LOGAN, Utah – Utah State head coach Blake Anderson and graduate cornerback Andre Grayson have been nominated for the 2022 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team it was announced by Allstate and the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) on Wednesday.
Grayson joins former Aggies Brandon Bowling (2021), Dominik Eberle (2015-19), Jacoby Wildman (2015-19), Jontrell Rocquemore (2015-18), Travis Seefeldt (2012-16), Chuckie Keeton (2011-15), Eric Moats (2009-11) and Geno Odong (2007), who were also nominated for the award. Keeton, now an assistant coach with the Aggies, was one of 22 players named to the 2014 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team and represented Utah State at the 2015 Sugar Bowl in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Grayson is one of 114 Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) players nominated for the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team. He is one of six Mountain West players on the list, joining Colorado State's A'Jon Vivens, Fresno State's Jalen Cropper, Nevada's Christian Swint, San Diego State's Michael Shawcroft and Wyoming's Jackson Marcotte.
Furthermore, Grayson is one of just two players from the Beehive State to make the list, joining Utah's Dalton Kincaid.
Anderson is one of seven head coach nominees and one of two from the MW, joining Colorado State's Jay Norvell.
Established in 1992, the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team is one of the most coveted community service awards in college football. From the 114 nominees, the final roster of 23 award recipients will bring together 11 players from the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision; 11 players from the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision, Divisions II, III and the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA); and one honorary head coach. To be considered for a spot on the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team, each player must be actively involved with a charitable organization or service group while maintaining strong academic standing.
This year's candidates are scholars, leaders and community champions. They have volunteered to build homes, mentor underserved kids and feed the hungry, as well as advocate against domestic violence and civil injustice.
The final 22-member team and honorary coach are selected by a voting panel of former Allstate AFCA Good Works Team members and journalists. They look for exceptional leadership on and off the football field.
Troy Hawkes, executive vice president and general manager, Allstate Sales and Distribution, and Tim Tebow, two-time national champion, Heisman Trophy winner and 2009 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team member, serve on the 2022 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team selection panel, along with Zaid Abdul-Aleem (Duke, 1994 team); Matt Stinchcomb (Georgia, 1997, 1998); Brian Brenberg (St. Thomas, 2001); Mike Proman (Amherst, 2002); Wes Counts (Middle Tennessee State, 1999); media members Kirk Herbstreit (ESPN); Blair Kerkhoff (Kansas City Star); and Paul Myerberg (USA Today); 2022 AFCA President and University of Wyoming head coach Craig Bohl and current Athletic Director at Virginia Union University Joe Taylor.
After the final team members are announced in September, fans can vote for this year's Allstate AFCA Good Works Team captain through the official page on ESPN.com. Fans can join the conversation on social media with #GoodWorksTeam throughout the season.
During the 2021 campaign, Grayson played in 13 games to finish the season with 30 tackles (18-solo, 12-assist), which included 1.0 sacks and 3.0 tackles for loss, to go along with three pass breakups. Grayson had a season-high four tackles, to go along with one pass breakup, against Boise State. He also had four tackles against Wyoming and against Oregon State in the Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl.
Grayson graduated from USU in the fall of 2020 with a degree in integrated studies and is currently working on his master's in sports management. He was a 2021 academic all-MW honoree and spends countless hours working with various groups/organizations on campus and in the community.
In his first season at Utah State, Anderson led the Aggies to their first-ever Mountain West Championship with a 46-13 win at No. 19 San Diego State, their sixth bowl win in school history with a 24-13 victory against Oregon State in the Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl, and a school-record-tying 11 wins after being picked to finish fifth in the Mountain Division of the MW in the preseason polls. USU concluded the season ranked 24th in the nation in the final Associated Press poll, marking just the fifth time ever that USU has finished a season nationally ranked.
Anderson, who was named the 2021 AFCA Region 5 Coach of the Year and a finalist for the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award, was the only first-year head coach in the nation to lead his team to nine or more wins.
Utah State opens the 2022 season at home against Connecticut on Saturday, Aug. 27. The game will be televised nationally on Fox Sports 1, at 2 p.m.
Season ticket renewals are currently being accepted. To renew, fans should visit www.utahstateaggies.com, or do so in person or by phone through the USU Ticket Office during regular business hours (435-797-0305). New season ticket orders can also be made.
For more information on the Utah State football program, follow the Aggies on Twitter at @USUFootball, on Facebook at USUFootball and on Instagram at USUFootball.
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