DALLAS – Arkansas defensive lineman Cameron Ball was one of 52 FBS players named to the Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year Award Watch List, signifying exemplary leadership by a college player.
The award, presented by Albertsons and Tom Thumb, is the first college football honor to focus primarily on a player’s leadership, both on and off the field. Leadership is a term synonymous with Jason Witten, who, in addition to becoming one of the best tight ends in the history of the sport, served as one of football’s most prominent role models during his 16-year pro career. In addition to winning the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award in 2012, Witten also received the Bart Starr Award, Pro Football Weekly’s Humanitarian of the Year Award, Home Depot NFL Neighborhood MVP and the Bob Lilly Award, among many others. All of those honors have recognized his work in the community, achievements on the field and dedication to his teammates and family.
Ball is one of the more experienced defenders on the Arkansas roster, having seen action in 26 of the Razorbacks’ last 27 contests. He has started all four games on the defensive line this season while tallying 12 tackles. The redshirt junior has totaled 74 tackles, including four for loss in addition to 1.5 sacks, two quarterback hurries and two forced fumbles during his collegiate career.
Twenty semifinalists will be announced on October 22. Three finalists will be named for the award on Monday, December 16. The winner will be announced at the award ceremony at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on February 12, 2025.
The winner of the Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year will also receive a $10,000 contribution in his name to his school’s athletic scholarship fund. The contribution will be made by Jason Witten’s SCORE Foundation, the official charity of Jason and his wife Michelle. The SCORE Foundation, founded in 2007, has positively impacted tens of thousands of children and families in Texas and Tennessee over the last 16 years. The foundation operates its nationally-recognized SCOREkeepers program, which places trained male mentors on staff to work with children at family violence shelters, at nine shelters in the two states.
This week, Arkansas is back on the road for the fourth time in five weeks to clash with longtime rival Texas A&M in this year’s edition of the Southwest Classic. Kickoff between the Razorbacks and nationally ranked Aggies from inside AT&T Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys, in Arlington, Texas, is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 28, on ESPN.
Single-game tickets for all Razorback games are available and can be purchased by clicking here or calling 479-575-5151.
