FORT WALTON BEACH, Fla. -- Baylor senior Seth Russell was named to the 2016 Wuerffel Trophy watch list, released by the All Sports Association in Fort Walton Beach, Fla., Wednesday. The Wuerffel Trophy annually recognizes college football's top community servant.
In the community, Russell traveled to Brazil for a mission trip with Baylor student-athletes in May 2016. He has also volunteered to pack lunches as part of BU’s annual Feed My Starving Children event. Earlier this summer, Russell along with several teammates and staff participated in Baylor’s university-wide community service day, Steppin’ Out, on which they painted the house of a Waco resident. He has also given his time to volunteer for Special Olympics and the Boys and Girls Club.
In the classroom, the Garland, Texas, product already graduated in May 2016 with a degree in communication studies. He is currently pursuing a second degree in health, kinesiology and leisure studies.
On the field, Russell put up historic numbers as a first-year starter at quarterback in 2015, before suffering a season-ending injury during the seventh game. He totaled 2,104 yards, 29 TDs and six picks on 119-200 passing and 402 yards and six TDs on 49 rushes on the season. For his efforts, Russell was named honorable mention All-Big 12 by the league coaches and a semifinalist for the Davey O’Brien Award.
It is the second preseason honor for Russell, after also making the Maxwell Award watch list as well.
Last season, Spencer Drango represented the Bears on the watch list and went on to be a semifinalist for the honor.
The 2016 Wuerffel watch list includes 88 players, while Russell is one of nine selections from the Big 12 Conference on the list.
The Wuerffel Trophy, known as "College Football's Premier Award for Community Service," is presented annually by the All Sports Association in Fort Walton Beach, Fla. Named after 1996 Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Danny Wuerffel from the University of Florida, the Wuerffel Trophy is awarded to the FBS player that best combines exemplary community service with athletic and academic achievement.
Nominations for the Wuerffel Trophy are made by the respective universities' Sports Information departments and will close on October 14. A current list of nominees can be found at www.wuerffeltrophy.org.
Semifinalists for the award will be announced on Nov. 3 and finalists will be announced on November 23. Formal announcement of the winner will be on Dec. 6 at the National Football Foundation's press conference in New York City.
The presentation of the 2016 Wuerffel Trophy will occur at the 48th-annual All Sports Association Awards Banquet on Feb. 10, 2017 in Fort Walton Beach, Florida.
