From the ACC...
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (theACC.com) – The 2024 Allstate Wuerffel Trophy Watch List consisting of a record 111 nominees representing players from college football’s Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) was announced by the Wuerffel Foundation on Thursday, August 1. Sixteen student-athletes from the Atlantic Coast Conference were named to the trophy’s preseason watch list.
College Football’s Premier Award for Community Service and one of the most meaningful awards in collegiate sports, the Allstate Wuerffel Trophy is named after Danny Wuerffel, the 1996 Heisman Trophy winning quarterback from the University of Florida who parlayed his success on the football field into a lifetime of service. The Allstate Wuerffel Trophy embodies Wuerffel’s commitment to being a humanitarian while honoring student-athletes who are inspired to serve others and make positive impacts on society. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Trophy’s founding, and the Wuerffel Foundation will recognize the first 19 recipients throughout the fall season.
Representing the ACC on the preseason watch list for the trophy’s 20th year are senior defensive end Donovan Ezeiruaku of Boston College, junior running back Jaydn Ott of Cal, senior linebacker Barrett Carter of Clemson, senior offensive lineman Maurice Smith of Florida State, junior defensive back Clayton Powell-Lee of Georgia Tech, senior defensive lineman Ashton Gillotte of Louisville, sophomore defensive back Jaden Harris of Miami, graduate student rush defensive end Kaimon Rucker of North Carolina, junior defensive tackle Brandon Cleveland of NC State, graduate student linebacker Brandon George of Pitt, graduate student safety Jonathan McGill of SMU, graduate student linebacker Tristan Sinclair of Stanford, senior defensive back Justin Barron of Syracuse, junior placekicker Will Bettridge of Virginia, graduate student wide receiver Jaylin Lane of Virginia Tech and senior defensive lineman Justin Cody of Wake Forest.
Announced recently, the Wuerffel Foundation partnered with Allstate to unify college football’s highest community service honors. Eleven of the Watch List nominees will be named to the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team and will be Allstate Wuerffel Trophy semifinalists.
The 2024 Allstate Wuerffel Trophy finalists and recipient will be selected by an illustrious national voting committee, including a fan vote component, and will be announced on ESPN’s Home Depot College Football Awards show on December 12th. The Allstate Wuerffel Trophy Presentation Gala will take place on February 1, 2025, at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta.
ACC Representatives on the Allstate Wuerffel Trophy Watch List:
Name, School, Class, Position
Donovan Ezeiruaku, Boston College, Senior, DE
Jaydn Ott, Cal, Junior, RB
Barrett Carter, Clemson, Senior, LB
Maurice Smith, Florida State, Senior, OL
Clayton Powell-Lee, Georgia Tech, Junior, DB
Ashton Gillotte, Louisville, Senior, DL
Jaden Harris, Miami, Sophomore, DB
Kaimon Rucker, North Carolina, Graduate Student, RUSH
Brandon Cleveland, NC State, Junior, DT
Brandon George, Pitt, Graduate Student, LB
Jonathan McGill, SMU, Graduate Student, S
Tristan Sinclair, Stanford, Graduate Student, ILB
Justin Barron, Syracuse, Senior, DB
Will Bettridge, Virginia, Junior, PK
Jaylin Lane, Virginia Tech, Graduate Student, WR
Justin Cody, Wake Forest, Senior, DL
ACC Football Notes
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 20th 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.
About the NCFAA
Founded in 1997, the National College Football Awards Association includes college football’s most prestigious awards and its 24 awards have honored more than 900 recipients dating back to 1935. For more information about the NCFAA and its award programs, visit NCFAA.org or follow on X at @NCFAA.
ACC Well-Represented on 2024 Allstate Wuerffel Trophy Watch List
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (theACC.com) – The 2024 Allstate Wuerffel Trophy Watch List consisting of a record 111 nominees representing players from college football’s Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) was announced by the Wuerffel Foundation on Thursday, August 1. Sixteen student-athletes from the Atlantic Coast Conference were named to the trophy’s preseason watch list.
College Football’s Premier Award for Community Service and one of the most meaningful awards in collegiate sports, the Allstate Wuerffel Trophy is named after Danny Wuerffel, the 1996 Heisman Trophy winning quarterback from the University of Florida who parlayed his success on the football field into a lifetime of service. The Allstate Wuerffel Trophy embodies Wuerffel’s commitment to being a humanitarian while honoring student-athletes who are inspired to serve others and make positive impacts on society. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Trophy’s founding, and the Wuerffel Foundation will recognize the first 19 recipients throughout the fall season.
Representing the ACC on the preseason watch list for the trophy’s 20th year are senior defensive end Donovan Ezeiruaku of Boston College, junior running back Jaydn Ott of Cal, senior linebacker Barrett Carter of Clemson, senior offensive lineman Maurice Smith of Florida State, junior defensive back Clayton Powell-Lee of Georgia Tech, senior defensive lineman Ashton Gillotte of Louisville, sophomore defensive back Jaden Harris of Miami, graduate student rush defensive end Kaimon Rucker of North Carolina, junior defensive tackle Brandon Cleveland of NC State, graduate student linebacker Brandon George of Pitt, graduate student safety Jonathan McGill of SMU, graduate student linebacker Tristan Sinclair of Stanford, senior defensive back Justin Barron of Syracuse, junior placekicker Will Bettridge of Virginia, graduate student wide receiver Jaylin Lane of Virginia Tech and senior defensive lineman Justin Cody of Wake Forest.
Announced recently, the Wuerffel Foundation partnered with Allstate to unify college football’s highest community service honors. Eleven of the Watch List nominees will be named to the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team and will be Allstate Wuerffel Trophy semifinalists.
The 2024 Allstate Wuerffel Trophy finalists and recipient will be selected by an illustrious national voting committee, including a fan vote component, and will be announced on ESPN’s Home Depot College Football Awards show on December 12th. The Allstate Wuerffel Trophy Presentation Gala will take place on February 1, 2025, at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta.
ACC Representatives on the Allstate Wuerffel Trophy Watch List:
Name, School, Class, Position
Donovan Ezeiruaku, Boston College, Senior, DE
Jaydn Ott, Cal, Junior, RB
Barrett Carter, Clemson, Senior, LB
Maurice Smith, Florida State, Senior, OL
Clayton Powell-Lee, Georgia Tech, Junior, DB
Ashton Gillotte, Louisville, Senior, DL
Jaden Harris, Miami, Sophomore, DB
Kaimon Rucker, North Carolina, Graduate Student, RUSH
Brandon Cleveland, NC State, Junior, DT
Brandon George, Pitt, Graduate Student, LB
Jonathan McGill, SMU, Graduate Student, S
Tristan Sinclair, Stanford, Graduate Student, ILB
Justin Barron, Syracuse, Senior, DB
Will Bettridge, Virginia, Junior, PK
Jaylin Lane, Virginia Tech, Graduate Student, WR
Justin Cody, Wake Forest, Senior, DL
ACC Football Notes
- The ACC is the Conference of Quarterbacks, with the return of full-time starters Thomas Castellanos at Boston College, Cade Klubnik at Clemson, Grayson Loftis at Duke, Haynes King at Georgia Tech, Preston Stone at SMU, and Kyron Drones at Virginia Tech, and transfers DJ Uiagalelei at Florida State, Tyler Shough at Louisville, Cam Ward at Miami, Grayson McCall at NC State, and Kyle McCord at Syracuse among others.
- ACC had 10 quarterbacks named to the Maxwell Award preseason watch list, no other conference had more.
- ACC has the top-ranked group of quarterback transfers in 2024 by CBS Sports.
- 13 QBs in the league enter the 2024 season with over 20 career touchdown passes and 3,500 career passing yards.
- Eight quarterbacks from ACC schools are projected to start Week 1 in the 2024 NFL season — 25 percent of NFL teams.
- Since 2018, the ACC has had at least one quarterback drafted in the first round in five different drafts — the only conference to do that.
- The ACC’s non-conference schedule continues to be the most challenging in the country.
- 27 games against Power 4 opponents, including Notre Dame, the most of any conference.
- Nine non-conference games against teams ranked in the final 2023 Associated Press Top 25 Poll, the most of any conference.
- 10 non-conference games against teams in ESPN’s 2024 Way-Too-Early Top 25, the most of any conference.
- ACC Features Elite Coaching Leadership
- Six ACC head coaches were named to the 2024 Dodd Trophy Preseason Watch List, as announced by the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation and the Peach Bowl, no other conference had more.
- Two of the three active coaches to win a national title reside in the ACC - Dabo Swinney led Clemson to national titles in 2016 and 2018. North Carolina’s Mack Brown won a national title at Texas in 2005.
- The 2024 ACC Football Championship Game will kick off in primetime at 8 p.m. ET on ABC on Saturday, Dec. 7, at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina.
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 20th 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.
About the NCFAA
Founded in 1997, the National College Football Awards Association includes college football’s most prestigious awards and its 24 awards have honored more than 900 recipients dating back to 1935. For more information about the NCFAA and its award programs, visit NCFAA.org or follow on X at @NCFAA.
