NORTHBROOK, Ill. — UTSA redshirt junior Camron Cooper has been named a nominee for the 2025 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team®, Allstate and the American Football Coaches Association announced on Tuesday.
Cooper is one of a record-breaking 197 nominees selected for this year’s award, the most in the award’s 34-year history. The Allstate AFCA Good Works Team was established in 1992 by the College Football Association, recognizing the extra efforts made by college football players and student support staff off the field. AFCA became the governing body of the award in 1997 and continues to honor college football players who go the extra mile for those in need. Allstate worked to present the award starting with the 2008 season.
For the second year, Allstate is partnering with the Wuerffel Foundation to align two of college football’s most meaningful honors: the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team and the Allstate Wuerffel Trophy. Together, they recognize student-athletes who demonstrate excellence in community service, academics and athletics.
“When nearly 200 young athletes choose to serve, it creates a ripple effect far beyond the game,” said Danny Wuerffel, former NFL quarterback, Heisman Trophy winner and College Football Hall of Famer for whom the Allstate Wuerffel Trophy is named. “Their leadership in the community is just as worthy of recognition as their performance on the field.”
Cooper’s volunteer record spans a wide array of impactful efforts. Through UTSA’s Rowdy Readers program, he has read to and mentored Virginia Meyers Elementary students during the school year. He has helped brighten the lives of patients at Christus Children’s Hospital with regular visits. He also has served as a course monitor for the Diploma Dash, supported the San Antonio Food Bank and participated in the Get in the Game, Save a Life Campaign. He mentors youth at local sporting events and is an active member of UTSA’s Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA). During the football team’s 2023 trip to the Frisco Bowl near Dallas, he volunteered his time to help build food care packages at Frisco Fastpacs, a non-profit that delivers individual, prepacked meal bags of non-perishable food to more than 70 Frisco ISD schools to provide meals for children to have over the weekend.
On the field, Cooper played in all 13 games last season, seeing time at both outside linebacker and on several special teams units. He posted a season-high four tackles in his first career start at No. 22 Army, and he blocked a punt for the first time as a Roadrunner in the 38-24 home triumph over Florida Atlantic. The Dayton High School product recorded two tackles, including a sack, and caused a fumble at Tulsa, and he also logged a sack in the 51-27 victory against Temple. He closed the campaign with a pair of stops in the 44-15 win against Coastal Carolina in the Myrtle Beach Bowl.
College football student-athletes and head coaches from all levels of the sport are recognized for their commitment to community service and leadership beyond the gridiron.
“I’ve been a part of this team, and these players aren’t just showing up, they’re standing out," said Sam Acho, ESPN analyst, former NFL linebacker, author and 2010 Good Works Team member and Allstate Wuerffel Trophy recipient. “Their commitment to service creates lasting change and inspires the next generation.”
The final roster of 23 award recipients announced in September will bring together:
- 11 players from the NCAA FBS
- 11 players from the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), Divisions II, III and the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA)
- 1 honorary head coach
A voting panel of former Good Works Team members, head coaches and journalists will select the team roster based on outstanding leadership on and off the field.
UTSA will kick off its 15th season of football and sixth year under head coach Jeff Traylor against Texas A&M at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 30, in what will be a national televised matchup on ESPN live from Kyle Field in College Station.
The Roadrunners then will return home to host back-to-back games at the Alamodome where they boast a 29-3 record in the Jeff Traylor era, tied for the third-most home victories among FBS teams since 2020. UTSA will face Texas State in the Battle for I-35 at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 6, before they match up with crosstown foe UIW at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 13.
UTSA has four league games on the home slate with Rice (Oct. 11), Tulane (Oct. 30), East Carolina (Nov. 22) and Army (Nov. 28 or 29) scheduled to visit the Alamodome.
Fans can purchase season or single-game tickets online or by calling the UTSA Ticket Office at 210-458-UTSA (8872) from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday excluding holidays. Current UTSA football season-ticket holders may renew their tickets by logging into their UTSA Account Manager.
Current UTSA students receive free admission to all home games by downloading tickets via their Account Manager.
Merchandise commemorating UTSA Football’s 15th season and featuring the official logo of the milestone campaign is available for purchase.
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