Draddy Trophy
Encyclopedia
The William V. Campbell trophy, formerly the Vincent dePaul Draddy Trophy, is a trophy awarded by the National Football Foundation
that is given to the American
college football
player with the best combination of academics, community service, and on-field performance. It is considered by many to be the "Academic Heisman
."
While many major college football
awards are theoretically open to players at all competitive levels, in practice only players at NCAA Division I level win. The Campbell Trophy is unique in that it has actually been won by a player at a lower level—Brandon Roberts of Washington University in St. Louis
, an NCAA Division III school, in 2002.
The trophy is was renamed for William Campbell, a business executive and former player, captain
and head coach
of the Columbia University
Lions
. Previously named in honor of Vincent dePaul Draddy, who served the National Football Foundation (NFF) and its College Football Hall of Fame
for thirty-three years, including nineteen years as the chairman of its board of directors, the trophy is now named after William V. Campbell. It has become the most prestigious and desirable "academic" award in college football. The trophy recognizes an individual as the absolute best in the country for his academic success, football performance and exemplary community leadership.
A scholar-athlete himself at Manhattan College
, Draddy passionately believed in the premise that excellence on the football field could, and should, be consistent with academic distinction and the highest standards of civic leadership. He thought that young men who combined athletic performance with academic excellence should be recognized. After his death in July 1990, the NFF perpetuated his memory and beliefs by establishing a scholarship that would recognize the scholar-athlete who most fully embodies the ideals of the NFF.
The trophy is sponsored by HealthSouth Corporation, and as such is officially named "The William V. Campbell Trophy endowed by HealthSouth."
National Football Foundation
The National Football Foundation is a non-profit organization founded in 1947 by General Douglas MacArthur, legendary Army Black Knights football coach Earl "Red" Blaik and journalist Grantland Rice...
that is given to the American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
player with the best combination of academics, community service, and on-field performance. It is considered by many to be the "Academic Heisman
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
."
While many major college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
awards are theoretically open to players at all competitive levels, in practice only players at NCAA Division I level win. The Campbell Trophy is unique in that it has actually been won by a player at a lower level—Brandon Roberts of Washington University in St. Louis
Washington University in St. Louis
Washington University in St. Louis is a private research university located in suburban St. Louis, Missouri. Founded in 1853, and named for George Washington, the university has students and faculty from all fifty U.S. states and more than 110 nations...
, an NCAA Division III school, in 2002.
The trophy is was renamed for William Campbell, a business executive and former player, captain
Captain (sports)
In team sports, a captain is a title given to a member of the team. The title is frequently honorary, but in some cases the captain may have significant responsibility for strategy and teamwork while the game is in progress on the field...
and head coach
Head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
of the Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
Lions
Columbia Lions
The Columbia University Lions are the collective athletic teams and their members from Columbia University, an Ivy League institution in New York City, United States. The current director of athletics is M...
. Previously named in honor of Vincent dePaul Draddy, who served the National Football Foundation (NFF) and its College Football Hall of Fame
College Football Hall of Fame
The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and museum devoted to college football. Located in South Bend, Indiana, it is connected to a convention center and situated in the city's renovated downtown district, two miles south of the University of Notre Dame campus. It is slated to move...
for thirty-three years, including nineteen years as the chairman of its board of directors, the trophy is now named after William V. Campbell. It has become the most prestigious and desirable "academic" award in college football. The trophy recognizes an individual as the absolute best in the country for his academic success, football performance and exemplary community leadership.
A scholar-athlete himself at Manhattan College
Manhattan College
Manhattan College is a Roman Catholic liberal arts college in the Lasallian tradition in New York City, United States. Despite the college's name, it is no longer located in Manhattan but in the Riverdale section of the Bronx, roughly 10 miles north of Midtown. Manhattan College offers...
, Draddy passionately believed in the premise that excellence on the football field could, and should, be consistent with academic distinction and the highest standards of civic leadership. He thought that young men who combined athletic performance with academic excellence should be recognized. After his death in July 1990, the NFF perpetuated his memory and beliefs by establishing a scholarship that would recognize the scholar-athlete who most fully embodies the ideals of the NFF.
The trophy is sponsored by HealthSouth Corporation, and as such is officially named "The William V. Campbell Trophy endowed by HealthSouth."
Winners
| Year | Player | School |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | Chris Howard Christopher B. Howard -Education:1987 graduate of Plano Senior High School, where he helped the '86 football team win a Texas State Championship. Howard is a 1991 distinguished graduate of the United States Air Force Academy, earning a bachelor of science in political science. While at the Academy, he served as his... |
Air Force Air Force Falcons football The Air Force Falcons are a college football team from the United States Air Force Academy, located just outside of Colorado Springs, Colorado. The team competes in the Football Bowl Subdivision of the NCAA Division I and the Mountain West Conference.-Style:... |
| 1991 | Brad Culpepper Brad Culpepper John Broward "Brad" Culpepper is a former American college and professional football player who was a defensive tackle in the National Football League for nine seasons in the 1990s and early 2000s... |
Florida |
| 1992 | Jim Hansen | Colorado Colorado Buffaloes football The Colorado Buffaloes football program represents the University of Colorado at Boulder in college football at the NCAA Division I FBS level. The team is currently a member of the Pacific-12 Conference, having previously been a charter member of the Big 12 Conference. Before joining the Big 12,... |
| 1993 | Thomas D. Burns | Virginia Virginia Cavaliers football Virginia Cavaliers football is a college football program that competes in the NCAA Division I-FBS and the Coastal Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference... |
| 1994 | Robert B. Zatechka Rob Zatechka Robert Brett Zatechka is a former American football offensive lineman in the National Football League for the New York Giants. He was drafted in the fourth round of the 1995 NFL Draft out of the University of Nebraska. In college, he won both the Draddy Trophy and a Walter Byers Scholarship... |
Nebraska Nebraska Cornhuskers football The Nebraska Cornhuskers represent the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in college football. The program has established itself as a traditional powerhouse, and has the fourth-most all-time victories of any NCAA Division I-A team. Nebraska is one of only six football programs in NCAA Division I-A... |
| 1995 | Bobby Hoying | Ohio State Ohio State Buckeyes football The Ohio State Buckeyes football team is an intercollegiate varsity sports team of The Ohio State University. The team is a member of the Big Ten Conference of the NCAA, playing at the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, formerly Division I-A, level. The team nickname is derived from the state... |
| 1996 | Danny Wuerffel Danny Wuerffel Daniel Carl "Danny" Wuerffel is a former American college and professional football player who won the 1996 Heisman Trophy and the 1996 national football championship while playing college football for the University of Florida. After graduating from Florida, he played for four National Football... |
Florida 1996 Florida Gators football team The 1996 Florida Gators football team represented the University of Florida in the 1996 NCAA Division I-A football season. This was the team's seventh season under head coach Steve Spurrier... |
| 1997 | Peyton Manning Peyton Manning Peyton Williams Manning is an American football quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League . Manning holds the record for most NFL MVP awards with four. He was drafted by the Colts as the first overall pick in 1998 after a standout college football career with the... |
Tennessee Tennessee Volunteers football The Tennessee Volunteers football team are an American college football team at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville . The NCAA Division I team is also a member of the Southeastern Conference .... |
| 1998 | Matt Stinchcomb Matt Stinchcomb Matt Stinchcomb is a former football offensive tackle, who played for the University of Georgia, the Oakland Raiders and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.-NFL Years:... |
Georgia |
| 1999 | Chad Pennington Chad Pennington James Chadwick "Chad" Pennington is an American football quarterback who played in the National Football League for ten years. He is currently a football analyst with FOX Sports though he plans to return to playing after recovering from an injury... |
Marshall Marshall Thundering Herd football The Marshall Thundering Herd football team is an intercollegiate varsity sports program of Marshall University. The team represents the university as a member of the Conference USA Eastern division of the National Collegiate Athletic Association, playing at the Division 1 Bowl Subdivision... |
| 2000 | Kyle Vanden Bosch Kyle Vanden Bosch -Arizona Cardinals:Kyle was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft. In his injury-abbreviated rookie season he finished with 12 tackles , one quarterback sack, one hurry, one pass defensed and one... |
Nebraska Nebraska Cornhuskers football The Nebraska Cornhuskers represent the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in college football. The program has established itself as a traditional powerhouse, and has the fourth-most all-time victories of any NCAA Division I-A team. Nebraska is one of only six football programs in NCAA Division I-A... |
| 2001 | Joaquin Gonzalez Joaquin Gonzalez (American football) Joaquin Antonio Gonzalez is a former professional National Football League offensive tackle for the Cleveland Browns and the Indianapolis Colts.... |
Miami Miami Hurricanes football The Miami Hurricanes football program competes in the Atlantic Coast Conference of the NCAA's Division I Football Bowl Subdivision for the University of Miami. The program began in 1926 and has won five AP national championships... |
| 2002 | Brandon Roberts | Washington University Washington University in St. Louis Washington University in St. Louis is a private research university located in suburban St. Louis, Missouri. Founded in 1853, and named for George Washington, the university has students and faculty from all fifty U.S. states and more than 110 nations... |
| 2003 | Craig Krenzel Craig Krenzel Craig Krenzel is a former college and professional American football quarterback. He is currently a radio commentator for WBNS 97.1 The FAN in Columbus, which broadcasts the Ohio State Buckeyes football games.-High school career:... |
Ohio State Ohio State Buckeyes football The Ohio State Buckeyes football team is an intercollegiate varsity sports team of The Ohio State University. The team is a member of the Big Ten Conference of the NCAA, playing at the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, formerly Division I-A, level. The team nickname is derived from the state... |
| 2004 | Michael Muñoz | Tennessee Tennessee Volunteers football The Tennessee Volunteers football team are an American college football team at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville . The NCAA Division I team is also a member of the Southeastern Conference .... |
| 2005 | Rudy Niswanger Rudy Niswanger Rudolph Nelson "Rudy" Niswanger is an American football center in the National Football League who is currently is a free agent. He was signed by the Kansas City Chiefs as an undrafted free agent in 2006... |
LSU LSU Tigers football The LSU Tigers football team, also known as the Fighting Tigers or Bayou Bengals, represents Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States in NCAA Division I FBS college football. Current head coach Les Miles has led the team since 2005. Since 1999 when Nick Saban took over as... |
| 2006 | Brian Leonard Brian Leonard -St. Louis Rams:On April 28, 2007, Leonard was selected by the St. Louis Rams in the second round with the 52nd overall pick of the 2007 NFL Draft. Leonard signed a four-year, $2.8 million contract on July 24, 2007, that includes $1.55 million in guaranteed money. Coach Scott Linehan decided to use... |
Rutgers Rutgers Scarlet Knights football The Rutgers Scarlet Knights football team represents Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision play... |
| 2007 | Dallas Griffin | Texas Texas Longhorns football The Texas Longhorns football program is the intercollegiate football team representing The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas. The team currently competes in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of the Big 12 Conference which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National... |
| 2008 | Alex Mack Alex Mack Alex Mack is an American football player for the Cleveland Browns. He was drafted as the 21st selection in the first round of the 2009 NFL Draft... |
California California Golden Bears football The California Golden Bears football team is the college football team of the University of California. The team plays its home games at California Memorial Stadium, however the team played at San Francisco's AT&T Park in 2011 while Memorial Stadium was being renovated, the team will return to... |
| 2009 | Tim Tebow Tim Tebow Timothy Richard "Tim" Tebow is an American football player who is currently the starting quarterback for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League . He was drafted by the Broncos as the 25th overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft... |
Florida 2009 Florida Gators football team The 2009 Florida Gators football team represented the University of Florida in the sport of American football during the 2009 college football season... |
| 2010 | Sam Acho Sam Acho Samuel Onyedikachi Acho is an American football linebacker for the Arizona Cardinals. Acho played college football at the University of Texas.-Early years:Acho attended St. Mark's School in Dallas, Texas... |
Texas |
External links
- The William V. Campbell Trophy, National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame website