Fred Warner named to 2017 Wuerffel Trophy watch list

FORT WALTON BEACH, Fla. —The Wuerffel Trophy today named BYU senior linebacker Fred Warner to its watch list for the 2017 Wuerffel Trophy, which honors the college football player who best combines exemplary community service with athletic and academic achievement.     

Warner has played in 36 career games with 25 starts at outside linebacker for the Cougars over three seasons. The 6-foot-4, 230-pound product of San Marcos, California, led BYU in total tackles with 86 in 2016. He continued to provide game-changing plays with three interceptions and two forced fumbles. He boasts six career interceptions, including a pair of pick-six touchdowns, while adding eight pass breakups, four fumble recoveries, two forced fumbles, 23 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks.

In addition to his on-field play, Warner has been a mainstay in team service events such as the True Blue Hero program and head coach Kalani Sitake’s More to Life Foundation. He’s also been a speaker at team firesides and has worked closely with youth in the community at several events.

Known as “College Football’s Premier Award for Community Service,” the Wuerffel Trophy is presented annually by the All Sports Association in Fort Walton Beach Florida.  The annual award is named after 1996 Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Danny Wuerffel from the University of Florida.  

Nine players return to the Watch List from 2016, including Blaise Taylor (Arkansas St.), Daniel Carlson (Auburn), Zack Golditch (Colo. St.), Alec Eberle (Fla. St.), Jeb Blazevich (Georgia), KeShun Freeman (Georgia Tech), Ryan Yurachek (Marshall), Drue Tranquill (Notre Dame) and Mason Rudolph (Oklahoma St.).

In all, 108 FBS players were nominated for the 2017 Wuerffel Trophy. Semifinalists for the award will be announced on Nov. 2 and finalists will be announced on November 22. The formal announcement of the 2017 recipient will be made at the National Football Foundation’s press conference in New York City on December 5.

The presentation of the 2017 Wuerffel Trophy will occur at the 49th Annual All Sports Association Awards Banquet on February 16, 2018 in Fort Walton Beach, Florida.

A National Selection Committee that includes college football television and print media, industry notables, former head coaches and prior Wuerffel Trophy recipients votes for the recipient of the Wuerffel Trophy.  

Past winners of the Wuerffel Trophy include Rudy Niswanger (LSU-2005), Joel Penton (Ohio State-2006), Paul Smith (Tulsa-2007), Tim Tebow (Florida-2008), Tim Hiller (W. Michigan-2009), Sam Acho (Texas-2010), Barrett Jones (Alabama-2011), Matt Barkley (USC-2012), Gabe Ikard (Oklahoma-2013), Deterrian Shackelford (Ole Miss-2014), Ty Darlington (Oklahoma-2015) and Trevor Knight (Texas A&M-2016).