Duke's defense anchored a shoddy offense for most of the season, and it earned recognition for its efforts Monday with four All-ACC members.
Cornerback Mark Gilbert led the league in votes among cornerbacks to earn first-team honors, and linebacker Joe Giles-Harris—a year after being named an all-conference honorable mention—joined Gilbert on the first team. Safety Jeremy McDuffie and defensive tackle Mike Ramsay also earned third team All-ACC honors.
Although the Blue Devil offense struggled to score at times this season, center Austin Davis was named third team All-ACC and receiver T.J. Rahming and running back Shaun Wilson got honorable mention nods.
With six picks, Gilbert ranked third in the country in interceptions per game and sixth in passes defended per game, a standout on a stout passing defense that ranked No. 12 in the nation in yards allowed per game. His secondary mate McDuffie, who missed the Blue Devils' final game due to a knee injury, also picked off three passes and racked up 58 tackles on the year.
Giles-Harris anchored a rushing defense that was No. 1 in the country early in the season, racking up 15 tackles for loss and leading the team in tackles. Ramsay kept the heat on opposing quarterbacks for much of the season, leading the team in sacks and anchoring a young and inexperienced defensive front.
On the other side of the ball, Davis was the leader of an offensive line that allowed Wilson and redshirt freshman Brittain Brown to rack up 1,403 yards on 5.3 yards per carry. While Wilson was third on the team in receptions, Rahming led the team in catches and receiving yards with 733.
Duke reached bowl eligibility with its fifth and sixth wins to close the season against Georgia Tech and Wake Forest, respectively, despite losing six straight games.
The Blue Devils now await their bowl fate—they could end up in the Quick Lane Bowl in Detroit, the Birmingham Bowl, or the Independence Bowl in Shreveport, La., among a host of options.
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.