FORT WALTON BEACH, Fla. – Junior linebacker Kaden Elliss has been recognized for his outstanding work both on and off the field as a member of the Wuerffel Trophy Watch List.
 
"He does so much work for the kids in the community, and for churches in the community.  He's just a great role model," said head coach Paul Petrino.  "Every parent would love to have their kid grow up to be like Kaden Elliss, there's no doubt."
 
Elliss has been an active member of the community since joining the Vandals, whether visiting local schools or participating in SAAC.  On the field, Elliss finished second on the team with eight tackles-for-loss and five interceptions in 2016.  He also led the squad in forced fumbles and finished fifth on the team in total tackles.   
 
The Wuerffel Trophy, known as "College Football's Premier Award for Community Service," is presented annually by the All Sports Association in Fort Walton Beach, Florida.  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.
 
A current list of nominees can be found at www.wuerffeltrophy.org beginning August 1.  Semifinalists for the award will be announced on Nov. 2 and finalists will be announced on November 22.  The formal announcement of the 2017 recipient will be made at the National Football Foundation's press conference in New York City on December 5.
 
The presentation of the 2017 Wuerffel Trophy will occur at the 49^th Annual All Sports Association Awards Banquet on February 16, 2018 in Fort Walton Beach, Florida.
 
Past winners of the Wuerffel Trophy are:  Rudy Niswanger (LSU-2005), Joel Penton (Ohio State-2006), Paul Smith (Tulsa-2007), Tim Tebow (Florida-2008), Tim Hiller (W. Michigan-2009), Sam Acho (Texas-2010), Barrett Jones (Alabama-2011), Matt Barkley (USC-2012), Gabe Ikard (Oklahoma-2013), Deterrian Shackelford (Ole Miss-2014), Ty Darlington (Oklahoma-2015) and Trevor Knight (Texas A&M-2016).
 
The Wuerffel Trophy is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA) which encompasses the most prestigious awards in college football. The 23 awards boast more than 800 years of tradition-selection excellence. Visit www.NCFAA.org to learn more about our story.
 
Aikeem Coleman, Matt Linehan and head coach Paul Petrino, will be in New Orleans this weekend for the annual Sun Belt Media Day.  The event will be streamed live through ESPN3, stay in touch with Idaho football across all its platforms for day-by-day coverage of the events.
 
Fans can stay up-to-date on all things Idaho football by following the team on Twitter, @VandalFootball, on Instagram, @VandalsFB, or on Facebook by searching Idaho Vandals Football.

For more information on Idaho Athletics, visit GoVandals.com.  Fans can also find Idaho on Twitter and Instagram, @Idaho_Vandals, or on Facebook by searching Idaho Vandals.