Wuerffel Trophy Announces Record Number of 2017 Nominations

104 Players Considered for College Football’s Top Community Service Award

FORT WALTON BEACH, Fla. — Oct. 19, 2017 — The Wuerffel Trophy announces a record number of 104 college Football Bowl Subdivision player nominees for consideration of the 2017 trophy that recognizes community service.

The Wuerffel Trophy, known as “College Football’s Premier Award for Community Service,” is presented annually to the Football Bowl Subdivision player who best combines exemplary community service with athletic and academic achievement. The Wuerffel Trophy, now in its 13th year, is named after 1996 Heisman Trophy winning quarterback, Danny Wuerffel, from the University of Florida.

“To have a record-breaking 104 nominations for this year’s Wuerffel Trophy is the often, untold story of college football,” said Danny Wuerffel. “The collective amount of community service from this group is amazing, especially given the time requirements to play the game. We look forward to showcasing the actions of these incredible young men it in the months to come. These players are truly inspiring.”

The Southeastern Conference led with 14 player nominations. The ACC and Pac-12 followed with 12 nominations each, and the American Athletic Conference and the MAC submitted 11 nominees each. The Big Ten submitted 10 nominations, Conference USA followed with nine, the Big 12 and Mountain West each had eight, and the Sun Belt submitted six nominees. In addition, there were three Independent university nominations. All FBS conferences are represented on the 2017 Wuerffel Trophy nominee list.

Voting for the Wuerffel Trophy is performed by a national selection committee that includes college football television and print media, industry notables, former head coaches and prior Wuerffel Trophy recipients.

The 2017 Wuerffel Trophy nominees are listed alphabetically by university:

Taylor Lamb, Appalachian State University, senior, quarterback

Tashon Smallwood, Arizona State University, senior, defensive line

Blaise Taylor, Arkansas State University, senior, defensive back/special teams

Daniel Carlson, Auburn University, senior, kicker

Vinnie Palazeti, Ball State University, senior, offensive line

Sam Tacklenburg, Baylor University, sophomore, offensive line

Brett Rypien, Boise State University, junior, quarterback

Nate Locke, Bowling Green State University, senior, linebacker

Fred Warner, Brigham Young University, senior, linebacker

Joe Ostman, Central Michigan University, senior, defensive line

Christian Wilkins, Clemson University, junior, defensive line

Zack Golditch, Colorado State University, senior, offensive line

Gabe Brandner, Duke University, senior, offensive line

Davon Grayson, East Carolina University, senior, wide receiver

Jeremiah Harris, Eastern Michigan University, junior, defensive line

Greg Joseph, Florida Atlantic University, senior, kicker

Alex Gardner, Florida International University, senior, running back

Alec Eberle, Florida State University, junior, offensive line

KeShun Freeman, Georgia Institute of Technology, senior, defensive line

Chandon Sullivan, Georgia State University, senior, defensive back

Rashard Fant, Indiana University, senior, defensive back

Jake Campos, Iowa State University, senior, offensive line

Dalton Risner, Kansas State University, junior, offensive line

Matt Bahr, Kent State University, junior, linebacker/defensive back

Danny Etling, Louisiana State University, senior, quarterback

Ryan Yurachek, Marshall University, senior, tight end

James Gardner, Miami University, junior, wide receiver

Jake Hartbarger, Michigan State University, junior, punter

Brent Stockstill, Middle Tennessee State University, junior, quarterback

Gabe Myles, Mississippi State University, senior, wide receiver

A.J. Cole III, North Carolina State University, junior, punter

Max Scharping, Northern Illinois University, junior, offensive line

Justin Jackson, Northwestern University, senior, running back

Tracy Sprinkle, Ohio State University, senior, defensive line

Troy Mangen, Ohio University, senior, tight end

Mason Rudolph, Oklahoma State University, senior, quarterback

Josh Marriner, Old Dominion University, senior, running back

Ryan Nall, Oregon State University, junior, running back

Trace McSorley, Pennsylvania State University, junior, quarterback

David Wells, San Diego State University, senior, tight end

Nate Velichko, San Jose State University, senior, offensive line

Justin Lawler, Southern Methodist University, senior, defensive line

Harrison Phillips, Stanford University, senior, defensive line

Zack Mahoney, Syracuse University, senior, quarterback

Keith Kirkwood, Temple University, senior, wide receiver

Koda Martin, Texas A&M University, junior, offensive line

Shaun Nixon, Texas Christian University, junior, wide receiver

Gabe Schrade, Texas State University, senior, tight end

Seth Calloway, Troy University, senior, defensive line

Parry Nickerson, Tulane University, senior, defensive back

Andrew Wood, United States Naval Academy, junior, defensive line

A.J. Coney, University of Akron, senior, wide receiver

Minkah Fitzpatrick, University of Alabama, junior, defensive back

Shaq Jones, University of Alabama at Birmingham, senior, linebacker

Jacob Alsadek, University of Arizona, senior, offensive line

Frank Ragnow, University of Arkansas, senior, offensive line

Raymond Davison III, University of California, senior, linebacker

Kenny Young, University of California Los Angeles, senior, linebacker

Shaquem Griffin, University of Central Florida, senior, linebacker

Derek McCartney, University of Colorado, senior, linebacker

Foley Fatukasi, University of Connecticut, senior, defensive line

T.J. McCoy, University of Florida, junior, offensive line

Aaron Davis, University of Georgia, senior, defensive back

Noah Borden, University of Hawaii, junior, special teams

Steven Dunbar, University of Houston, senior, wide receiver

Nick Allegretti, University of Illinois, junior, offensive line

Josey Jewell, University of Iowa, senior, linebacker

Joe Dineen, Jr., University of Kansas, senior, linebacker

Courtney Love, University of Kentucky, senior, linebacker

Lamar Jackson, University of Louisville, junior, quarterback

Adam Greene, University of Maryland, senior, kicker

Adam Breneman, University of Massachusetts, senior, tight end

Spencer Smith, University of Memphis, senior, punter/kicker

Ryan Santoso, University of Minnesota, senior, punter/kicker

Javon Patterson, University of Mississippi, junior, offensive line

Corey Fatony, University of Missouri, junior, punter

Drew Brown, University of Nebraska, senior, kicker

Austin Corbett, University of Nevada, senior, offensive line

Kyle Saxelid, University of Nevada Las Vegas, senior, offensive line

Austin Proehl, University of North Carolina, senior, wide receiver

Andy Flusche, University of North Texas, senior, defensive line

Drue Tranquill, University of Notre Dame, senior, linebacker

Mark Andrews, University of Oklahoma, senior, tight end

Juwaan Williams, University of Oregon, senior, tight end

Brian O’Neill, University of Pittsburgh, junior, offensive line

Tre Alford, University of South Alabama, senior, defensive line

Antoine Wilder, University of South Carolina, sophomore, linebacker

Auggie Sanchez, University of South Florida, senior, linebacker

Nico Falah, University of Southern California, senior, offensive line

Todd Kelly, Jr., University of Tennessee, senior, defensive back

Marcus Davenport, University of Texas at San Antonio

Cody Thompson, University of Toledo, senior, wide receiver

Willie Wright, University of Tulsa, junior, offensive line

Chase Hansen, University of Utah, junior, defensive back

Quin Blanding, University of Virginia, senior, defensive back

Kiewahwn Bierria, University of Washington, senior, linebacker

Dallin Leavitt, Utah State University, senior, defensive back

Tommy Openshaw, Vanderbilt University, senior, kicker

Joey Slye, Virginia Tech University, senior, kicker

Wendell Dunn, Wake Forest University, senior, defensive line

Peyton Pelluer, Washington State University, junior, linebacker

Kyle Bosch, West Virginia University, senior, offensive line

Mike White, Western Kentucky University, senior, quarterback

Jamauri Bogan, Western Michigan University, junior, running back

Nominations for the Wuerffel Trophy are made by the respective university Sports Information departments and closed on Oct. 13, 2017. Semifinalists for the award will be announced on Nov. 2, 2017, and finalists announced on Nov. 22, 2017. The formal announcement of the 2017 Wuerffel Trophy recipient will be on Dec. 5, 2017, at the National Football Foundation’s press conference in New York City.

The 2017 Wuerffel Trophy winner will be invited to attend “The Home Depot College Football Awards Red Carpet Show” on ESPNU and ESPN3 on Dec. 7, 2017, airing at 6 p.m. EST/5 p.m. CST, featuring interviews with award winners and finalists as they approach The Home Depot College Football Awards Show, the College Football Hall of Fame and Chick-fil-A Fan Experience in downtown Atlanta, Georgia. The presentation of the 2017 Wuerffel Trophy will occur at the 49th Annual All Sports Association Awards Banquet on Feb. 16, 2018, in Fort Walton Beach.

Past winners of the Wuerffel Trophy are: 2016 Trevor Knight, Texas A&M University; 2015 Ty Darlington, University of Oklahoma; 2014 Deterrian Shackelford, University of Mississippi; 2013 Gabe Ikard, University of Oklahoma; 2012 Matt Barkley, University of Southern California; 2011 Barrett Jones, University of Alabama; 2010 Sam Acho, University of Texas; 2009 Tim Hiller, Western Michigan University; 2008 Tim Tebow, University of Florida; 2007 Paul Smith, University of Tulsa; 2006 Joel Penton, Ohio State University; and 2005 Rudy Niswanger, Louisiana State University.

The Wuerffel Trophy is a member of the National College Football Awards Association, which encompasses the most prestigious awards in college football. The 23 awards boast more than 700 years of tradition-selection excellence. For more information, go to www.NCFAA.org.

The Wuerffel Trophy is supported by its corporate partners, Dart Container Corporation/Solo Cup and Herff Jones.

For more information on the Wuerffel Trophy, visit www.wuerffeltrophy.org.

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Contact:  Tom Brassell, tombrassell@wuerffeltrophy.org, 850-585-5512

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