Allstate Partners with the American Football Coaches Association to Honor College Football Players' Achievements Off the Field

The kickoff of the 2008 college football season is still a few weeks away but a group of committed and hard-working players has already been honored for their off-the-field achievements. Allstate Insurance Company and the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) have announced the list of 71 student-athlete nominees for the 17th annual Allstate AFCA Good Works Team®. Through a partnership announced this week, Allstate has teamed with the AFCA to honor the college football players whose involvement with charitable organizations and community service contributions stand out among the more than 50,000 student-athletes participating in the sport at all four-year collegiate institutions. From among the 71 nominations submitted by sports information directors on behalf of their team, a special selection committee assembled by the AFCA and Allstate will select two 11-player Good Works Teams® - one composed of players competing in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision (I-A) and a combined team representing players competing in the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (I-AA), Divisions II, III, and the NAIA. "Allstate is proud to partner with the AFCA and acknowledge the outstanding commitment to community so many student-athletes are demonstrating off the football field,” said Lisa Cochrane, vice president of marketing for Allstate. "As a first-year sponsor of the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team®, Allstate continues its commitment to college football by honoring the volunteer efforts of college football players at all levels.” This season, Allstate is working with the AFCA to reinforce the heritage and tradition of the award. For the first time in the 16-year history of the program, the selection committee includes five former members of the Allstate AFCA Good Works Teams®. Other 2008 selection committee members include two coaches representing the AFCA, five representatives of the college football media, and one Allstate representative. ”We are excited about Allstate’s role with the AFCA and welcome them as one of our official corporate partners,” said Grant Teaff, AFCA executive director. "Allstate is a first-class company that supports collegiate athletics – football in particular – in a variety of ways. Their support of our Good Works Teams as title sponsor ensures that those student-athletes making countless volunteer contributions to their communities and campuses through many off-field efforts will get the proper recognition they deserve.” The 2008 Allstate AFCA Good Works Teams® voting panel includes: Allstate senior vice president, Steve Sorenson; former Good Works Teams® members Matt Stinchcomb (University of Georgia, 1997 team), Mike Proman (Amherst College, 2002 team), Deuce McAllister (University of Mississippi, 1999 team), Dan Lord (Tufts University, 1997 team), Zaid Abdul-Aleem (Duke University, 1994 team); media members Kirk Herbstreit (ESPN), Dennis Dodd (CBS Sportsline), Tony Barnhart (Atlanta Journal-Constitution), Kelly Whiteside (USA Today), Ivan Maisel (ESPN.com); current AFCA president and University of Washington head coach Tyrone Willingham; and 1996 AFCA president Fisher DeBerry, former head coach at the United States Air Force Academy. The committee will be responsible for selecting 22 players from the 71 nominations received over the summer at the AFCA headquarters in Waco, Texas. The following players have been nominated for consideration to be included among the 2008 Allstate AFCA Good Works Teams®: Football Bowl Subdivision (Div I-A) Arizona State University – Keegan Herring Ball State University – Brandon Crawford Central Michigan University – Brian Brunner Colorado State University – Kyle Bell Duke University – Re’quan Boyette Florida State University – Everette Brown Indiana University – Austin Starr Iowa State University – Euseph Messiah Kansas State University – Jeron Mastrud Middle Tennessee State University – Phillip Tanner North Carolina State University – Andre Brown Northern Illinois University – Matt Simon Northwestern University – Eric Peterman Ohio State University – James Laurinaitis Rutgers University – Tiquan Underwood Syracuse University – Lavar Lobdell Temple University – Richard Sheppard Texas Tech University – Brian Duncan Tulane University – Craig Gelhardt U.S. Air Force Academy – Travis Dekker University of Arkansas – Jose Valdez University of California – Alex Mack University of Colorado – Maurice Cantrell University of Connecticut – Brad Kanuch University of Georgia – Mohamed Massaquoi University of Illinois – Brit Miller University of Kansas – Mike Rivera University of Kentucky – Tim Masthay University of Maryland – Jordan Steffy University of Memphis – Dominik Riley University of Nebraska – Todd Peterson University of Notre Dame – Evan Sharpley University of Oklahoma – Gerald McCoy University of Pittsburgh – Scott McKillop University of South Carolina – Eric Norwood University of South Florida – George Selvie University of Tennessee – Josh Briscoe University of Texas – Colt McCoy University of Toledo – John Allen University of Wisconsin – Chris Pressley Utah State University – Geno Odong Virginia Tech – Orion Martin Wake Forest University – Benjamin Wooster West Virginia University – Tito Gonzales Western Michigan University – Tim Hiller Combined Divisions (I-AA II, III & NAIA) Bethel University (Minn.) – Mike Ervin Chadron State College – Joe McLain Coastal Carolina University – Dominique Davenport Colby College – Thomas Daley Harvard University – Andrew Berry Henderson State University – Nick Finley Hillsdale College – Phil Davignon Illinois State University – Kedric Meredith Lehigh University – Brendan VanAckeren McNeese State University – Kenneth Lundy Missouri Western State University – Dustin Strickler North Dakota State University – Tyler Roehl Northern State University – Brian Jark Sewanee: The University of the South – Tyler Brantley Southern Illinois University – Larry Warner Southwest Minnesota State University – Tyler Reed St. Cloud State University – Rocky Horn St. John’s University (Minn.) – Jeff Schnobrich University at Albany – Daniel Bocanegra University of Central Arkansas – Taylor Scott University of the Cumberlands (Ky.) – Paul Hughes University of Montana – Colin Dow University of Northern Colorado – Michael Van Portfliet University of St. Thomas – Mikkel Haugen Valparaiso University – Matt Mancl Youngstown State University – Brian Mellott About the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team® In order to meet the criteria set forth by Allstate and AFCA, each player must be actively involved and committed to working with a charitable organization, service group or community service while maintaining good academic standing. 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. Since 1992, the SEC leads all conferences with 49 selections to the Good Works Teams®, followed by the Big 12 with 32 selections and the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference with 19 selections. In 2007, Georgia strong safety Kelin Johnson became the 11th Bulldog to be selected to the team, tying the University of Georgia with the University of Nebraska for most selections all-time. Super Bowl XLII and XLI champion quarterbacks Eli and Peyton Manning were members of the 2002 and 1997 Good Works Teams®, respectively. The 2008 college football season will also mark the fourth consecutive year of Allstate's "Good Hands®" field goal net program. The program rewards the on-field performance of its 65 partner teams by earmarking money to the schools’ general scholarship funds for each field goal ($300) and extra point ($100) successfully converted into the "Good Hands®"-branded nets at each of their home games. To date, Allstate has donated over $1.5 million through the "Good Hands®" field goal net program. Allstate will also celebrate its third year as the title sponsor of the Allstate® Sugar Bowl held in New Orleans at the Louisiana Superdome January 2, 2009. About Allstate The Allstate Corporation (NYSE:ALL) is the nation’s largest publicly held personal lines insurer. Widely known through the "You’re In Good Hands With Allstate®” slogan, Allstate is reinventing protection and retirement to help individuals in approximately 17 million households protect what they have today and better prepare for tomorrow. Customers can access Allstate products and services such as auto insurance and homeowners insurance through approximately 14,700 exclusive Allstate agencies and financial representatives in the U.S. and Canada, or in select states at allstate.com and 1-800 Allstate®. Encompass® and Deerbrook® Insurance brand property and casualty products are sold exclusively through independent agents. The Allstate Financial Group provides life insurance, supplemental accident and health insurance, annuity, banking and retirement products designed for individual, institutional and worksite customers that are distributed through Allstate agencies, independent agencies, financial institutions and broker-dealers. Customers can also access information about Allstate Financial Group products and services at myallstatefinancial.com. About AFCA The American Football Coaches Association was founded in 1922 and currently has more than 10,000 members around the world ranging from the high school level to the professional ranks. According to its constitution, AFCA was formed, in part, to "maintain the highest possible standards in football and in the coaching profession” and to "provide a forum for the discussion and study of all matters pertaining to football.”