July 15, 2015

PITTSBURGH—Three Pitt football players—offensive lineman Adam Bisnowaty, running back James Conner and quarterback Chad Voytik—were named to the watch list for the Wuerffel Trophy, known as “College Football’s Premier Award for Community Service.”

Named after former Florida Gators and NFL quarterback Danny Wuerffel, the Wuerffel Trophy is awarded to the Bowl Subdivision player who best combines exemplary community service with athletic and academic achievement.

In addition to being football standouts for the Panthers, Bisnowaty, Conner and Voytik rank among Pitt’s most active student-athletes when it comes to community service.

Bisnowaty (Pittsburgh, Pa./Fox Chapel), a junior offensive tackle, enters his third season as a starter and is a preseason candidate for the Rotary Lombardi Award (nation’s top lineman or linebacker). He is a two-time ACC All-Academic Football Team selection and also serves as vice president of Pitt’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC).

Conner (Erie, Pa./McDowell) enters his junior season as one of the nation’s elite offensive players following an All-America campaign in 2014. Conner bulldozed his way to 1,765 yards and an ACC-record 26 touchdowns last year and was named the ACC Player of the Year. In addition to his many football awards, he was honored by the National Kidney Foundation with the “Small Hands Big Heart” Award for his volunteer work with the organization.

Voytik (Cleveland, Tenn./Cleveland) returns as the Panthers’ starting quarterback after throwing for 2,233 yards and 16 touchdowns as a sophomore last season. He also finished second on the team with 466 rushing yards. Voytik, who served as a counselor at the famed Manning Passing Academy this summer, was a 2014 ACC All-Academic Football Team honoree.

The presentation of this year’s Wuerffel Trophy will take place at the 47th Annual All Sports Association Awards Banquet on February 12, 2016, in Fort Walton Beach, Fla.

“Now I lay me down to sleep…”

Here are the past winners.  Up until 2008 the statue was throwing a wobbly pass but before Tim Tebow would even consent to compete for the highly coveted trophy Tebow demanded the change to “The Prayer”.  His threat was that he would put a curse he learned to cast while on his missionary travels on the future winners.  As everyone in the NFL did also, Wuerffel caved in to Tebow’s magic.

But Wait!  Here is the inside scoop for how Tebow had the inside track.  I especially like this part:

“Among the topics Tebow discusses are: Anxiety; Being a Role Model; Belief; Biblical Role Models; Compassion; Controlling Emotions; Dealing with Critics; Decision-Making; Enjoying Life; Eye Black Scriptures; Faith; First Impressions; Fitness; God’s Sovereignty; Handling Fame; Hard Work; How to Improve America; Humility; Integrity; Learning from Failure; Living by Faith; Living with Passion; Most Important Thing in Life; Never Giving Up; Nutrition; Orphans; Preaching; Pride; Pushing Yourself to the Limit; Self-Discipline; Sexual Purity; Sharing the Credit; Spreading the Gospel; Staying Grounded; Supporting Teammates; “Tebowing”; Trash Talking; Victory; Visiting Suffering Fans and much more…”

“Orphans?”  Really?  Good God, how ‘much more’ could there be?

Oh, No!!  Look who won in 2007 – Toddy Graham’s QB at Tulsa!  Hey! Did Penny teach him that thing with his hand?