Spartan Football Star Getting Recognition for What Matters Most: Off the Field. College football’s preeminent community service award recognizes student-athletes for off the field achievements

NORTHBROOK, Ill., July 14, 2015 – Allstate Insurance Company and the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) today announced an all-time high 197 nominees for the 2015 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team®, the most esteemed off the field honor in college football. For 24 years, the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team® has recognized college football players from across the country who exemplifies a superior commitment to community service and volunteerism.

Since its inception in 1992, the award highlights the “good” taking place off the football field. The select group of student-athletes nominated for this award by their respective colleges and universities are able to balance academics and athletics while remaining committed to helping others and bettering their communities.

“For the third year in a row, we have received a record-breaking number of Allstate AFCA Good Works Team® nominees, an indication that the bar continues to be raised for the character on display in college football,” said Jim Haskins, Executive Vice President, Allstate Brand Distribution and a member of the 2015 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team® voting panel. “Allstate is proud to join the AFCA in recognizing this amazing group of student-athletes for the positive impact they are making on their communities.”

While remarkable on the field performances are praised each weekend, these individuals’ off the field accomplishments far exceed touchdowns and tackles. From traveling overseas to support third-world countries to raising thousands of dollars for kidney cancer research, these remarkable student-athletes have utilized their minimal free time in an impactful way, earning them national recognition.

"It’s very rewarding to see another record-setting year of nominees for the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team®,” AFCA Executive Director Grant Teaff said. "With Allstate’s help, this has become one of the most prestigious awards in college football, and one of the most important because it highlights some of the best student-athletes in the country who not only excel on the football field, but in their community service as well."

Comprised of 11 players from the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision and 11 players from the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision, Divisions II, III and the NAIA, the final roster of 22 award recipients will be unveiled in September. From the nominees submitted by sports information directors across the nation on behalf of their schools, a special voting panel consisting of former Allstate AFCA Good Works Team® members and prominent college football media members will select the 2015 Good Works Team.®

The 2015 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team® voting panel includes: former Good Works Team® members Zaid Abdul-Aleem (Duke, 1994 team), Matt Stinchcomb (Georgia, 1997, 1998 teams), Brian Brenberg (St. Thomas, 2001 team), Mike Proman (Amherst, 2002 team); media members Kirk Herbstreit (ESPN), Bruce Feldman (Fox Sports), Blair Kerkhoff (Kansas City Star); current AFCA President and University of Cincinnati head coach Tommy Tuberville; 1987 AFCA President and former head coach at Brigham Young University LaVell Edwards; and Jim Haskins, Executive Vice President, Allstate Brand Distribution.

Once the final team members are announced in September, fans are encouraged to visit the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team® website on ESPN.com, featuring profiles and images of the players, for the opportunity to vote for the 2015 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team® Captain.

In order to meet the criteria set forth by Allstate and the AFCA, each player must be actively involved with a charitable organization or service group while maintaining a strong academic standing.

The following players have been nominated for consideration to be named to the 2015 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team ®.

Football Bowl Subdivision

Arizona State University – James Johnson

Arkansas State University – Fredi Knighten

Auburn University – Jonathan Wallace

Ball State University – Jacob Richard

Boise State University – Shane Williams-Rhodes

Brigham Young University – Bronson Kaufusi

California State University, Fresno – Justin Northern

Central Michigan University – Nick Beamish

Clemson University – Eric Mac Lain

Colorado State University – Trent Matthews

Duke University – Kelby Brown

Georgia Institute of Technology – D.J. White

Georgia Southern University – Matt Dobson

Georgia State University – Keith Rucker

Indiana University – Nate Sudfeld

Iowa State University – Levi Peters

Kansas State University – Stanton Weber

Kent State University – Jordan Italiano

Louisiana State University – Jamie Keehn

Marshall University – Tyler Williams

Michigan State University – Josiah Price

Middle Tennessee State University – Darius Johnson

Mississippi State University – Taveze Calhoun

North Carolina State University – Mike Rose

Northern Illinois University – Cameron Clinton-Earl

Northwestern University – Max Chapman

Ohio State University – Joshua Perry

Old Dominion University – Tyler Compton

Penn State University – Ben Kline

Rice University – Driphus Jackson

Rutgers University – Quentin Gause

Southern Methodist University – Cameron Smith

Stanford University – Dallas Lloyd

Syracuse University – Hernz Laguerre

Temple University – Hershey Walton

Texas A&M University – Julien Obioha

Texas Christian University – Joey Hunt

Texas Tech University – Justis Nelson

Tulane University – Richard Carthon

U.S. Naval Academy (Navy) – Myer Krah

University of Akron – Christian Allen

University of Alabama – O.J. Howard

University of Arizona – Casey Skowron

University of California – Stefan McClure

University of California Los Angeles – Jake Brendel

University of Connecticut – Andreas Knappe

University of Georgia – Malcolm Mitchell

University of Houston – Adrian McDonald

University of Iowa – Jordan Lomax

University of Kentucky – Landon Foster

University of Louisville – James Burgess

University of Maryland – Andrew Zeller

University of Massachusetts – Blake Frohnapfel

University of Memphis – Wynton McManis

University of Miami – Deon Bush

University of Michigan – Joe Bolden

University of Minnesota – Peter Mortell

University of Mississippi – Evan Engram

University of Nebraska – Sam Burtch

University of New Mexico – Garrett Adcock

University of North Carolina – Shakeel Rashad

University of Notre Dame – Corey Robinson

University of Oklahoma – Nila Kasitati

University of Pittsburgh – James Conner

University of South Alabama – Terrance Timmons

University of South Carolina – Elliott Fry

University of South Florida – Sean Price

University of Southern California – Cody Kessler

University of Tennessee – Joshua Dobbs

University of Texas at El Paso – Aaron Jones

University of Toledo – Alex Zmolik

University of Utah – Kenneth Scott

University of Virginia – Demetrious Nicholson

University of Wisconsin – Vince Biegel

Wake Forest University – Ryan Janvion

Washington State University – Jeremiah Allison

West Virginia University – Karl Joseph