Tag: Wuerffel Trophy

Nick Dawkins earns the Wuerffel Trophy for community service

Penn State’s Nick Dawkins awarded the Wuerffel Trophy for his community service efforts.

Penn State saw a pair of student-athletes honored as national award winners at the annual College Football Awards. Tight end Tyler Warren landed the Mackey Award as the nation’s top tight end. Redshirt senior offensive lineman [autotag]Nick Dawkins[/autotag] was also recognized with the Wuerffel Trophy, considered college football’s premier award for community service.

Dawkins became the first Nittany Lion in program history to earn the Wuerffel Trophy and was Penn State’s second finalist for the award all-time, joining Stefen Wisniewski in 2010. The trophy embodies Wuerffel’s commitment to humanitarianism while honoring student-athletes who are inspired to serve others and positively impact society.

After starting several initiatives, Dawkins was a worthy recipient of this year’s top community service award. He founded the Dawkins Family Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to empowering communities through youth engagement. The foundation awarded three scholarships to high school seniors and collaborates with local Pennsylvania YMCA’s. Dawkins is also the president of Penn State’s chapter of Uplifting Athletes, which raises funds for rare disease research.

Dawkins was an All-Big Ten honorable mention this season and has earned four Academic All-Big Ten honors. Throughout his career as a Nittany Lion, Dawkins appeared in 39 games and started 13.

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Notre Dame linebacker Jack Kiser named Wuerffel Trophy finalist

Jack is an award finalist for the second time this season.

Jack Kiser has had a fantastic graduate season for Notre Dame both on and off the field. The linebacker already has been named a finalist for the Campbell Trophy, which honors players for on-field performance, academic performance and community service. Now, he can add being a finalist for another trophy to his resume.

Kiser has been named one of three finalists for the Wuerffel Trophy alongside Penn State offensive lineman Nick Dawkins and Washington State kicker Dean Janikowski. This award is given to the player “who best combines exemplary community service with leadership achievement on and off the field”. The winner will be announced live on ESPN on Dec. 12 and be invited to the Heisman Trophy festivities.

If Kiser were to win this award, he would be the second Notre Dame player to be so honored after fellow linebacker Drue Tranquill in 2018. Here’s the video the Irish released after he became a semifinalist:

Best of luck to Kiser as a finalist for both trophies he is up for.

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Notre Dame linebacker Jack Kiser has a big day off the field

Kiser gets some big recognition for his work off the field

If you haven’t seen Peacock’s “Here Come the Irish” Notre Dame Fighting Irish football docuseries, then you missed out on an off the field look at linebacker[autotag]Jack Kiser[/autotag] .

The Indiana native knows how important it is for him to represent the Irish as a home-state star, and has gone out of his way to help the community. Kiser was honored by AllState twice on Tuesday, as he was selected as a member of the Good Works Team and named a semifinalist for the [autotag]Wuerffel Trophy[/autotag].

The award is given out annual to a player across the nation for their work on the field, in the community and in the classroom.

It’s surely a great honor for Kiser to be recognized for his efforts off the field, but he doesn’t do it for that. Clearly he’s as great of a person as he is a football player.

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Oklahoma Sooners running back named to Wuerffel Trophy watch list

Oklahoma Sooners running back Gavin Sawchuk named to Wuerffel Trophy watch list.

[autotag]Watch list[/autotag] season has begun in college football, and another offensive star is on award watch.

On Friday, Oklahoma Sooners running back [autotag]Gavin Sawchuk[/autotag] was named to the Wuerffel Trophy watch list. The Wuerffel Trophy is awarded to the player who best combines community service with academic and on-field success.

Sawchuk, who took over midseason for the Oklahoma Sooners, closed 2023 with five straight 100-yard games. On the season, he carried the ball 120 times for 744 yards and nine touchdowns. He also caught 14 passes for 94 yards.

Two Oklahoma Sooners have won the award since its inception in 2005. Former Oklahoma offensive linemen Gabe Ikard (2013) and Ty Darlington (2015).

Sawchuk is looking get off to a faster start in 2024 and with a healthy offseason, has a chance to have a big season for the Sooners.

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Penn State offensive lineman named on community service award’s watch list

Penn State has never had a Wuerffel Trophy winner. Could Nick Dawkins be the first in 2024?

Penn State offensive lineman [autotag]Nick Dawkins[/autotag] joined several of his teammates by appearing on watch list for one of the many college football awards this upcoming 2024 season. Dawkins was named on the watch list for this year’s Wuerffel Trophy.

The Wuerffel Trophy is awarded to a college football player who shows the best combination of community service leadership and athletic and academic excellence.

Dawkins is entering his redshirt senior season. He has been an Academic All-Big Ten player the past three seasons and was the recipient of Penn State’s public service award in 2023.

The Wuerffel Trophy was first awarded in 2005 to Rudy Niswanger of LSU. Last year’s recipient was Georgia wide receiver Ladd McConkey. The last Big Ten player to win the award was Ohio State defensive tackle Joel Penton in 2006. USC quarterback Matt Barkley won the award in 2012, 12 years before USC became a Big Ten member.

Other notable Wuerffel Trophy winners include Tim Tebow of Florida (2008), Sam Acho of Texas (2010), and Gabe Ikard of Oklahoma (2013).

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Two Notre Dame players named to award watch lists

Think either player can win?

With the 2024 college football season approaching, we’ll start to see more players being named to award watch lists. The players obviously have a long to way to go before they actually win those, but it’s nice for them to be honored like this anyway.

To that end, two Notre Dame players have been named to different award watch lists. That should be a good sign of things to come for the Irish in this regard.

[autotag]Jayden Harrison[/autotag], who’s both a receiver and return specialist for the Irish, is on the Paul Hornung Award Watch List. This award, named for the Notre Dame legend, is presented to the most versatile player in college football. Ironically, no Irish player has won this award since it first was given out in 2010.

Linebacker [autotag]Jack Kiser[/autotag] has made the watch list for the Allstate Wuerffel Trophy, which recognizes the player who best combines athletic and academic excellence with community service. Former Irish linebacker [autotag]Drue Tranquill[/autotag] won this award in 2018.

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Michigan State football RB Nate Carter named to Allstate Wuerffel Trophy watchlist

Nate Carter named to Allstate Wuerffel Trophy watchlist

We are officially in watchlist season, and one of the first we have seen involving Michigan State football came out on Thursday, when running back Nate Carter was named to the Allstate Wuerffel Trophy watchlist.

According to their website, this is what the Wuerffel Trophy represents:

Established in 2005, The Wuerffel Trophy honors college football athletes who are serving others, while also achieving greatness on the football field and in the classroom. As part of the National College Football Awards Association, The Wuerffel Trophy was the first major award honoring the character of service to others.

Last year’s recipient of the award was Georgia wide receiver Ladd McConkey.

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Georgia WR Ladd McConkey named Wuerffel Trophy finalist

Georgia WR Ladd McConkey named Wuerffel Trophy finalist

Georgia Bulldogs wide receiver Ladd McConkey is one of three finalists for the Wuerffel Trophy, which is considered college football’s premier award for community service.

Other finalists include Notre Dame linebacker J.D. Bertrand and Michigan running back Blake Corum.

The junior is also a member of the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team, recognizing outstanding achievements in athletics, academics, and community service.

McConkey made headlines last December when he surprised a 10-year-old resident of his hometown, signing his Christmas gift of a new No. 84 McConkey jersey. He also spent time this offseason reading to kids at local schools and volunteering.

McConkey leads all Bulldogs wideouts in receiving over the last three seasons and will be remembered as one of the most important pieces of Georgia’s dominant run. McConkey is hoping to suit up against Alabama in the SEC championship game.

The winner of the Wuerffel Trophy will be announced on Dec. 8 during The Home Depot College Football Awards on ESPN.

Josh Williams named to Wuerffel Trophy preseason watch list

Josh Williams is a former walk-on who has worked his way into becoming an SEC starting running back.

LSU running back [autotag]Josh Williams[/autotag] has been named to the preseason watch list for the Wuerffel Trophy.

The Trophy, which is named after former Florida Heisman-winning quarterback Danny Wuerffel, is the top award in college football for community service. LSU center [autotag]Rudy Niswanger[/autotag] won the first Wuerffel Trophy back in 2005.

Williams joined the team as a walk-on in 2019 and ultimately earned a scholarship during the 2021 season. He became LSU’s starting running back last fall, and though he battled injuries down the stretch, he led all Tigers backs with 532 yards in 2022.

A graduate student pursuing a master’s of business administration, Williams is a three-time SEC Academic Honor Roll selection.

Williams is involved in a number of community service activities and is one of 11 Tigers who studied abroad in Senegal this offseason.

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Dvon Ellies named to Wuerffel Trophy watch list

Penn State redshirt senior Dvon Ellies named to Wuerffel Trophy watch list for top community service leadership.

Watch list season continued on Thursday with the release of the watch list for the Wuerffel Trophy, college football’s premier award for outstanding community service. And this year’s watch list includes one of Penn State’s top defensive linemen.

[autotag]Dvon Ellies[/autotag], a redshirt senior from Maryland, was named to the watch list for this year’s Wuerffel Trophy by The Wuerffel Foundation for the 2023 college football season. The Wuerffel Trophy is named after former Florida quarterback Danny Wuerffel.

Semifinalists for the award will be named on November 2. Finalists will then be announced on November 28 and the winner will be announced on December 7 or 8 at the annual Home Depot College Football Awards show on ESPN.

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In addition to being named to the Wuerffel Trophy watch list, Ellies has also been named to the AFCA Good Works Team watch list.

The Wuerffel Trophy has been presented annually since 2005 when LSU center Rudy Niswanger received the inaugural award. No Penn State player has ever won the award to date.

Last year’s winner of the Wuerffel Trophy was Florida State offensive lineman Dillan Gibbons.  The last Big Ten player to receive the award was Ohio State defensive lineman Joel Penton in 2006.

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