Organizers for the Wuerffel Trophy announced today that Clemson running back Darien Rencher has been named as one of 93 players on the watch list for the 2021 Wuerffel Trophy. Additional information from award organizers is included below.
FORT WALTON BEACH, Fla. – July 29, 2021 – The Wuerffel Trophy, College Football’s Premier Award for Community Service, today announced its watch list of 93 players from college football’s Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS).
Named after 1996 Heisman Trophy winning quarterback from the University of Florida, Danny Wuerffel, the Wuerffel Trophy is presented in February annually in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. The trophy exists to honor college football players who serve others, celebrate their positive impact on society, and inspire greater service in the world.
Notable returnees to the Watch List include 2020 semifinalists Michael Saffell (University of California), Mac Brown (University of Mississippi) and Mike Caliendo (Western Michigan University), along with Isaiah Sanders (Stanford University) who was a 2019 finalist at the United States Air Force Academy. For a full look at the 2021 Wuerffel Trophy Preseason Watch List, please click HERE.
Nominations for the Wuerffel Trophy are made by the respective universities’ Sports Information Departments and will close on October 15. An up to date list of nominees can be found at www.wuerffeltrophy.org beginning on August 1. Semifinalists for the award will be announced on November 2 and finalists will be announced on November 22.
The formal announcement of the 2021 recipient will be made on December 9 and the presentation of the 2021 Wuerffel Trophy will occur in February 2022 in Fort Walton Beach.
Past recipients of the award are: Rudy Niswanger – Louisiana State University – 2005; Joel Penton – Ohio State University – 2006; Paul Smith – University of Tulsa – 2008; Tim Tebow – University of Florida – 2008; Tim Hiller – Western Michigan University – 2009; Sam Acho – University of Texas – 2010; Barrett Jones – University of Alabama – 2011; Matt Barkley – University of Southern California – 2012; Gabe Ikard – University of Oklahoma – 2013; Deterrian Shackelford – University of Mississippi – 2014; Ty Darlington – University of Oklahoma – 2015; Trevor Knight – Texas A&M University – 2016; Courtney Love – University of Kentucky; 2017; Drue Tranquill - University of Notre Dame; 2018; Jon Wassink - Western Michigan University – 2019; Teton Saltes – University of New Mexico – 2020.
The Wuerffel Trophy is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA), which encompasses the most prestigious awards in college football. Founded in 1997, the NCFAA and its 25 awards now boast more than 800 recipients, dating back to 1935. The members of the NCFAA are unveiling their preseason watch lists over a two-week period this month. Sixteen of the association’s 25 awards select a preseason watch list and the NCFAA has spearheaded a coordinated effort to promote each award’s preseason candidates.
The Wuerffel Trophy is supported by its corporate partners Dart Container Corporation/Solo Cup and Herff Jones.
