The Wuerffel Trophy organization announced today that Clemson offensive lineman Sean Pollard has been named to its 2019 watch list. The full watch list and additional information from Wuerffel Trophy organizers are included below.
FORT WALTON BEACH, Fla. – July 25, 2019 – The Wuerffel Trophy, presented by Chick-fil-A Foundation® announced its Watch List today of 91 players from college football’s Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS).
The Wuerffel Trophy, known as “College Football’s Premier Award for Community Service,” is presented each February in Fort Walton Beach. Named after 1996 Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Danny Wuerffel from the University of Florida, the Wuerffel Trophy is awarded to the FBS player that best combines exemplary community service with athletic and academic achievement.
The SEC led all conferences with 14 players appearing on the 2019 watch list. Following the SEC is the PAC 12 with 12 players, the ACC with 10 and the Mountain West Conference with 10 players each and the Sun Belt Conference and Conference USA with 9 players each. The MAC, Big Ten Conference and Big 12 Conference submitted 7 players for consideration, while the American Athletic Conference had 34players named to the list. All FBS Conferences are represented on the list, as were Independent representative Notre Dame and BYU (Army) with 1 nominee each.
10 players return to the Watch List from 2018. They are: Malcolm Holland (Arizona), Derrick Brown (Auburn), Sean Pollard (Clemson), Adam Prentice (Colorado State), Rodrigo Blankenship (Georgia), Matt Bahr (Kent State), Deuce Wallace (Louisiana), Blake Ferguson (LSU), Justin Herbert (Oregon) and Darren Woods, Jr. (UNLV).
2019 WUERFFEL TROPHY PRESEASON WATCH LIST (LISTED ALPHABETICALLY BY UNIVERSITY)
Isaiah Sanders, Air Force, Senior, QBChris Owens, Alabama, Junior, OLDarrynton Evans, App State, Junior, RBMalcolm Holland, Arizona, Senior, DBEno Benjamin, Arizona State, Junior, RBKyle Williams, Arizona State, Senior, WRT.J. Smith, Arkansas, Senior, DLTajhea Chambers, Arkansas State, Junior, LBDerrick Brown, Auburn, Senior, DLKole Bailey, Boise State, Junior, OLGabe Skrobot, Bowling Green State, Junior, LSMatt Otwinowski, Buffalo, Senior, LBUriah Leiataua, BYU, Junior, DLMichael Saffell, Cal, Junior, OLTyriq Harris, Charlotte, Senior, DLSean Pollard, Clemson, Senior, OLSilas Kelly, Coastal Carolina, Junior, LBAdam Prentice, Colorado State, Junior, RBKoby Quansah, Duke, Senior, LBBrody Hoying, Eastern Michigan, Senior, DBJames Morgan, FIU, Senior, QBTyrie Cleveland, Florida, Senior, WRDeCalon Brooks, Florida State, Sophomore, LBRodrigo Blankenship, Georgia, Senior, KRashad Byrd, Georgia Southern, Senior, LBJahaziel Lee, Georgia Tech, Senior, DLKiamana Padello, Hawai’i, Senior, DLBobby Walker, Illinois, Senior, TENick Westbrook, Indiana, Senior, WRRay Lima, Iowa State, Senior, DLDenzel Goolsby, Kansas State, Senior, DBMatt Bahr, Kent State, Senior, LBLandon Young, Kentucky, Junior, OLDeuce Wallace, Louisiana, Senior, BDBlake Ferguson, LSU, Senior, LSBrenden Knox, Marshall, Sophomore, RBNoah Barnes, Maryland, Junior, TEZach McCloud, Miami, Senior, LBJack Sorenson, Miami (Ohio), Junior, WRCole Chewins, Michigan State, Senior, OLKhalil Brooks, Middle Tennessee, Senior, LBWinston DeLattiboudere, Minnesota, Senior, DLKobe Jones, Mississippi State, Junior, DLKhalil Oliver, Missouri, Senior, DBJames Smith-Williams, N.C. State, Senior, DLLucas Weber, Nevada, Senior, LBTeton Saites, New Mexico, Junior, OLJosh Adkins, New Mexico State, Sophomore, QBJalen Elliott, Notre Dame, Senior, DBMufu Tiawo, Old Dominion, Senior, DLMac Brown, Ole Miss, Junior, PJustin Herbert, Oregon, Senior, QBDallas Warmack, Oregon, Senior, OLAndrzej Hughes-Murray, Oregon State, Senior, LBTre Tipton, Pittsburgh, Senior, WRNick Leverett, Rice, Senior, OLJosh Love, San Jose State, Senior, QBTyler Page, SMU, Junior, WRBrian Ankerson, South Alabama, Junior, OLSpencer Eason-Riddle, South Carolina, Junior, LBTreyjohn Butler, Stanford, Senior, DBAndrew Armstrong, Syracuse, Senior, LBKellton Hollins, TCU, Junior, OLMatt Hennessy, Temple, Junior, OLRyan Johnson, Tennessee, Junior, OLTrey Smith, Tennessee, Junior, OLSam Ehlinger, Texas, Junior, QBHunter “Hutch” White, Texas State, Senor, WR/STTravis Bruffy, Texas Tech, Senior, OLBryce Harris, Toledo, Senior, OLB.J. Smith, Troy, Senior, RBJordan Johnson, UCF, Senior, OLDarren Woods, Jr., UNLV, Senior, WRMichael Pittman, USC, Senior, WRBritain Covey, Utah, Junior, WRDominik Eberle, Utah State, Senior, KDerron Gatewood, UTEP, Senior, OLAndrew Martel, UTSA, Senior, LBAndre Mintze, Vanderbilt, Junior, LBBryce Hall, Virginia, Senior, DBCade Carney, Wake Forest, Senior, RBNick Harris, Washington, Senior, OLEvan Staley, West Virginia, Junior, KTyler Witt, Western Kentucky, Junior, OLJon Wassink, Western Michigan, Senior, QBChris Orr, Wisconsin, Senior, LB
Nominations for the Wuerffel Trophy are made by the respective universities’ Sports Information Departments and will close on October 15. A current list of nominees can be found at www.wuerffeltrophy.org beginning on August 1. Semifinalists for the award will be announced on November 5 and finalists will be announced on November 18.
The formal announcement of the 2019 recipient will be made at the National Football Foundation’s festivities in New York City on December 10. The presentation of the 2019 Wuerffel Trophy will occur at the 51st All Sports Association Awards Banquet on February 14, 2020 in Fort Walton Beach.
Past winners of the award are: Rudy Niswanger – LSU – 2005; Joel Penton – Ohio State – 2006; Paul Smith – Tulsa – 2008; Tim Tebow – Florida – 2008; Tim Hiller – Western Michigan – 2009; Sam Acho – Texas – 2010; Barrett Jones – Alabama – 2011; Matt Barkley – USC – 2012; Gabe Ikard – Oklahoma – 2013; Deterrian Shackelford – Ole Miss – 2014; Ty Darlington – Oklahoma – 2015; Trevor Knight – Texas A&M – 2016; Courtney Love – Kentucky – 2017; Drue Tranquill – Notre Dame – 2018.
