Good News: Good Guys In College Football

On Saturdays in college football stadiums all across the country fans witness amateur athletes participating in one of the most violent sports in the world.

Too often, every other day of the week, fans turn on the television or open up the newspaper and read about these same athletes in trouble with the law. Bad judgement off the field of play is too commonly synonymous with college football players.

While the exposure of the good teams, and the bad, can easily be categorized under that "over" label, unfortunately rarely do the truly good guys get much coverage.

Quietly the 2008 Allstate/AFCA Good Works Team was announced on Wednesday and with game day on Saturday quickly approaching, the achievements of these players honored will soon be an afterthought.

The aptly named award recognizes 22 college football players, 11 from the FBS and 11 from the Subdivision, who not only embody a commitment to success and teamwork on the field, but off the field as well.

Keegan Herring Sr. RB Arizona State University

Herring's traumatic loss of his father, best friend, sister, and aunt last year has been well-documented. Despite these tragic events in this young man's life, he's remained positive and found additional ways in which to inspire not only the community of Tempe, AZ, but the entire college football community.

Herring regularly speaks with seventh and eighth grade students in Tempe-area middle schools about life's road blocks and how to surmount them. His confidence in himself is evident as he shares with students how to create their own self-confidence.

Additionally Herring spent time this past summer with children at the Thomas J. Pappas School in Phoenix, an alternative school for homeless children, helping them realize the value of education, physically and mentally.

Re'quan Boyette Sr. RB Duke University

The Duke running back initially began his community service in 2006, acting as a "Big Brother" to a student in the Durham area. Boyette still remains in contact with this student and one can only imagine the impact he's had.

Boyette regularly volunteers at two nursing homes in Durham, visiting a few times a week to simply spend time with the residents.

Boyette gives his time to the young and old alike, participating in the Read With the Blue Devils program, visiting local elementary schools stressing the importance of reading.

Brit Miller Sr. LB University of Illinois

Over the course of Miller's four years at U.I., he has participated in countless programs and benefits to encourage children's physical health, creativity, and to emphasize the value of education.

This year he organized the football team's supply drive for a local children's home and joined the M.S. Walk in support of teammate Ryan McDonald, whose mother suffers from M.S.

Miller regularly volunteers time out of his week to volunteer at the Danville Medical Center, spending time with hospitalized veterans.

Tim Masthay Sr. P/K University of Kentucky

Masthay one day hopes to serve in the Peace Corps in Africa, but he got a head start on this service this past May when he traveled to Ghana to help educate students and help paint a school.

A frequent volunteer at the American Cancer Society Hope Lodge, he assists guests with their medical appointments and mans telephones.

Additionally, he has volunteered and donated his time and money to countless projects to raise money and awareness for cancer, feeding the hungry and children's health causes.

Masthay says he recognizes that as a student-athlete he has an opportunity to be active in his community and he tries to "seize that opportunity in every way possible."

Jordan Steffy Sr. QB University of Maryland

Steffy first found the desire to serve in high school when he participated in a fundraiser to enable a classmate with epilepsy to receive a much-needed surgery.

"The impact that event made on his life made me realize that I wanted to do something on a larger scale," Steffy said. "I knew I wanted to have a positive effect on more lives."

Steffy has turned that feeling into action with the creation of the Steffy's Children Deserve a Chance Foundation,  an organization to assist children in need, specifically disabled youth. To date his foundation has raised more than $50,000 and he intends to expand and contribute more in the future.

His foundation is currently in the process of building a developmental youth center in his hometown of Leola, Pa that will equip children with education and after-school and summer vacation supervision.

Among other community efforts, Steffy has been involved with the TERP reading program in local elementary schools. This involvement led him to be chosen as the graduation speaker at Ellicott Mills Middle School in Ellicott City, Md.

Matt Simon Sr. WR Northern Illinois University

Matt Simon humbly approaches service, saying it's "the least I can do."

Simon regularly leads his team to volunteer, including leading a group of Northern Illinois football players to serve meals at Hope Haven Homeless Shelter, in Dekalb, IL, three times a week this past spring and coordinating NIU football players' involvement as volunteers in the 2008 Special Olympics in Oswego, IL.

He views his service as necessary, saying "I think if we as players want people to support us and to come out and cheer us on, the very least we can do is to participate in the community."

Eric Peterman Sr. WR Northwestern University

On campus Peterman serves as a mentor with PURPLE (Peers Urging Responsible Practices through Leadership and Education) and also as a SAAC (Student-Athlete Advisory Committee) representative.

On weeks when the Northwestern football team has a home game, he visits the Children's Memorial Hospital. He also is an integral part of NU's annual visit from Special Spectators, an organization that brings chronically ill children and their families to a football game each year.

Gerald McCoy So. DT University of Oklahoma

The sophmore captain McCoy's service is valued by both the Sooner football team and the surrounding Oklahoma communities.

Thanks to an award McCoy was nominated for in high school, he has spoken at teen summits in the Los Angeles area. While only a nominee for the award, the Franklin D. Watkins Memorial Trophy Award, presented by the National Alliance of African American Athletes, a glimpse is offered of McCoy's desire to impact those around him. The award recognizes achievements in athletics, scholarship, and community service by African-American male high school seniors.

Not to be outdone once arriving at OU, he worked on a home building project in Lawton, OK, with ABC's Extreme Home Makeover and served as the Freshman Liaison for OU's Bridge Builders, an organization that serves as an African-American Student-Athlete Network. While in that position, he worked with Meals on Wheels to collect and distribute toys, gifts, and food for families in the Norman area.

Currently, he is President of OU's Fellowship of Christian Athletes, allowing him to speak at area schools and facilities for underprivileged children.

Colt McCoy Jr. QB University of Texas

McCoy, one of the top quarterbacks in the country, spent his 2008 Spring Break in Peru where he volunteered at a week long Christian Sports camp, hosting less fortunate children along the Amazon.

He and his teammates are regular visitors to the Dell Children's Medical Center on Friday's before home football games and volunteered his time as a phone operator at The Children's Miracle Network Telethon.

Since at Texas, McCoy has served as a keynote speaker and volunteer at Fellowship of Christian Athletes events in Austin and around the state.

Brian Duncan So. LB Texas Tech University

Duncan serves as the Vice President on Texas Tech's Student Athlete Advisory Committee.

While at TTU, he's organized various events including, Red Raider Play Day. He conducts chapel sessions for the Texas Tech football team and was selected to participate in TTU's Diversity Leadership Conference.

Additionally, Duncan volunteers his time at local hospitals, schools, churches, and retirement homes.

Tito Gonzales Sr. WR West Virginia University

Gonzales was a speaker for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes at the Nokia Sugar Bowl (2006), the Toyota Gator Bowl (2007), and the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl (2008). He was also the keynote speaker for the football team for the FBI Center in Clarksburg, WV.

Gonzales' role in the community is profound. He has spoken to youth groups at churches and has taught Bible school during the summer.

Recognized as a leader by his teammates and coaches, he was awarded the Coach's Contribution Award following the 2007 season.

These 11 young men are valued members of their teams and their communities on and off the field. On Saturdays in the fall they lead their teams to victories, but during the remainder of the year, they clearly take that leadership to the community as well.

Albert Einstein said, "Try not to become a man of success but rather try to become a man of value."

It's safe to assume the work of each of these players listed here only scratches the surface of what they do each day to add value to the lives of others.

Through the course of this, they not only find value in their own lives, but a sense of happiness that can only be found through the service of others.

These players understand this and if each were asked, I'm sure they'd say the same thing. Many of them state they feel it's their obligation to serve, but most of them feel a real joy in helping others.

One can only hope that the rest of college football, its players, its fans, its coaches, and its writers, recognize these players not just for the outstanding players they are, many on nationally ranked teams, but also for the incredible human beings they have become.