AFCA recognizes Empey as Good Works Team candidate

NORTHBROOK, Ill. – In the 30th year of this storied recognition, Allstate and the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) today announced official nominees for the 2021 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team®, recognizing BYU center James Empey as one of 67 FBS candidates for the prestigious team. 

Overall, 109 student-athletes from across all NCAA divisions were nominated with stories of exemplary community service, alongside their academic dedication and impact on and off the field.

“I am inspired by these future community leaders and their dedication to improving the world around them. Despite their already busy schedules, these young men have stepped up as champions for change after an unprecedented year,” said Terrance Williams, general manager and executive vice president of Allstate agency sales and the newest member of the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team selection committee. “Allstate takes great pride in our partnership with the AFCA, and we are honored to recognize these players and highlight their stories, which too often tend to go unnoticed.”  

A team captain and leader on the offensive line for the Cougars, Empey has started in all 34 games he has played over the past three seasons and enters 2021 as a preseason All-American. He has also been an active leader helping serve others off the field, including working with head coach Kalani Sitake's More to Life Foundation in California and New York over the years. A regular volunteer in the community, Empey organized BYU Football's involvement with the My Tiny Hero program locally in Utah, raising awareness for congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH). In the classroom, Empey is a two-time CoSIDA Academic All-District selection who recently graduated with a 3.84 GPA as a finance major with a minor in nonprofit management.

Former BYU quarterback Riley Nelson was selected as one of the 11 members of the 2010 Allstate AFCA Good WorksTeam.

"Each year, I am amazed by the caliber of these nominees because their philanthropic efforts continuously raise the bar for how we should all be champions of our communities. I am humbled to help tell their stories, and they should be proud to have been nominated for such a prestigious award," said Tim Tebow, two-time national champion, Heisman Trophy winner and 2009 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team member. “These players embody the spirit of a true champion.”

Selection Process and Panel

The final 22-member team and honorary coach are selected by a voting panel of former Allstate AFCA Good Works Team members and journalists. They look for players who demonstrate exceptional leadership on and off the football field.

In addition to Tebow and Williams, the 2021 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team selection panel members are: Zaid Abdul-Aleem (Duke, 1994 team); Matt Stinchcomb (Georgia, 1997, 1998); Brian Brenberg (St. Thomas, 2001); Mike Proman (Amherst, 2002); Wes Counts (Middle Tennessee State, 1999); media members Kirk Herbstreit (ESPN), Blair Kerkhoff (Kansas City Star) and Paul Myerberg (USA Today); 2021 AFCA President and Northwestern University Head Coach Pat Fitzgerald; and 2001 AFCA President and current Athletic Director at Virginia Union University Joe Taylor.

Public Voting Phase

After the final team members are announced in September, fans can cast their vote for this year’s Allstate AFCA Good Works Team captain through the official page on ESPN.com. Fans can use #GoodWorksTeam on their social media channels to join the conversation throughout the season.

“The AFCA has proudly partnered with Allstate to honor football student-athletes who volunteer their time and energy to give back,” AFCA Executive Director Todd Berry said. “These nominees serve as examples to their fellow student-athletes and members of their community, proving that selfless acts will enrich the lives of people they know and don’t know, acting as a true champion would.”

Nomination Criteria

Established in 1992, the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team is one of the most coveted community service awards in college football. From the 109 nominees, the final roster of 23 award recipients will bring together 11 players from the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision; 11 players from the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision, Divisions II, III and the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA); and one honorary head coach. To be considered for a spot on the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team, each player must be actively involved with a charitable organization or service group while maintaining a strong academic standing.

The 2021 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) Nominees: