FORT WALTON BEACH, Fla. — The Wuerffel Trophy announced Thursday a record number of 104 college Football Bowl Subdivision player nominees, including BYU senior linebacker Fred Warner, for consideration of the 2017 trophy that recognizes community service as well as athletic and academic achievement.
Warner has played in 43 career games with 32 starts at outside linebacker for the Cougars over four seasons.The 6-foot-4, 230-pound product of San Marcos, California, led BYU in total tackles with 86 in 2016.He continued to provide game-changing plays with three interceptions and two forced fumbles that season. He boasts six career interceptions, including a pair of pick-six touchdowns, while adding 10 pass breakups, five fumble recoveries, three forced fumbles, 29 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks.
In addition to his on-field play, Warner has been a mainstay in team service events such as the True Blue Hero program and head coach Kalani Sitake’s More to Life Foundation. He’s also been a speaker at team firesides and has worked closely with youth in the community at several events.
Known as “College Football’s Premier Award for Community Service,” the Wuerffel Trophy is presented annually by the All Sports Association in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. The annual award 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 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. The American Athletic Conference and the MAC both submitted 11 nominees. 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 the finalists 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, Florida.
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 towww.NCFAA.org.