UNLV football’s Woodard nominee for two national community service awards

Posted by author July 18, 2024 Football

Content provide by UNLV

LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) – UNLV senior linebacker Jackson Woodard is a member of the nominees list for the AFCA Good Works Team and coveted Wuerffel Trophy, award organizers announced Wednesday.

Woodard is one of 111 FBS nominees vying for a spot on the 2024 American Football Coaches Association Good Works Team. The award recognizes a select group of college football players who have made a commitment to service and enriching the lives of others.

Woodard, who is a graduate student after earning his bachelor’s degree from UNLV in May, last week was named 2024 Preseason Mountain West Co-Defensive Player of the Year after a 117-tackle junior season for the conference regular-season co-champion Rebels. Already the first First Team Academic All-American in UNLV football history, Woodard is a native of Little Rock, Arkansas, and a longtime leader in the community as well, including organizing a youth football camp in his hometown this summer and participating in multiple non-profit events leading up to Super Bowl LVIII hosted in Las Vegas.

The Allstate AFCA Good Works Team, established in 1992, is one of the most coveted community service awards in college football. The final roster of 23 award recipients announced in September will bring together 11 players from the FBS level. To be considered for a spot each player must be actively involved with a charitable organization or service group, while maintaining strong academic standing. All members are selected by a voting panel of former Allstate AFCA Good Works Team members, current and former head coaches and journalists who look for exceptional leadership on and off the football field.

The Rebels have had four players earn a spot on the exclusive team over the years: WR Casey Flair (2007), DE Leon Moore (2005), DB Jamaal Brimmer (2004) and OL Tony Terrell (2002).

The Allstate Wuerffel Trophy, college football’s premier individual award for community service, is presented annually 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 the former NFL quarterback’s commitment to inspiring greater service and unity in the world. The 2024 Allstate Wuerffel Trophy recipient will be selected by a national voting committee and announced on The Home Depot/ESPN College Football Awards Show in December. Only FBS players elected to the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team are eligible for the honor, which replaces the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team captain.

Nominations for the AFCA Good Works Team and Allstate Wuerffel Trophy are made by the respective universities’ sports information departments.

Under the direction of 2023 Mountain West Coach of the Year Barry Odom, Woodard and the Rebels will kick off their 57th season of football on August 31 by heading to Big 12 Conference member Houston at 4 p.m. PT on FS1 in the first of a school-record 11 national TV games. The home opener comes one week later when Utah Tech comes to Allegiant Stadium for a noon kickoff on September 7.

Season tickets, three-game mini-plans and single-game tickets for the six-game 2024 home schedule are available now by visiting unlvtickets.com or calling (702) 739-FANS (3267). For information on VIP premium club seats or suites at Allegiant Stadium, contact the Premium Sales office at premiumseating@unlv.edu or by calling (702) 895-0292.