Record-breaking 197 student-athletes nominated for the 2025 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team
'I've been a part of this team, and these players aren't just showing up, they're standing out,' said Sam Acho, ESPN analyst, former NFL linebacker, author and 2010 Good Works Team member and Allstate Wuerffel Trophy recipient. 'Their commitment to service creates lasting change and inspires the next generation.'
Nominees' service spans mental health to homelessness
This year's nominees are tackling issues such as youth mentorship, mental wellness, homelessness and health care access. A few examples:
Charlie Pearson, Johns Hopkins, Offensive Line: A certified EMT who has responded to over 150 emergency calls while also mentoring youth, expanding access to nutritious food, and advocating for mental health and pediatric care.
Dylan Wheeler, Saint John's University (MN), Wide Receiver: Raised over $25,000 for Folds of Honor and helped provide nearly 100,000 meals for children through donations and seasonal fundraisers.
Michael Taaffe, University of Texas, Defensive Back: Founded Taaffe's Tackles for Fentanyl Awareness in memory of a friend, turning personal loss into a movement for education and support statewide.
Sonny Styles, Ohio State, Linebacker: Raised over $43,000 through an annual Sleep Out to support at-risk and homeless youth in Central Ohio, providing essential items and year-round advocacy.
Aamil Wagner, Notre Dame, Offensive Line: Leads initiatives at Notre Dame focused on personal growth and career readiness, advocates for rare disease awareness as president of Notre Dame's Uplifting Athletes chapter and builds connections through youth development programs.
Allstate and Wuerffel Foundation Elevate Impact
For the second year, Allstate is partnering with the Wuerffel Foundation to align two of college football's most meaningful honors: the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team and the Allstate Wuerffel Trophy. Together, they recognize student-athletes who demonstrate excellence in community service, academics and athletics.
'When nearly 200 young athletes choose to serve, it creates a ripple effect far beyond the game,' said Danny Wuerffel, former NFL quarterback, Heisman Trophy winner and College Football Hall of Famer for whom the Allstate Wuerffel Trophy is named. 'Their leadership in the community is just as worthy of recognition as their performance on the field.'
Team Roster Named this Fall
The final roster of 23 award recipients announced in September will bring together:
11 players from the NCAA FBS
11 players from the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), Divisions II, III and the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA)
1 honorary head coach
A voting panel of former Good Works Team members, head coaches and journalists select the team roster based on outstanding leadership on and off the field.
Meet the Full List of 2025 Nominees (alphabetically by college):
Football Bowl Subdivision (D-1)
Name
School
Ethan Johnson
Appalachian State University
Coben Bourguet
Arizona State University
Corey Rucker Jr.
Arkansas State University
Jeremiah Wright
Auburn University
Kiael Kelly
Ball State University
Sawyer Robertson
Baylor University
Marco Notarainni
Boise State University
Alex Broome
Boston College
Drew Pyne
Bowling Green State University
Tanner Wall
Brigham Young University
Michael Heldman
Central Michigan University
Adam Randall
Clemson University
Jayden Jackson
Coastal Carolina University
Chandler Rivers
Duke University
Marlon Gunn Jr.
East Carolina University
Jefferson Adam
Eastern Michigan University
Caden Veltkamp
Florida Atlantic University
Shamir Sterlin
Florida International University
Richie Leonard IV
Florida State University
Jordan Brown
Fresno State
Pichon Wimbley
Georgia Institute of Technology
Haynes King
Georgia Southern University
Fernando Mendoza
Indiana University Bloomington
Rocco Becht
Iowa State University
Blake Kendall
James Madison University
Damian Ilalio
Kansas State University
JeRico Washington, Jr.
Kennesaw State University
Mattheus Carroll
Kent State University
Elijah Auguste
Liberty University
Harold Perkins Jr.
Louisiana State University
Eli Finley
Louisiana Tech University
Toby Payne
Marshall University
Jordan Hall
Michigan State University
Nicholas Vattiato
Middle Tennessee State University
Jacoby Jackson
Mississippi State University
Allen Ortiz
New Mexico State University
Brandon Cleveland
North Carolina State University
Abiathar Curry
Northern Illinois University
Najee Story
Northwestern University
Koa Naotala
Old Dominion University
Dylan Black
Oregon State University
Cooper Cousins
Pennsylvania State University
Devin Mockobee
Purdue University
Plae Wyatt
Rice University
Jai Patel
Rutgers University
Taniela Latu
San Jose State University
Alexander Kilgore
Southern Methodist University
Sam Roush
Stanford University
Derek McDonald
Syracuse University
Willy Love
Temple University
Albert Regis
Texas A&M University
Paul Oyewale
Texas Christian University
Lincoln Pare
Texas State University
Behren Morton
Texas Tech University
Sonny Styles
The Ohio State University
Ty Thompson
Tulane University
Red Murdock
University at Buffalo
Keylen Davis
University of Akron
LT Overton
University of Alabama
Denver Warren
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Genesis Smith
University of Arizona
Cam Ball
University of Arkansas
Jeffery Johnson
University of California, Berkeley
Julian Armella
University of California, Los Angeles
Paul Rubelt
University of Central Florida
Gavin Gerhardt
University of Cincinnati
Charlie Offerdahl
University of Colorado Boulder
Jake Thaw
University of Delaware
DJ Lagway
University of Florida
Jordan Hall
University of Georgia
Logan Taylor
University of Hawaii
Kenenna Odeluga
University of Illinois
Gennings Dunker
University of Iowa
Leyton Cure
University of Kansas
Josh Kattus
University of Kentucky
Caden Jensen
University of Louisiana
Elijah Fisher
University of Louisiana at Monroe
Clev Lubin
University of Louisville
Ethan Gough
University of Maryland
Brock Taylor
University of Massachusetts Amherst
Donovan Mathena
University of Memphis
Francis Mauigoa
University of Miami
Anthony Smith
University of Minnesota
Diego Pounds
University of Mississippi
Connor Tollison
University of Missouri
Teddy Prochazka
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Cameron Friel
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Will Hardy
University of North Carolina
Braden Mullen
University of North Carolina, Charlotte
Landon Sides
University of North Texas
Aamil Wagner
University of Notre Dame
Robert Spears-Jennings
University of Oklahoma
Matthew Bedford
University of Oregon
Eli Holstein
University of Pittsburgh
Devin Voisin
University of South Alabama
Oscar Adaway III
University of South Carolina
Christian Helms
University of South Florida
Anthony Beavers Jr.
University of Southern California
Braylon Braxton
University of Southern Mississippi
Bryson Eason
University of Tennessee
Michael Taaffe
University of Texas
Tyron McDuffie III
University of Texas at El Paso
Camron Cooper
University of Texas at San Antonio
Matt Hofer
University of Toledo
Stephen Kittleman
University of Tulsa
Devon Dampier
University of Utah
Stevie Bracey
University of Virginia
Zach Durfee
University of Washington
Ricardo Hallman
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Evan Svoboda
University of Wyoming
Bronson Olevao Jr.
Utah State University
Tyson Flowers
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Zamari Stevenson
Wake Forest University
Zevi Eckhaus
Washington State University
Nicco Marchiol
West Virginia University
Marshall Jackson
Western Kentucky University
Tyson Lee
Western Michigan University
Expand
Combined Divisions (FSC, D-II, D-III & NAIA)
Name
School
Carter St. John
Alma College
Jaden Cook
Ashland University
Chandler Kirton
Austin Peay State University
Jackson Dooley
Benedictine College
Christian Lewis
Berry College
Devin Williams
Bethel University
Terian Williams II
Bucknell University
Mark Biggins
Campbell University
Mitchell Stokey
Carnegie Mellon University
Will Campbell
Carroll University
Jaylen Hinton
Catawba College
Nick Bandy
Central College
Mark Chapman
Columbia University
Adam Van Cleave
Concordia University, Nebraska
Cole Paulson
Dakota State University
Mikah Kent
Davidson College
Canyon Schneider
Denison University
Sean McTaggart
East Stroudsburg University
Nolan Ulm
Eastern Washington University
Carter Sido
Hampden-Sydney College
Ryan Osborne
Harvard University
Auvic White
Hendrix College
Connor Pratt
Hillsdale College
Isaiah Courtois
Indiana Wesleyan University
Owen Schuckert
John Carroll University
Charlie Pearson
Johns Hopkins University
Rene Barber
Marist University
Tristen Hall
McMurry University
Erick Hunter
Morgan State University
Lennx Brown
Morningside University
Bryson Ruddy
North Carolina A&T State University
Logan Kopp
North Dakota State University
Alani Ma'afu
Northern Arizona University
Massimo Vliet
Oberlin College
Louis Blasiole
Ohio Northern University
Josh Hurst
Ohio Wesleyan University
Evan Haynie
Princeton University
Dylan Wheeler
Saint John's University (Minn.)
Michael Henwood
Slippery Rock University
Adedokun Alarape
South Dakota Mines
DJ Brown
Southeastern Oklahoma State University
Casey Cobb
Southern Arkansas University
Tyler Pohlman
Springfield College
Kasyus Kurns
Tarleton State University
Matthew Iwamizu
The College of Idaho
Donovon Jackson
The College of Wooster
Caleb Bayer
Trinity University
Hunter Ridley
UC Davis
Giovanni Kennedy
University of Mount Union
Simon Romfo
University of North Dakota
Levi Johnson
University of Northern Colorado
Will Bergin
University of Pennsylvania
Hayden Teeter
University of Puget Sound
Brian Catanzarite
University of Richmond
Traveon Newsome
University of the Incarnate Word
Chris Dobrydney
Villanova University
Fred Ware
Washington University in St. Louis
Dominic Rienzi
Western Connecticut State University
Dylan Sleva
Westminster College (Pa.)
Jalen Jones
William & Mary
Daylin Lee
Winston-Salem State University
Mario Getaw
Wittenberg University
Mason Shipp
Yale University
Expand
Head Coach
Name
School
Jeff Monken
Army West Point
Spencer Danielson
Boise State University
Jeff Lebby
Mississippi State University
Gary Fasching
Saint John's University (Minn.)
Fran Brown
Syracuse University
Todd Whitten
Tarleton State University
K.C. Keeler
Temple University
Kris McCullough
The University of Texas Permian Basin
Kory Allen
University of Findlay
Willie Fritz
University of Houston
Bret Bielema
University of Illinois
Ryan Silverfield
University of Memphis
Brent Venables
University of Oklahoma
Shane Beamer
University of South Carolina
Alex Golesh
University of South Florida
Chris Winter
Wartburg College
Expand
About the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team
The Allstate AFCA Good Works Team was established in 1992 by the College Football Association, recognizing the extra efforts made by college football players and student support staff off the field. AFCA became the governing body of the award in 1997 and continues to honor college football players who go the extra mile for those in need. Allstate worked to present the award starting with the 2008 season.
The Southeastern Conference (SEC) leads all conferences with 89 selections to the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team since it began in 1992. The SEC is followed by the Atlantic Coast Conference with 55 selections and the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference with 43 selections. Georgia is in first place with 24 honorees to the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team. The Bulldogs are followed by Kentucky and Bethel (Minn.) with 18 honorees.
About the AFCA
The American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) was founded in 1922 and currently has more than 11,000 members around the world ranging from the high school level to the professional ranks. According to its constitution, the AFCA was formed, in part, to 'maintain the highest possible standards in football and in the coaching profession' and to 'provide a forum for the discussion and study of all matters pertaining to football.'
For more information about the AFCA, visit www.AFCA.com. If you are interested in more in-depth articles and videos, please become an AFCA member. You can find out more information about membership and specific member benefits on the AFCA Membership Overview page. If you are ready to join, please fill out the AFCA Membership Request Form.
About the Wuerffel Foundation
The Wuerffel Foundation is dedicated to supporting Danny Wuerffel's mission to inspire greater service and unity in the world, built on the three values of excellence, service and humility. As a recognized humanitarian, Danny mentors community leaders and connects them with philanthropic resources. The foundation annually presents the prestigious Allstate Wuerffel Trophy, college football's premier award for community service, and hosts the Desire Cup and PickleBowl events.
About the Allstate Wuerffel Trophy
The Allstate Wuerffel Trophy, a member of the National College Football Awards Association, is college football's premier award for community service. The trophy is presented annually by the Wuerffel Foundation to the FBS player who best combines exemplary community service with leadership and performance on and off the field. Named after Heisman Trophy winner and College Football Hall of Famer, Danny Wuerffel, the award honors his commitment to inspiring greater service and unity in the world. Established in 2005, the Wuerffel Trophy is celebrating its 21st anniversary this year. Wuerffel led the University of Florida to four SEC Championships and the 1996 National Championship. As a humanitarian, he continues to inspire leaders to positively impact their communities. Danny currently serves as President of the Wuerffel Foundation and Executive Director of Desire Street Ministries. An avid pickleball player, he was drafted as a professional within the National Pickleball League and hosts celebrity pro-am 'PickleBowl' tournaments.
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