John Grass Nominated For Allstate AFCA Good Works Team
7/14/2016 4:40:00 PM | Football
NORTHBROOK, Ill. – Jacksonville State head coach is getting recognized for his off-the-field contributions after being named a nominee for the head coach of the AllState American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Good Works Team.
The Allstate AFCA Good Works Team will celebrate its 25th anniversary in 2016. In doing so, it will add three spots to the team to make it a 25-person team. It will now be comprised of 12 players from the Football Bowl Subdivision, 12 players from the Football Championship Subdivision, Disions II, III and the NAIA and an honorary head coach for the first time in the award's history.
Grass is one of 10 nominees for the first-ever honorary head coach position and the only FCS coach nominated. He joins FBS Coaches Chris Creighton (Eastern Michigan), Mark Dantonio (Michigan State), Willie Fritz (Tulane), Nick Saban (Alabama) and Mark Richt (Miami) as the six Division I head coaches nominated for the honor. Also nominated are Steve Ryan (NAIA Morningside College), Tim Beck (Div. II Pittsburg State), Curt Wiese (Div. II Minnesota Duluth) and Glenn Caruso (Div. III St. Thomas).
Entering his third season as the head coach of the Gamecocks, Grass has received plenty of recognition for his work on the field. Named the Roy Kidd OVC Coach of the Year and the AFCA's Region Coach of the Year in each of his first two seasons, he was selected as the AFCA FCS National Coach of the Year in 2015 after leading JSU to its first No. 1 ranking and its first appearance in the Div. I National Championship Game.
Off the field, Grass is heavily involved in several organizations, while making sure his student-athletes and staff give back to the community, as well. He is very active in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) and hosts several camps that include faith- and service-based activities and principles.
Throughout the year, the Gamecocks are active in the community, including several activities such as reading to children in the local schools. JSU football has taken part in several outreach activities, including Project 58, where the Gamecocks packed 100,000 meals to be distributed to underprivileged families across the globe.
Grass also has a special relationship with Rainbow Omega, a faith-based, non-profit organization located in Eastaboga, Ala., that provides residential and vocational programs for adults with developmental disabilities. He became involved with Rainbow Omega before his time at JSU and now takes his players and staff to serve throughout the year at the facility.
On the field, Grass holds a 23-4 record in just two seasons as the Gamecocks' head coach and entered last year's title game tied for the best 26-game start to a career in FCS history. He is the first coach in OVC history to go unbeaten in league play in each of his first two seasons and has broken dozens of records during his short time at JSU.
The offensive coordinator in 2013 before being promoted to head coach in 2014, Grass came into a program that had never seen a 5,000-yard season in over 100 years of football and has racked up over 6,000 in each of his three seasons. His 2015 team gained 7,613 yards and ran for a school-record 4,511. JSU also set school records in passing yards (3,102), points scored (584) and tackles for a loss (135) in 2015.
In the classroom, JSU has matched its performance on the field, boasting the best GPA in the OVC while winning two-straight conference titles on the field. JSU has had four players named to the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team: Daniel Kirkland (1999), Chris Kirk (2004), Josh Cain (2009) and Dalton Screws (2015).
The Allstate AFCA Good Works Teams® were established in 1992 by the College Football Association, recognizing the extra efforts made by college football players and student support staff off the field. AFCA became the governing body of the award in 1997 and continues to honor college football players who go the extra mile for those in need. Allstate worked to present the award starting with the 2008 season.
The Allstate AFCA Good Works Team will celebrate its 25th anniversary in 2016. In doing so, it will add three spots to the team to make it a 25-person team. It will now be comprised of 12 players from the Football Bowl Subdivision, 12 players from the Football Championship Subdivision, Disions II, III and the NAIA and an honorary head coach for the first time in the award's history.
Grass is one of 10 nominees for the first-ever honorary head coach position and the only FCS coach nominated. He joins FBS Coaches Chris Creighton (Eastern Michigan), Mark Dantonio (Michigan State), Willie Fritz (Tulane), Nick Saban (Alabama) and Mark Richt (Miami) as the six Division I head coaches nominated for the honor. Also nominated are Steve Ryan (NAIA Morningside College), Tim Beck (Div. II Pittsburg State), Curt Wiese (Div. II Minnesota Duluth) and Glenn Caruso (Div. III St. Thomas).
Entering his third season as the head coach of the Gamecocks, Grass has received plenty of recognition for his work on the field. Named the Roy Kidd OVC Coach of the Year and the AFCA's Region Coach of the Year in each of his first two seasons, he was selected as the AFCA FCS National Coach of the Year in 2015 after leading JSU to its first No. 1 ranking and its first appearance in the Div. I National Championship Game.
Off the field, Grass is heavily involved in several organizations, while making sure his student-athletes and staff give back to the community, as well. He is very active in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) and hosts several camps that include faith- and service-based activities and principles.
Throughout the year, the Gamecocks are active in the community, including several activities such as reading to children in the local schools. JSU football has taken part in several outreach activities, including Project 58, where the Gamecocks packed 100,000 meals to be distributed to underprivileged families across the globe.
Grass also has a special relationship with Rainbow Omega, a faith-based, non-profit organization located in Eastaboga, Ala., that provides residential and vocational programs for adults with developmental disabilities. He became involved with Rainbow Omega before his time at JSU and now takes his players and staff to serve throughout the year at the facility.
On the field, Grass holds a 23-4 record in just two seasons as the Gamecocks' head coach and entered last year's title game tied for the best 26-game start to a career in FCS history. He is the first coach in OVC history to go unbeaten in league play in each of his first two seasons and has broken dozens of records during his short time at JSU.
The offensive coordinator in 2013 before being promoted to head coach in 2014, Grass came into a program that had never seen a 5,000-yard season in over 100 years of football and has racked up over 6,000 in each of his three seasons. His 2015 team gained 7,613 yards and ran for a school-record 4,511. JSU also set school records in passing yards (3,102), points scored (584) and tackles for a loss (135) in 2015.
In the classroom, JSU has matched its performance on the field, boasting the best GPA in the OVC while winning two-straight conference titles on the field. JSU has had four players named to the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team: Daniel Kirkland (1999), Chris Kirk (2004), Josh Cain (2009) and Dalton Screws (2015).
The Allstate AFCA Good Works Teams® were established in 1992 by the College Football Association, recognizing the extra efforts made by college football players and student support staff off the field. AFCA became the governing body of the award in 1997 and continues to honor college football players who go the extra mile for those in need. Allstate worked to present the award starting with the 2008 season.
Players Mentioned
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