Tag Archives: Football Writers Association of America

2021 Best Enterprise: Alex Scarborough, ESPN.com

by • 2021 Best Writing Contest • Tags: ,

By Alex Scarborough

ESPN.com

Nick Saban was a nobody then. His players’ first impression was that the ex-Houston Oilers assistant was kind of short. Truth be told, they got a Tony Danza vibe because of his deep tan, well-coiffed hair and wide-open shirt collar. But when Saban spoke in that first meeting — when he screamed about financial aid checks and threatened to kick players off the team — he had their attention. Soon, his training program would have them doubled over and dropping like flies.

“It reminded me of the Junction Boys,” said former tight end Vince Marrow. “I watched at least six or seven guys quit. They just couldn’t take it.”

Looking back 30 years on, Saban said he learned two important lessons during his one season at Toledo in 1990: motivation and game management. The latter was the hardest pill to swallow, though, as a mistake cost his team a win and the outright conference title. It’s something he carries with him today — one of those myriad details he pores over during every pregame meeting, before or after receiving scouting reports on the referees.

He learned, quite literally, which way the wind blows.

“We got the ball and went ‘two-minute’ down the field at the end,” Saban recalled of that game against Central Michigan, a 13-12 result on Oct. 20, 1990 — and his first career loss. “It was a one-point game and we lined up to kick a field goal of like 25 yards or something. We had a pretty good kicker, and the ball just got about 5 yards from the crossbar and just stopped in midair.”

He took a deep breath, reliving a loss that still haunts him, and continued.

“A lot of people remember the Bluegrass Miracle when I was at LSU. Well, we had the wind in the fourth quarter, and it was a significant 30 mph wind probably. And when we threw the Hail Mary, they couldn’t judge the ball because it just kept going and going and going, and that’s how we won.

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2021 Best Feature: Dave Wilson, ESPN.com

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By Dave Wilson

ESPN.com

In the late 1990s, at a benefit 30 miles away from his East Texas hometown of Tyler, Earl Campbell sat at a table while the party’s host, a colorful businessman and one of Campbell’s best friends, summoned sheepish onlookers to come say hello to the legend.

“Well, what are you waiting for? Get on over here,” he said. “Earl don’t get up.”

Campbell wasn’t aloof, wasn’t too cool to get up, despite the darkened Wayfarers that made him look cool. “Earl don’t get up” because he couldn’t.

Campbell was once seen as the baddest man on the planet. He left tacklers and pieces of his tearaway jersey on the field behind him. Off the field, he wore Wranglers and giant belt buckles and did Skoal commercials. He was declared an official State Hero in 1981 by the Texas legislature, an honor previously bestowed upon only Stephen F. Austin, Sam Houston and Davy Crockett.

As time went on and he was out of public view, Campbell broke down. At the Heisman Trophy ceremony, he remained in his seat while his fraternity brothers lined up on stage behind the winner. At Texas football games, he was always in a golf cart or riding on a scooter. Fans would pity him, muttering “Poor Earl,” as they tried to reconcile their love of football with Campbell being seen as a cautionary tale of its ravages.

But years later, he would discover through a decades-long medical odyssey, that was only part of the story.

“What happened over time is everybody just thinks I had football injuries,” says Campbell, who turned 65 in March. “They look at me and they think, ‘Oh, poor Earl.’ People really don’t know the truth about it.”

The truth came late to Campbell himself, which is why he hasn’t told this story in much detail before. Yet this year, he is deliberative as he relishes the biggest honor of a football life filled with so many of them. In July, the University of Texas announced it would immediately change the name of the football field at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium to Campbell-Williams Field to honor Campbell, who won the 1977 Heisman Trophy, and the Longhorns’ other Heisman winner, Ricky Williams (1998).

It is remarkable for several reasons. First, for how it happened: The field was previously named for Joe Jamail, a billionaire attorney and Texas mega-booster who was a close friend of Campbell’s. But amid a conversation about social justice led by Texas players on campus following George Floyd’s death in police custody in Minneapolis, Jamail’s three sons asked the university to remove their late father’s name and replace it with the names of the two Longhorns legends, replacing a wealthy booster’s name with two of the most prominent Black athletes in school history.

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FWAA-NFF Super 16 Poll, Week 2 

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Week 2: Games Played Through September 11, 2021

TEAMPOINTSFIRST-PLACE VOTESLAST WEEK’S RANK
1.Alabama (2-0)824461
2.Georgia (2-0)78062
3.Oklahoma (2-0)6854
4.Oregon (2-0)67012
5.Clemson (1-1)5926
6.Iowa (2-0)53113
7.Texas A&M (2-0)4905
8.Cincinnati (2-0)4288
9.Ohio State (1-1)4013
10.Penn State (2-0)35910
11.Florida (2-0)32711
12.Notre Dame (2-0)3137
13.UCLA (2-0)22515
14.Iowa State (1-1)819
T-15.Virginia Tech (2-0)76N/A
T-15.Ole Miss (2-0)76N/A

OTHERS RECEIVING VOTES:
Coastal Carolina (40), Wisconsin (38), Michigan (32), Arkansas (32), BYU (15), North Carolina (13), USC (7), UCF (7), Arizona State (6), Stanford (6), Auburn (4), TCU (4), Michigan State (3), Pittsburgh (2), Kentucky (2), Miami-FL (1), Liberty (1), Nevada (1).

Click here to see how individuals voted in this week’s poll.

NOTES:
Alabama and Georgia remained 1-2 in the second regular-season poll, but No. 3 Ohio State tumbled six places to No. 9 after suffering a home defeat to Oregon. The Ducks, No. 12 a week ago, jumped eight spots to No. 4 after notching an impressive 35-28 victory in Columbus.

After Ohio State’s defeat, Oklahoma moved into the third slot after dispatching Western Carolina. Iowa won an instate showdown against Iowa State and moved up seven spots to No. 6. Notre Dame dropped five spots to No. 12 after struggling to beat Toledo.

The rest of the poll had only minor changes, but two teams did drop out–USC and Texas. The Trojans were beaten by Stanford, and Texas lost on the road to Arkansas. Entering the poll for the first time this season are  Virginia Tech and  Ole Miss, tied at No. 15.

The SEC led all conferences with five teams, followed by the Big Ten with three and the Big 12, Pac-12 and ACC with two each. The American and Independents had one each.

THIS WEEK’S SCHEDULE: 

No. 1 Alabama at  No. 11 Florida
South Carolina at No. 2 Georgia
Nebraska at No. 3 Oklahoma
Stony Brook at No. 4 Oregon
Georgia Tech at No. 5 Clemson
Kent State at No. 6 Iowa
New Mexico at No. 7 Texas A&M
No, 8 Cincinnati at Indiana
Tulsa at No. 9 Ohio State
Auburn at No. 10 Penn State
Purdue at No. 12 Notre Dame
Fresno State at No.13 UCLA
No. 14 Iowa State at UNLV
No. 15 Virginia Tech at West Virginia
Tulane at No.15 Mississippi 

ABOUT THE FWAA-NFF SUPER 16 POLL: The FWAA-NFF Super 16 Poll was established at the conclusion of the 2013 season by long-time partners, the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) and the National Football Foundation (NFF). Voters rank the top 16 teams in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision, and the results will be released every Sunday of the 2021 season; the individual votes of all members will also be made public. The first regular season poll will be released on Tuesday, Sept. 7 (to account for Labor Day games), and the final poll will be released Sunday, Dec. 5. The pollsters consist of FWAA writers and College Football Hall of Famers who were selected to create a balanced-geographical perspective. The poll utilizes a computer program designed by Sports Systems to compile the rankings, and The JBoy Show is the official Media Partner of the poll.

ABOUT THE FWAA: Founded in 1941, the Football Writers Association of America consists of journalists, broadcasters, publicists, photographers and key executives in all areas of college football. The FWAA works to govern media access and gameday operations while presenting awards and honors, including an annual All-America team. For more information about the FWAA and its programs and initiatives, contact Executive Director Steve Richardson at 214-870-6516 or tiger@fwaa.com. 
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ABOUT THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL FOUNDATION & COLLEGE FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME: Founded in 1947 with early leadership from General Douglas MacArthur, legendary Army coach Earl “Red” Blaik and immortal journalist Grantland Rice, The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame is a non-profit educational organization that runs programs designed to use the power of amateur football in developing scholarship, citizenship and athletic achievement in young people. Learn more at www.footballfoundation.org and follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @NFFNetwork.

FWAA-NFF Super 16 Poll, Week 1

by • FWAA-NFF Super 16 Poll • Tags: ,

Week 1: Games Played Through September 6, 2021

TEAMPOINTSFIRST-PLACE VOTESLAST WEEK’S RANK
1.Alabama825461
2.Georgia77165
3.Ohio State7164
4.Oklahoma6403
5.Texas A&M5906
6.Clemson5662
7.Notre Dame4568
8.Cincinnati41210
9.Iowa State3567
10.Penn State296N/A
11.Florida29112
12.Oregon24811
13.Iowa243N/A
14.USC20315
15.UCLA202N/A
16.Texas89N/A

OTHERS RECEIVING VOTES: Virginia Tech (39), Ole Miss (31), Wisconsin (20), Utah (18), North Carolina (18), NC State (9), TCU (8), UCF (4), Miami-FL (3), Coastal Carolina (3), Auburn (3), Oklahoma State (2), Boston College (2), Michigan (2), Arizona State (2), Liberty (1), Florida State (1), Nevada (1), Michigan State (1).

Click here to see how individuals voted in this week’s poll.

https://the5thdowndotcom.files.wordpress.com/2021/09/super-16-individual-votes-9-7-21.pdf

NOTES:
No. 1 Alabama remained atop the first-regular season poll after dismantling Miami (FL) last Saturday. Fellow Southeastern Conference power Georgia  jumped four spots to No. 2  after beating previous No. 2-ranked Clemson in a defensive struggle in Charlotte.

Alabama received 46 of the 52 first-place votes, and Georgia picked up the other six. Three of the top five teams in the poll are from the SEC, including No. 5 Texas A&M.  

The other major development was Penn State entering the poll at No. 10 after upsetting Wisconsin in Madison in a key early-season Big Ten matchup. North Carolina, No. 9 a week ago, dropped out of the poll after losing at unranked Virginia Tech.

Wisconsin, LSU (after falling at UCLA) and Miami (FL) also dropped out of the poll. Besides Penn State, other new teams in the poll are Iowa, UCLA and Texas.

The SEC led all conferences with four teams, followed by the Big Ten, Big 12 and Pac-12 with three each. The ACC, American and Independents had one apiece.

This Week’s Schedule:
Mercer at No. 1 Alabama
UAB at No. 2 Georgia
No.12 Oregon at No.3 Ohio State 
Western Carolina at No.4 Oklahoma
No. 5 Texas A&M vs. Colorado (Denver)
South Carolina State at No. 6 Clemson
Toledo at No. 7 Notre Dame
Murray State at No. 8 Cincinnati
No. 13 Iowa at No. 9 Iowa State
Ball State at No.10 Penn State
No. 11 Florida at USF
Stanford at No.14 USC
No. 15 UCLA is idle.
No. 16  Texas at Arkansas

ABOUT THE FWAA-NFF SUPER 16 POLL: The FWAA-NFF Super 16 Poll was established at the conclusion of the 2013 season by long-time partners, the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) and the National Football Foundation (NFF). Voters rank the top 16 teams in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision, and the results will be released every Sunday of the 2021 season; the individual votes of all members will also be made public. The first regular season poll will be released on Tuesday, Sept. 7 (to account for Labor Day games), and the final poll will be released Sunday, Dec. 5. The pollsters consist of FWAA writers and College Football Hall of Famers who were selected to create a balanced-geographical perspective. The poll utilizes a computer program designed by Sports Systems to compile the rankings, and The JBoy Show is the official Media Partner of the poll.

ABOUT THE FWAA: Founded in 1941, the Football Writers Association of America consists of journalists, broadcasters, publicists, photographers and key executives in all areas of college football. The FWAA works to govern media access and gameday operations while presenting awards and honors, including an annual All-America team. For more information about the FWAA and its programs and initiatives, contact Executive Director Steve Richardson at 214-870-6516 or tiger@fwaa.com. 
.
ABOUT THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL FOUNDATION & COLLEGE FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME: Founded in 1947 with early leadership from General Douglas MacArthur, legendary Army coach Earl “Red” Blaik and immortal journalist Grantland Rice, The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame is a non-profit educational organization that runs programs designed to use the power of amateur football in developing scholarship, citizenship and athletic achievement in young people. Learn more at www.footballfoundation.org and follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @NFFNetwork.

Outland Trophy history: Offensive tackle Alex Leatherwood, Alabama, 2020 recipient

by • Outland Trophy • Tags: ,

This is the 15th and last in a series on Outland Trophy winners from 2006 to 2020. From 1946 to 2005, Outland Trophy winners were profiled in a book by Gene Duffey, Sixty Years of the Outland Trophy. We have now caught up with the last 15 winners.

(Leatherwood was selected 17th overall in the 2021 NFL Draft by the Las Vegas Raiders. He is playing his rookie season in the NFL this fall.)     

By Gene Duffey, Author

In the 2009 movie, The Blind Side, based on Mississippi left tackle Michael Oher, his position is featured, praised and even glorified, as long as you don’t have to play it. It’s the left tackle who must protect the blind side of a right-handed quarterback in the pocket.

Logically, Alabama’s Alex Leatherwood, who helped the Crimson Tide win the 2020 national championship, played left tackle and won the 75th Outland Trophy.

Coaches knew the importance of the position long before fans did. The movie opened with a replay of Washington Redskins quarterback Joe Theismann being crushed from behind by a blitzing linebacker — from The Blind Side.

You better have a good left tackle if you want your quarterback to be able to walk by the fourth quarter.   

Every offensive line needs an anchor, and that anchor is usually the left tackle,” Alabama’s offensive line coach Kyle Flood (at the time) told the audience at Omaha’s Outland Trophy dinner in a video.

“That guy is the security blanket for the offensive line coach, and the entire offensive line. What you don’t see about (Leatherwood) is his consistent preparation, all the reps he takes in practice and the great example he sets for all the young guys on the team.”

Leatherwood offered a simple explanation for his work ethic in practice. “I was trying to be the best player I can be,” he said.

Flood ran the offensive line at Alabama during Leatherwood’s junior and senior seasons, then followed Steve Sarkisian to Texas in January 2021 to become offensive coordinator for the Longhorns.

Alabama’s offense did more than score points. The Tide steamrolled their opponents in 2020. They averaged 48.5 points a game, second best in the country.  

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Outland Trophy history: Offensive tackle Penei Sewell, Oregon, 2019 recipient

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This is the 14th in a series on Outland Trophy winners from 2006 to 2020. From 1946 to 2005, Outland Trophy winners were profiled in a book by Gene Duffey, Sixty Years of the Outland Trophy. We are catching up with the last 15 winners.

(Offensive tackle Penei Sewell was the first Outland Trophy winner from Oregon and also the initial recipient from American Samoa, a U.S. Territory. He was selected seventh overall by the Detroit Lions in the 2021 NFL Draft and is playing his first year of professional football this fall.)  

By Gene Duffey, Author

American Samoa is a small group of islands in the South Pacific,

4,800 miles southwest of Los Angeles. The population is 55,000, scattered around 75 square miles.

It’s also the birthplace of Penei Sewell, the steamroller offensive tackle who won the Outland Trophy at Oregon in 2019.

There are more links with American Samoa and American college football than you would think.

Jack Thompson, an excellent quarterback at Washington State in the 1970s was nicknamed the “Throwin’ Samoan.” Thompson, also born in American Samoa, set the NCAA record for career passing yards in 1978 before college football turned into a pass-first, run-last game.

Two of Sewell’s uncles played in the NFL. Richard Brown, a linebacker at San Diego State, spent 10 years in the NFL with the Rams, Chargers, Browns and Vikings. Isaac Sopoaga, a defensive tackle at Hawaii, lasted 12 years in the NFL, mostly with the 49ers.

Penei’s father, Gabe, was an assistant high school coach in American Samoa. 

Between Sewell’s size and lineage, he was destined to become a football player — a really good football player.

When Penei was about 5, he remembers former USC safety Troy Polamalu and several of his Pittsburgh Steeler teammates coming to American Samoa to put on a summer camp. A typical kid, Penei, too young to participate, spent most of the time running around, watching the older kids go through the drills at the camp. He became hooked on football.

 “I think that left a lasting impression on Penei and all my sons,” Gabe Sewell told the Salt Lake City Deseret News years later.

Gabriel, the oldest of Gabe’s four sons, walked on at Nevada and played defensive back and linebacker. His senior year, in 2019, he finished fourth on the team in tackles.

Nephi, the second son, played defensive back at Utah. He appeared in three games as a freshman in 2019. Noah, two years younger than Penei, followed him to Oregon and played linebacker.

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Nominations sought for 2021 Armed Forces Merit Award

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Fort Worth, Texas — Nominations are now being accepted for the 2021 Armed Forces Merit Award presented by the Football Writers Association of America.

Coordinated by the staff at the Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl, the Armed Forces Merit Award presented by the FWAA was created in June 2012 “to honor an individual and/or a group with a military background and/or involvement that have an impact within the realm of college football.”

Nominations for the 2021 Armed Forces Merit Award will be accepted through October 1, when a selection committee of seven FWAA members and two representatives from the Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl will review the list of candidates for the 10th annual presentation.

“We are pleased to join with the Football Writers Association of America to honor an individual with a military background or group that works with our armed services that has an impact within college football,” said Brant Ringler, the executive director of the Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl.

FWAA executive director Steve Richardson echoed Ringler’s sentiments along with adding that “we have an outstanding list of candidates each year and it is difficult to honor only one recipient when there are several individuals and programs that are very deserving of the honor.”

With 41 nominations (38 individuals and three programs) considered for the 2020 award, Bluefield College defensive lineman Collin O’Donnell was selected as the ninth recipient of the Armed Forces Merit Award. Serving in the U.S Army from 2013-2016, O’Donnell compiled 68 total tackles in his three seasons at Bluefield with four sacks and 10 tackles for losses.

During his military service, O’Donnell was injured in Afghanistan, After two years at Walter Reed National Military Medical Hospital and seven operations to save his foot, he fully rehabilitated and went back home to Buffalo, N.Y., where he began training with the sole intention of playing college football.

After arriving at Bluefield College in the summer of 2018, O’Donnell demonstrated leadership in the Ram football program and performed service to the community. He received numerous awards, highlighted by winning a small business grant that allowed him to open his Coffee and Bake shop called “The Grind” in May 2020.

Nate Boyer of the University of Texas was the initial recipient in 2012. Other recipients were Brandon McCoy of the University of North Texas in 2013, Daniel Rodriguez from Clemson University in 2014, Bret Robertson of Westminster College (Fulton, Mo.) in 2015, Steven Rhodes from Middle Tennessee State University in 2016, Dr. Chris Howard from Robert Morris University in 2018 and Army West Point coach and military service veteran Mike Viti in 2019.

Kansas State and its football team were honored in November 2017 as the sixth recipient of the Armed Forces Merit Award for the university’s partnership with the United States Army that created a bond between the school’s athletic department and the Iron Rangers at Fort Riley.

2021 nominations for the 2021 Armed Forces Merit Award presented by the FWAA should be submitted to Tim Simmons (bfishinc@aol.com, 303/678-8484), the award’s coordinator, by October 1. The nomination link can be found at https://www.armedforcesbowl.com/armed-forces#meritaward-section.

Armed Forces Merit Award presented by the FWAA – 2021 Nominations

Programs

  • Athletes Of Valor, Alex Stone, Founder & CEO, Athletes of Valor (U. S. Marines)
  • Battlefields To Ballfields, Mike Pereira, CEO/President/Director
  • National Association of College Directors of Athletics, Wounded Warrior Project

Active Players

  • Cornelius Andrews, Union College, WR, 5-7, 148, Jun., Stockbridge, Ga.
  • Rashaud Freeman, Webber International, LB, 6-0, 225, Jun, Jacksonville, Fla. (U. S. Army)
  • Kyran Griffin-Isom, Troy University, WR, 6-3, 172, Soph., New Orleans, La. (U. S. Marines)
  • Rasheed Holloway, Union College, WR, 6-0, 198, Jun., Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
  • Damian Jackson, Nebraska, DL, 6-2, 275, Jun. Las Vegas, Nev. (U. S. Navy)
  • Kenwon Mack, Union College, CB, 5-9, 165, Soph., Detroit, Mich.

Football Coaching Staff

  • Troy Calhoun, Head Coach, United States Air Force Academy (U. S. Air Force)
  • Jake Campbell, Assistant Backfield, United States Air Force Academy (U. S. Air Force)
  • Robert Green, Defense Assistant & Director of Racial Equality, United States Naval Academy (U. S. Marine Corps)
  • Brian Knorr, Inside Linebackers, U. S. Air Force Academy (U. S. Air Force)
  • Steed Lobotzke, Offensive Line, United States Air Force Academy (U. S. Air Force)
  • Alex Means, Outside Linebackers, United States Air Force Academy (U. S. Air Force)
  • Ben Miller, Running Backs/Special Teams Coordinator, United States Air Force Academy (U. S. Air Force)
  • Andre Morris, Spurs, United States Air Force Academy (U. S. Air Force)
  • John Rudzinski, Defensive Coordinator, United States Air Force Academy (U. S. Air Force)
  • Brett Skene, Offensive Assistant, United States Air Force Academy (U. S. Air Force)
  • Trent Steelman, Quarterbacks, Eastern Kentucky University (U. S. Army)
  • Mike Thiessen, Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks, United States Air Force Academy (U. S. Air Force)
  • Charlton Warren, Defensive Backs, Georgia (U. S. Air Force)
  • Mick Yokitis, Wide Receivers, United States Naval Academy (U. S. Navy)

Football Support Staff

  • CPT Donald Bowers, Director of Player Development, United States Naval Academy (U. S. Marines)
  • Clayton Kendrick-Holmes, Chief of Staff/Football Operations, United States Military Academy (U. S. Navy)
  • LTC John Nawoichyk, Assistant AD/Military Operations, United States Military Academy (U. S. Army)
  • Omar Nelson, Director of Player Development, United States Naval Academy (U. S. Navy)
  • CPT Blake Powers, Admission Support, United States Military Academy (U. S. Army)
  • Steve Senn, Director of Recruiting, United States Air Force Academy (U. S. Air Force)
  • Jordan Simmons, Director of Football Strength & Conditioning/Assistant Head Football Coach, Nevada (U. S. Army)
  • Rusty Whitt, Football Strength & Conditioning Coach, Troy University (U. S. Army)

University Leadership

  • Dr. Jack Hawkins, Jr., Chancellor of Troy University (U. S. Marine Corps)
  • Jim Knowlton, Director of Athletics, University of California (U. S. Army)

Novel brings the Galloping Ghost to the spirit of college football

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FWAA member Dean Hawthorne recently published a novel about college football and a afterlife encounter with The Galloping Ghost.

WHERE PASSION LIVES: The Spirit of College Football is college football’s answer to Field of Dreams and The Natural.

Diehard college football fan Kyle McGinnis is eagerly awaiting the kickoff of a new season when something goes horribly wrong. His accidental death lands his spirit in purgatory, where he meets the true Spirit of College Football—none other than football legend Red Grange.

The Galloping Ghost leads Kyle on an extraordinary adventure deep inside the world of college football. Crisscrossing the country with a spirit’s all-access pass, they explore some of the game’s greatest moments, traditions, and rivalries in a journey that mortal fans can only dream of.

But it isn’t all just fun and games. As Kyle struggles to unravel the mystery of gaining his passage to heaven, the Ghost reveals a long-forgotten place where the two can join forces in a quest that will have an everlasting impact on the fate of college football.

By turns joyous and poignant, this unforgettable story from debut author Dean C. Hawthorne is filled with college football history, a look at both the fun and the trouble spots in today’s game, and enough tantalizing “what ifs” to keep college football fans engrossed and entertained for some time to come. 

About the Author

Dean C. Hawthorne is a member of the Football Writers Association of America and the National Football Foundation.

Despite being a descendant of one of America’s great authors, Dean didn’t intend to pursue a career in writing. However, deep down he always held out hope that he had inherited at least a shred of his famous ancestor Nathaniel’s immense talent.

As much as he enjoys writing, it pales in comparison to his love of sports. If you name the game, the odds are pretty good he’s either played, coached or at least watched it over the course of his lifetime. Topping his list of favorites is college football. His passion for that sport began more than fifty-five years ago, when he began following the powerhouse program of his future alma mater, the University of Southern California.

For more information about Dean and this book go to www.deanchawthorne.com.

Outland Trophy history: Defensive tackle Quinnen Williams, Alabama, 2018 recipient

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This is the 13th in a series of stories on Outland Trophy winners from 2006 to 2020.  From 1946 to 2005, the first 60 Outland Trophy winners were profiled in the book 60 Years of the Outland Trophy by Gene Duffey. In celebration of the Outland Trophy’s 75th Anniversary we are catching up with the last 15 recipients.

(Alabama defensive lineman Quinnen Williams was selected No. 3 overall by the New York Jets in the 2019 NFL Draft. He played 13 games as a rookie, making 28 tackles, registering 2.5 sacks and collecting a sack. Last season with the Jets, Williams made 55 total tackles (32 unassisted). He had 7.5 sacks and two forced fumbles.)   

By Gene Duffey, Author

It is a short hop down Interstate 59 from Birmingham to Tuscaloosa, Alabama–just 57 miles southwest to the exit at McFarland Boulevard. Although almost neighbors, that distance meant worlds apart to a young Quinnen Williams.

The promising defensive lineman from Birmingham’s Wenonah High School took official visits to Auburn and Mississippi. He committed to Auburn.

Then, Alabama’s Nick Saban called with a scholarship. The King of college football was offering the keys to the castle. Talk about an offer too good to refuse.

Williams, who would go on to claim the Outland Trophy at Alabama in 2018, was a quiet kid, unusual for a position where ferocity is considered a key ingredient.

 “He was in the shell a little bit (when he arrived), but he was a good football player,” said Karl Dunbar, Alabama’s defensive line coach at the time.

Quinnen wasn’t shy by nature. There was a reason for that shell. His mother, Marquischa, a first-grade teacher, died of breast cancer Aug. 10, 2010 when he was only 12. She was just 37.

Losing a mother at any age is difficult. When one is 12, it makes it even tougher.

Marquischa Williams was an Auburn fan. Quinnen’s older brother, Quincy, played linebacker at FCS Murray State and was drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars.

 “Quinnen took it the hardest,” Quincy told Ross Dellenger of Sports Illustrated about Marquishca’s passing. “He was a momma’s boy, the one with the big heart. The only person he talks to about it is me. When we do talk, I let him know every single time how proud she is looking down at us.”

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Members: Nominate your son or daughter for the Volney Meece Scholarship

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The FWAA is now accepting applications for the 25th annual Volney Meece Scholarship.

For an application please email Dave Sittler at davesitt@aol.com.

Applications must be received by Dec. 15, 2021.

The scholarship is awarded annually by the FWAA and named for the late Volney Meece, who served 22 years as the FWAA’s Executive Director and was the organization’s President in 1971.

The $1,000 annual grant for four years is awarded to a deserving son or daughter of an FWAA member. High school seniors and current college students are eligible. Since the program started in 1997, the FWAA has distributed more than $90,000 in scholarship money to deserving children of FWAA members.

The winner will be announced in January.

Past winners of the Volney Meece Scholarship

1997 Brett Goering Topeka, Kan.
1998 Kelly Brooks Denver, Colo.
1999 James Butz Schaumberg, Ill.
2000 Sara Barnhart Atlanta, Ga.
2001 Patrick Davis Coventry, Conn.
2002 Jacqueline O’Toole Gaithersburg, Md.
2003 Garrett Holtz Denver, Colo.
2004 Katie Hersom Oklahoma City, Okla.
2005 Katie Wieberg Lawson, Mo.
2006 Kaylynn Monroe Winter Park, Fla.
2007 Nate Kerkhoff Overland Park, Kan.
2008 Jack Caywood Lawrence, Kan.
2009 Haley Dodd Overland Park, Kan.
2010 Donald Hunt Philadelphia, Pa.
2011 Alaina Martens Papillion, Neb.
2012 Emily Alford Tupelo, Miss.
2013 Sarah Helsley Edmond, Okla.
2014Robert AbramsonPalos Verde, Calif.
2015Danielle HooverTulsa, Okla.
2016Dolen HelwagenPataskala, Ohio
2017Elizabeth SchroederNorman, Okla.
2018Mallory RosettaBaton Rouge, La.
2019Alexandra HaleyHamilton, N.J.
2020Sarah ShatelOmaha, Neb.