Campbell Trophy: Sam Acho

The Campbell Trophy, one of the most sought-after awards in college football, is presented annually to the best senior scholar-athlete in the nation. This year, defensive end Sam Acho of the Texas Longhorns earned this prestigious designation.

For the last two years, Acho has been named to the Big-12 all-academic team while starting at defensive end for the Longhorns. He made a big impact for Texas this year, compiling 60 tackles, two forced fumbles and a team-high eight sacks. However, the main reason he won this award was for the impact he made off the field. From balancing classes, homework and practice, to helping out in the community and volunteering his time to better the lives of those less fortunate than him, Acho was an excellent role model for the Longhorns’ football team and the entire University of Texas. He has been a prime example of the ideal college football player by keeping off-field issues to a minimum and proving that there’s more to life than what happens on the gridiron.

Acho’s best game of the year was Texas’ 30-22 loss to Baylor. Acho played a big role in containing Baylor’s scrambling quarterback Robert Griffin to 17 yards on 16 runs. He accumulated 12 tackles, one sack and two forced fumbles despite the Longhorn defense’s struggles to keep the Bears out of the endzone.