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Ole Miss Rebels

Ole Miss’ Shackelford named semifinalist for academic honor

Ethan Levine

By Ethan Levine

Published:

Deterrian Shackelford is a rare sixth-year senior linebacker with more college football experience than any other player in the nation.

He is also a sixth-year student, and he’s accomplished just as much in the classroom as he has on the football field in his time at Ole Miss.

The Rebels’ middle linebacker was recognized for his academic successes Thursday when he was among 167 players named as semifinalists for the 2014 William V. Campbell Trophy, presented to the best football scholar-athlete in the nation. The award is presented by Fidelity Investments as well as the National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame.

Shackelford is also eligible to be named one of 16 recipients of the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Award, which is also presented by Fidelity. The 16 recipients will be announced on Oct. 30, and one of those 16 scholar-athletes will be awarded the Campbell Trophy on Dec. 9. This marks the second year in a row Shackelford has been named a semifinalist for the NFF’s honor.

Shackelford has collected his fair share of academic successes in his collegiate career. He earned his bachelor’s degree in history with a minor in English in only three years despite balancing school with football. It took him two more years to earn his master’s degree in higher education, and he’s currently working toward another post-graduate degree in hopes of working as a collegiate administrator after his Ole Miss playing career comes to an end.

He is also active in the Oxford community, working on a number of community service projects in addition to serving on international mission trips each of the last two summers — one in Panama in 2013 and another in Haiti in 2014.

He is a five-time selection to the SEC Academic Honor Roll, and has now been nominated for five different academic or service awards this year alone: 2014 NFF Scholar-Athlete Award Semifinalist; 2014 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team; 2014 SEC Community Service Team; 2014 Senior CLASS Award Candidate; 2014 Lott IMPACT Trophy watch list.

Eight former SEC stars have been awarded the Campbell Trophy since 1990: Florida’s Brad Culpepper (1991); Florida’s Danny Wuerffel (1996); Tennessee’s Peyton Manning (1997); Georgia’s Matt Stinchcomb (1998); Tennessee’s Michael Munoz (2004); LSU’s Rudy Niswanger (2005); Florida’s Tim Tebow (2009); Alabama’s Barrett Jones (2012).

“These 167 impressive candidates truly represent the scholar-athlete ideal,” said NFF Chairman Archie Manning whose son, Peyton, was awarded the 1997 Campbell Trophy. “It is important for us to showcase their success on the football field, in the classroom and in the community. This year’s semifinalists further illustrate the power of our great sport in developing the next generation of influential leaders.”

Shackelford is second on Ole Miss with 15 tackles in three games this season, including one tackle for loss and one sack.

Ethan Levine

A former newspaper reporter who has roamed the southeastern United States for years covering football and eating way too many barbecue ribs, if there is such a thing.

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