Defense, Ashton Gillotte Louisville vs. NC State 11-19-2022 Photo by William Caudill, TheCrunchZone.com

Ashton Gillotte Named to the Wuerffel Trophy Watch List

Mark BlankenbakerAugust 3, 2023

University of Louisville defensive end Ashton Gillotte was one of 108 student-athletes named to the The Wuerffel Trophy watch list, the organization announced on Thursday.

A rising junior, Gillotte has been one of the most consistent performers along the defensive line. The junior from Boca Raton, Fla., recorded 24 tackles and 6.0 sacks on a defense that led the nation in sacks during the 2022 season. Gillotte also fifth on the team with 7.0 tackles for loss. In his first two seasons, Gillotte has registered 11.0 sacks and 16.0 tackles for loss.

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 during The Home Depot College Football Awards on ESPN December 7th or 8th, 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.

Offensive lineman Dillan Gibbons of Florida State University was the 2022 recipient of the Wuerffel Trophy. Like Gibbons, the 2023 recipient will be invited to join Wuerffel in New York City to attend the Heisman Trophy ceremonies, including the press conference, televised announcement show, and gala.

Past recipients of the Wuerffel Trophy include Rudy Niswanger – LSU – 2005; Joel Penton – Ohio State – 2006; Paul Smith – Tulsa – 2007; Tim Tebow – Florida – 2008; Tim Hiller – Western 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; Trevor Knight – Texas A&M – 2016; Courtney Love – Kentucky - 2017; Drue Tranquill – Notre Dame – 2018; Jon Wassink – Western Michigan – 2019; Teton Saltes – New Mexico – 2020; Isaiah Sanders – Stanford– 2021 and Dillan Gibbons – Florida State – 2022.

The Wuerffel Trophy is supported by its corporate partners Dart Container Corporation/Solo Cup and Herff Jones.