Penn State senior linebacker Brandon Smith has been named to the Allstate, American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Good Works Team.
He is among the 11 FBS and 22 overall honorees for their contributions to the community. Smith is the fourth Nittany Lion to earn Allstate AFCA Good Works Team honors, joining Ben Kline (2015), Stefen Wisniewski (2010) and Wayne Holmes (1994).
In its 26th year, the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team® shines a spotlight on the incredible stories of selflessness and community service displayed by these student-athletes and honorary head coach, and honors their dedication to volunteerism and enriching the lives of others.
Fans are encouraged to visit ESPN.com/Allstate to vote for the 2017 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team® Captain now through November 23, 2017. The Team Captain will be honored at this season’s The Home Depot College Football Awards on ESPN.
“The 2017 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team is a shining example of the great student-athletes that populate the rosters of college football teams all across the nation,” AFCA Executive Director Todd Berry said. “Since 2008, the AFCA takes great pride in working with Allstate to honor these 22 outstanding student-athletes, and honorary head coach Pat Fitzgerald, who go above and beyond to make their universities and communities a better place.”
A native of Winfield, Pennsylvania, Smith graduated with a degree in kinesiology last December. He is working on a second degree in health policy and administration and owns a 3.81 GPA. He is a seventh-time Dean’s List honoree and recorded a pair of 4.0 semesters during his academic career. In 2016, Smith was selected CoSIDA Academic All-District and was a Big Ten Distinguished Scholar recipient. He intends on working in the health care field.
The senior is also active in the community. In addition to the numerous community service activities that he does as part of the Nittany Lions, Smith helps with his wife’s non-profit organization, Honduran Soles, which provides shoes to kids that need them in various countries. He and his wife traveled to Honduras during spring break in 2015 helped build a soccer field. He and his wife have volunteered at homeless shelters, and done other community work through their church, Revival Tabernacle, in Watsontown, Pennsylvania, near his hometown.
The 2017 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team® will be invited to New Orleans to participate in a special community service project ahead of the 2018 Allstate® Sugar Bowl®, where the entire team will also be recognized on the field at halftime.
In addition, Allstate will honor Good Works Team® players by creating special volunteer events in select markets throughout the season in conjunction with its All Hands In program, which encourages the college football community to come together and do good.
Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS)
Daniel Carlson – Auburn University
Gabe Brandner – Duke University
Mavin Saunders – Florida State University
Brent Stockstill – Middle Tennessee State University
A.J. Cole, III – North Carolina State University
Brandon Smith – Pennsylvania State University
Harrison Phillips – Stanford University
Shaq Jones – University of Alabama-Birmingham
Aaron Davis – University of Georgia
Courtney Love – University of Kentucky
Tommy Openshaw – Vanderbilt University
Combined Divisions (FCS, II, III & NAIA)
Reece Foy – Amherst College
Josh Dalki – Bethel University (Minn.)
Ryan Stratton – Edinboro University
Jake Daugherty – Ferris State University
Tyler Schubert – Franklin & Marshall College
Jacob Jenness – Northwestern College (Iowa)
Gunnar Orcutt – Peru State College
Will Gillach – Saint John’s University (Minn.)
Jake Wieneke – South Dakota State University
Patrick Mohorcic – The College of Wooster
Dillon Vaughan – West Texas A&M University
Honorary Head Coach
Pat Fitzgerald – Northwestern University
