NORTHBROOK, Ill. - More than a month into the 2008 college football season, the off-the-field achievements of a select group of dedicated and hard-working players have distinguished them from among the more than 50,000 student-athletes competing in the sport. To honor these players and bring awareness to their selfless deeds, Allstate Insurance Company and the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) have announced the 22 student-athletes chosen for the 2008 Allstate AFCA Good Works Teams^®.

The 22 college football players awarded this prestigious honor were selected by a special selection committee from the 71 nominations submitted by sports information directors on behalf of their teams. The two 11-member teams - one composed of players competing in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision (I-A) and a combined team representing the NCAA Championship Subdivision (I-AA), Divisions II, III and the NAIA - honor players that embody the true spirit of "teamwork" and "giving back" through selfless contributions and commendable acts of kindness.

This is the 17^th consecutive season the Allstate AFCA Good Works Teams^® have been selected, and the first that Allstate has partnered with the AFCA to present the awards. Newly elected member of the College Football Hall of Fame and former Notre Dame head football coach Lou Holtz will serve as the spokesperson for the 2008 Allstate AFCA Good Works Teams^®

"Allstate is proud to partner with the AFCA to highlight the extraordinary efforts of these student athletes," said Lisa Cochrane, vice president of marketing for Allstate.  "Giving back to our communities is a value Allstate holds dear, and having the opportunity to recognize these young men for the service they've provided off the field is an honor for us."  

During a time when off-the-field transgressions seem to dominate the news headlines, these players have quietly made a favorable impression on the organizations and people with which they are involved.  From donating bone marrow to rescuing children from an overturned bus, the positive impact that these players have made and continue to make on their communities can be measured by more than just touchdowns, tackles, and receptions. 

"These 22 student-athletes represent thousands of college football players who make a difference in their communities through volunteer service on campus and in their hometowns," said AFCA Executive Director Grant Teaff. "We're proud to join Allstate in recognizing these young people who are dedicated to improving the world in which we live."

Allstate has assembled a high-profile voting panel made up of previous Good Works Team^® members, including former University of Mississippi running back Deuce McAllister and former University of Georgia lineman Matt Stinchcomb, as well as prominent college football media personalities, including ESPN's Kirk Herbstreit and CBSSports.com's Dennis Dodd, to elect this year's teams. Also a part of the selection committee are current AFCA president and University of Washington head coach Tyrone Willingham, 1996 AFCA president and former head coach at the United States Air Force Academy Fisher DeBerry, and Allstate senior vice president Steve Sorenson.

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. Candidates must also display sincere concern and reliability, while also having made a favorable impression on the organizations with which they are involved. Neither athletic ability nor on-the-field achievements are among the selection criteria.

The following players have been selected to the 2008 Allstate AFCA Good Works Teams^®:

Football Bowl Subdivision (I-A)

Name                           Cl.        Pos.     School                                                 Hometown

Keegan Herring             Sr.        RB        Arizona State University                         Peoria, Ariz.

Re'quan Boyette            Sr.        RB        Duke University                                     Wilson, N.C.

Brit Miller                      Sr.        LB        University of Illinois                               Decatur, Ill.

Tim Masthay                 Sr.        P/K       University of Kentucky                           Murray, Ky.

Jordan Steffy                Sr.        QB       University of Maryland                           Leola, Pa.

Matt Simon                   Sr.        WR       Northern Illinois University                      Farmington, Minn.

Eric Peterman               Sr.        WR       Northwestern University                         Sherman, Ill.

Gerald McCoy               So.       DT        University of Oklahoma                          Oklahoma City, Okla.

Colt McCoy                   Sr.        QB       University of Texas                                Tuscola, Texas

Brian Duncan                So.       LB        Texas Tech University                            Baton Rouge, La.

Tito Gonzales                Sr.        WR       West Virginia University                         Tampa, Fla.

Football Championship Subdivision (I-AA), Divisions II, III, and NAIA

Name                           Cl.        Pos.     School                                                 Hometown

Daniel Bocanegra          Sr.        WR       University at Albany                               Daly City, Calif.

Andrew Berry                Sr.        CB        Harvard University                                 Bel Air, Md.

Nick Finley                    Sr.        DE       Henderson State University                    Malvern, Ark.

Phil Davignon               Sr.        OT        Hillsdale College                                   Ypsilanti, Mich.

Colin Dow                     Sr.        OL        University of Montana                            Billings, Mont.

Tyler Roehl                    Sr.        RB        North Dakota State University                West Fargo, N.D.

Michael Van Portfliet     So.       DB       University of Northern Colorado             Parker, Colo.

Rocky Horn                   Jr.        WR       St. Cloud State University                      Melrose, Minn.

Mikkel Haugen               Sr.        RB        University of St. Thomas                       Kenyon, Minn.

Tyler Brantley                Sr.        DB       Sewanee: The University of the South     Danielsville, Ga.           

Larry Warner                  Sr.        RB        Southern Illinois University                      Vicksburg, Miss.

About the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team^® 

Mikkel Haugen gave the University of St. Thomas its record 11^th straight selection to the 2008 Allstate AFCA Good Works Teams^®, tying the University of Georgia and the University of Nebraska for most selections all-time. Institutions that had student-athletes named to the team for the first time included the University at Albany, Harvard University, Henderson State University, Hillsdale College, University of Illinois, University of Maryland, University of Northern Colorado, Northern Illinois University, St. Cloud State University and Sewanee.

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 50 selections to the Good Works Teams^®, followed by the Big 12 with 35 selections and the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference with 20 selections. Former Allstate AFCA Good Works Team^® members include Super Bowl XLII and XLI champion quarterbacks Eli and Peyton Manning, respectively, Vince Young, Daunte Culpepper and Tom Zbikowski.

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." 

About Van Portfliet

Last fall, in honor of former NC football player Sam Safken, who passed away in September of 2006 of Leukemia, the NC football team volunteered to participate in the National Marrow Donor Program by giving a swab of cells from their cheeks.  All samples were tested to determine the tissue types and the results were listed on a computerized Registry.

Mike Van Portfliet was later contacted by a coordinator from Bonfils Blood Center notifying him his sample was chosen as a best match for an anonymous 26-year-old female patient who was in need of a transplant.  After additional testing, a lot of paperwork and counseling regarding the time, physical and emotional commitments, Van Portfliet agreed to donate.

Peripheral Blood Stem Cell (PBSC) donation is another way to collect blood-forming cells for transplantation as opposed to the more common known procedure of drawing marrow from the pelvic or hip bone.  PBSC donation is under a clinical research study reporting to the FDA. Studies are finding this procedure is providing larger volumes of the needed cells for the recipient.  Because of Van Portfliet's age and physical fitness level, PBSC was chosen as the donation method for him.

In preparation of donating PBSC, Van Portfliet received two injections a day for five days of filgrastim, a drug that increases and releases the blood-forming stem cells out of the bone marrow and into the bloodstream.  Common side effects of the injections are headaches, nausea, tiredness, and bone or muscle pain.

 "I'm always sore from playing football," Van Portfliet said. "If I can save someone's life, why wouldn't I do it?" 

On the fifth day, he received his last shots as well as performed the stem cell donation at Presbyterian/St. Luke's Medical Center in Denver.  The Blood Donor Center at P/SL also serves the Rocky Mountain Blood and Marrow Transplant Program, the largest, most active Bone Marrow Transplant program in the Rocky Mountain and Great Plains regions.

The donation procedure, while not painful, was long.  Van Portfliet was connected to an Apheresis machine for five hours with needles in both of his arms.  The machine, developed by two Lakewood Colorado Doctors in the 1990's, extracts the blood from one arm, cycles, separates and extracts the increased volume of bone marrow and stem cells from the red blood cells and platelets and returns into his other arm, cycling a total of 24 liters of blood. 

Throughout the day, Van Portfliet had many visitors from doctors and nurses at P/SL, all very interested in the procedure and the results.  Many have been in the Bone Marrow registry for many years and had never been called as a match.  P/SL Blood Donor Center only performs about 36 of PBSC procedures a year.

The cells that were collected were put into a small cooler, left P/SL that same day, traveled by airplane to the recipient's hospital, and she received her transplant that evening.  Due to confidentiality laws, Van Portfliet and his recipient are not allowed to be known to each other until one year after the transplant, and only if they both agree.  Bonfils Blood Center will stay in touch with Van Portfliet and will give him an update on the recipient within 30 to 45 days after the transplant as to her condition.  If the recipient suffers a setback, she may need a second donation.  Van Portfliet would then be asked to consider a second donation.  They will also continue to monitor his blood over the next year as part of the FDA approval process.

Overall, the whole experience was extremely interesting and rewarding to the entire Van Portfliet family.  For a matched, unrelated donor transplant, overall survival rates range from 30 to 60 percent.  Without a transplant, survival rates range from 0 to 15 percent. 

Thanks to the combination of state of the art technology, the community volunteer spirit of the Northern Colorado football team and the heart of a young man, a difference was made in a young girl's life.