Football | 09/26/2018

IRVING, Texas – Idaho senior linebacker Ed Hall is a semifinalist for the 2018 William V. Campbell Trophy, the National Football Foundation announced Wednesday. The award is given to "the absolute best football scholar-athlete in the nation." Hall is one of 179 semifinalists spanning all divisions of the NCAA, as well as the NAIA.
 
The list will be trimmed to 12-14 finalists on Oct. 31, with each receiving an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship and earning a spot on the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class. Finalists will travel to New York City for the NFF Annual Awards Dinner on Dec. 4, where one member of the class will be named the winner of the 29th William V. Campbell Trophy and have his postgraduate scholarship increased to $25,000.
 
Hall is one of 40 semifinalists from the Football Championship Subdivision and one of three from the Big Sky Conference. Idaho has never had a NFF National Scholar-Athlete. The program began in 1959.
 
A mechanical engineering major, Hall boasts a 3.83 grade-point average, is a seven-time member of the University of Idaho Dean's List and was named to the CoSIDA Academic All-District 7 First Team last season.
 
On the field, the former walk-on led the Vandals with three interceptions last season and was named honorable mention All-Sun Belt. Through three games this season, Hall is Idaho's leading tackler.
 
Hall's greatest impact yet may be felt in the real world. He is working with fellow engineers and finance students, including teammate Alex Boatman, to develop the Forever Shower. A shower targeted to recreational vehicles that uses filtered, recycled water, the Forever Shower has won entrepreneurial and innovation awards across the region.
 
"The NFF would like to personally congratulate each of the nominees as well as their schools and coaches on their tremendous accomplishments," said NFF President & CEO Steve Hatchell. "We are extremely proud to highlight each semifinalist's achievements, showcasing their ability to balance academics and athletics at the highest level. The NFF Awards Committee will have an incredibly difficult task in selecting the finalists from this outstanding group of candidates."