J’Mar Smith named to Wuerffel Trophy Watch List

FORT WALTON BEACH, Fla. – Louisiana Tech quarterback J’Mar Smith is one of 106 college football players who has been named to the 2018 Wuerffel Trophy Watch List, it was announced by the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame on Thursday.

The Wuerffel Trophy, known as “College Football’s Premier Award for Community Service,” is presented annually at the All Sports Association’s Awards Banquet in Fort Walton Beach. Named after 1996 Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Danny Wuerffel from the University of Florida, the Wuerffel Trophy is awarded to the FBS player that best combines exemplary community service with athletic and academic achievement.

Last season as a sophomore, Smith threw for 2,974 passing yards, becoming just the third underclassmen QB in Tech history to throw for 2,500 yards in a season (first since 2001). He ranked fourth in C-USA and 29th in FBS in passing yards and threw just five interceptions in 409 passing attempts with 16 passing touchdowns. The Meridian, Mississippi, native was third on the team in rushing with 371 yards and 6 rushing touchdowns, while he ranked third in C-USA and 36th in FBS in total offense (257.3) a year ago.

Nominations for the Wuerffel Trophy are made by the respective universities’ Sports Information Department and will close on October 12. A current list of nominees can be found at www.wuerffeltrophy.org beginning on August 1. Semifinalists for the award will be announced on November 1 and finalists will be announced on November 19.

The formal announcement of the 2018 recipient will be made at the National Football Foundation’s press conference in New York City on December 4. The presentation of the 2018 Wuerffel Trophy will occur at the 50th All Sports Association Awards Banquet on February 15, 2019 in Fort Walton Beach.

The Wuerffel Trophy is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA) which encompasses the most prestigious awards in college football. The 24 awards boast more than 800 years of tradition-selection excellence. Visit www.ncfaa.org to learn more about our story.

For complete coverage of Bulldog Football, please follow Louisiana Tech on social media at @LATechFB (Twitter), /LATechFootball (Facebook) and @LATechFB (Instagram) or visit the official home of Louisiana Tech Athletics at LATechSports.com.