Ole Miss Football vs Boise State during the 2014 Chick-Fil-A Kickoff Game at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, GA.
FORT WALTON BEACH, Fla. – Former Heisman Trophy winner Danny Wuerffel announced Tuesday that the winner of the 2014 Wuerffel Trophy is Ole Miss linebacker Deterrian Shackelford.
The All Sports Association presents the Wuerffel Trophy to the Football Bowl Subdivision football player who best exhibits exemplary community service.
“It’s hard for me to express how excited I am to announce Deterrian Shackelford as the 2014 Wuerffel Trophy winner,” said Wuerffel. “This young man truly exemplifies not only all that is good about football, but the important and positive aspects of life.”
Shackelford has two degrees from the University of Mississippi, a bachelor’s degree in history and a master’s degree in higher education, and has continued taking graduate classes this fall. The Decatur, Alabama, native has helped lead two mission trips to Haiti and Panama while also mentoring local youth. He has been actively involved in the Oxford community, helping lead efforts to fight hunger and raise funds for cancer research. He is also a highly sought-after speaker for school, community and church groups. The Rebels’ starting middle linebacker is a five-time selection to the SEC Academic Honor Roll, a two-time semifinalist for the National Football Foundation Scholar-Athlete Award, a two-time member of the SEC Community Service Team, and all while currently helping Ole Miss to lead the nation in scoring defense, as the Rebels allow just 13.8 points per game to opposing teams.
This is the 10th anniversary of the Wuerffel Trophy, an award named after Wuerffel, the 1996 Heisman Trophy winner who led the Florida Gators to the 1996 national championship, played six years in the National Football League and has received national recognition for his humanitarian and community service efforts with Desire Street Ministries, in New Orleans and around the country.
The 2014 Wuerffel Trophy will be presented to the winner at the All Sports Association’s 46th Annual Awards Banquet on February 13, 2015, in Fort Walton Beach. For more information on the Wuerffel Trophy, visit www.wuerffeltrophy.org.
About the Wuerffel Trophy:
The Wuerffel Trophy is college football’s premier award for community service. The All Sports Association presents the Wuerffel Trophy to the Football Bowl Subdivision football player who best exhibits exemplary community service, along with qualifying academic and athletic achievement. As the trophy namesake, Danny Wuerffel embodies the three categories of the award: Community Service, Academics and Athletics. Past winners of the Wuerffel Trophy are: 2013 Gabe Ikard, University of Oklahoma; 2012 Matt Barkley, University of Southern California; 2011 Barrett Jones, University of Alabama; 2010 Sam Acho, University of Texas; 2009 Tim Hiller, Western Michigan University; 2008 Tim Tebow, University of Florida; 2007 Paul Smith, University of Tulsa; 2006 Joel Penton, Ohio State University; and 2005 Rudy Niswanger, Louisiana State University.