah

Brian Dawkins Lifetime Achievement Award

Coty Sensabaugh (2007-11)

GPA Awards

Overall: PK Hogan Morton

Graduate: PK Quinn Castner

Senior: RB Wise Segars Jr.

Junior: LB Wade Woodaz

Sophomore: S Caleb Nix

Redshirt Freshman: WR Tristan Martinez

True Freshmen: QB Ethan Anderson, LB Sammy Brown, DT Aidan Hydrick, LB Billy Wilkes

True Tigers of the Year

Presented by Nieri Family Student-Athlete Enrichment Center staff

S Khalil Barnes

DB Ronan Hanafin

OL Collin Sadler

WR Antonio Williams

King of the CASL Award

Most recovery sessions in the Clemson Applied Science Lab

RB Phil Mafah

Tim Bourret Award

Player who best represents himself, his teammates and Clemson University in the media

LB Barrett Carter

Team Captains

Permanent team captains for 2024 to be immortalized in the Tiger Walk plaza

TE Jake Briningstool

LB Barrett Carter

RB Phil Mafah

S R.J. Mickens

DT Payton Page

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Tags: Clemson Football, Coty Sensabaugh, Brian Dawkins, Jerry Butler, Jeff Davis, Michael Dean Perry, Dexter Davis, Patrick Sapp, Levon Kirkland, Cade Klubnik, Phil Mafah, Antonio Williams, Jake Briningstool, Ryan Linthicum, Blake Miller, Tristan Leigh, Jay Haynes, Trent Howard, Olsen Patt-Henry, Walker Parks, Cole Turner, T.J. Moore, Elyjah Thurmon, Jacob Hendricks, Michael Mankaka, Champ Thompson, Christian Bentancur, David Eziomume, Misun Kelley, Adam Randall, T.J. Parker, Payton Page, Peter Woods, Barrett Carter, Wade Woodaz, Avieon Terrell, R.J. Mickens, Sammy Brown, Cade Denhoff, Ashton Hampton, Khalil Barnes, Dee Crayton, Stephiylan Green, Jahiem Lawson, Ethan Anderson, Charlie Johnson, Tristen Rigby, Corian Gipson, Ronan Hanafin, Ricardo Jones, Tyler Venables, Rob Billings, Chapman Pendergrass, Clay Swinney, Jamal Anderson, Noah Dixon, Patrick Swygert, Nolan Hauser, Aidan Swanson, DeMonte Capehart, Quinn Castner, Griffin Batt, Vic Burley, Holden Caspersen, Dominic Cardone, Hogan Morton, Colby Shaw, Travis Blanks, Caleb Nix, Tristan Martinez, Aidan Hydrick, Billy Wilkes, Collin Sadler
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