Tulane’s Michael Pratt named to Wuerffel Trophy 2023 Watch List

Wuerffel Trophy Link

Atlanta, GA  – Tulane junior quarterback Michael Pratt has been named to the Wuerffel Trophy 2023 Watch List, the Wuerffel Foundation announced on Thursday.

College Football’s Premier Award for Community Service, and one of the most meaningful awards in collegiate sports, The Wuerffel Trophy is named after Danny Wuerffel, the 1996 Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback from the University of Florida who parlayed his success on the football field into a lifetime of service. The Wuerffel Trophy embodies Danny’s commitment to being a humanitarian, while honoring student-athletes who are inspired to serve others and make positive impacts on society.

“The life changing impact of thinking of others before ourselves is so rewarding, and it’s truly inspiring to see so many student-athletes recognize this, and use their platform for good,” said Danny Wuerffel. “College Football players across the country are making a difference in their communities, and I’m excited to see so many incredible stories associated with the 2023 Wuerffel Trophy candidates.”

Nominations for the Wuerffel Trophy are made by the respective universities’ Sports Information Departments and will close on October 16. An up-to-date list of nominees can be found at wuerffeltrophy.org.

Semifinalists for the award will be announced on November 2nd, and finalists will be announced on November 28th. The formal announcement of the 2023 recipient is scheduled to be made on December 7th or 8th during The Home Depot College Football Awards on ESPN, and the presentation of the 2023 Wuerffel Trophy will take place on February 17, 2024, at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta, GA.

The full list consists of 110 players. Pratt is one of 11 from the AAC named to the watch list.

Pratt is coming off a 2022 season in which he played in and started 13 games, went 215 for 338 in passing, had a 63.6 completion percentage (third best in a single season), threw for 3,009 yards (fourth most in a single season), threw for 27 touchdowns (third most in a single season) and had a 161.8 passing efficiency rating. He also finished second all-time at the school in a single season with his 5.4 touchdown to interception ratio and with his 8.9 yards per attempt. Pratt also finished second on the team in 2022 with his 129 carries for 478 yards and 10 touchdowns. His 10 rushing touchdowns are the second-most ever recorded by a Tulane quarterback in a single season. In his career, Pratt has started 35 games while completing 544 of 920 passes for 7,196 yards and 68 passing touchdowns. He also has had 349 rushing attempts for 849 yards and 23 touchdowns. He enters the season ranking in the top-10 in the career record books at Tulane in lowest interception ratio (1st – 2.28), passing efficiency (1st – 144.7), passing touchdowns (3rd – 68), completion percentage (4th – 59.1), passing yards per game (4th-205.6), passing yards (5th – 7,196), completions (6th – 544), 300-yard passing games (6th – 5), completions per game (7th – 15.54) and yards per completion (7th – 13.22). His 68 passing touchdowns are only two from reaching Shaun King for second and only four from tying the Patrick Ramsey’s school record.

This season, Tulane brings back four of the team’s five starters on the offensive line (Sincere Haynesworth, Prince Pines, Josh Remetich, Rashad Green), two of the team’s top three rushers (Michael Pratt and Shaadie Clayton-Johnson), the starting quarterback (Pratt), two of the top four receivers (Jha’Quan Jackson and Lawrence Keys III), the team’s punter (Casey Glover), the team’s kicker (Valentino Ambrosio), the team’s leader in interceptions (Jarius Monroe) and three of the five leading defensive players in tackles for loss (Patrick Jenkins, Darius Hodges and Keith Cooper Jr.).

In 2022, Tulane’s football team completed an unprecedented 12-2 campaign, culminating with an American Athletic Conference title and a 46-45 win over USC in the Cotton Bowl. At season’s end, the Green Wave finished with a ninth overall ranking, the second-highest in program history. Tulane opens the 2023 season at Yulman Stadium hosting South Alabama on Sept. 2 at 7 p.m.

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ABOUT THE WUERFFEL TROPHY

Established in 2005, the Wuerffel Trophy honors college football players who serve others, celebrates their impact, and inspires greater service across the nation. A member of the National College Football Awards Association, the Wuerffel Trophy is presented annually to the FBS player who best combines exemplary community service with leadership achievement on and off the field. It is the first major award honoring the character of service to others. The Wuerffel Trophy is named after Heisman Trophy winner, College Football Hall of Famer, former NFL quarterback, and renowned humanitarian Danny Wuerffel, whose life mission is to inspire greater service in the world. Wuerffel led the University of Florida to four SEC Championships and the Gators’ first National Football Championship as the team’s star quarterback. The 1996 Heisman Trophy winner set 17 NCAA and Florida records and won a myriad of other awards including the Maxwell Award, the Davey O’Brien Award, and The William V. Campbell Trophy, presented to the nation’s top scholar-athlete. As a nationally recognized humanitarian, Wuerffel inspires leaders to use their influence to make a positive impact and currently serves as President of the Wuerffel Foundation.

Sixteen NCFAA members are unveiling preseason watch lists over a two-week period as the association spearheads a coordinated effort to promote each award’s preseason candidates.