Cal Football: Elijah Hicks Wins Pop Warner Award for Leadership On and Off Field
Elijah Hicks has hauled in another post-season award, this one recognizing his leadership on the field, in the classroom and in the community.
Hicks, a third-team All-American and first-team All-Pac-12 safety, has been awarded the 12th Pop Warner National College Football Award for embodying the ideals of a student-athlete.
“Elijah Hicks is very deserving of the Pop Warner College Football Award," coach Justin Wilcox said in a statement. "He takes a great deal of pride in everything he is involved with including football, academics and his work in the community.
“It has been a pleasure to coach and get to know Elijah over the past five years. He is a tremendous representative of our university and what college football is all about.”
Hicks, who has devoted off-field energy fighting hunger and poverty in the community, was chosen as the Pop Warner Award winner among six finalists.
Practicing this week in advance of Saturday’s East-West Shrine Game at Las Vegas, Hicks also was a semifinalist this season for the Campbell Trophy, Jason Witten Collegiate Man Of The Year and Wuerffel Trophy.
Hicks created his own non-profit, No Kid Hungry, which raised nearly $70,000 to provide assistance to low-income family, helping them feed their children during the COVID-19 pandemic.
He also partnered with Scholarship America to award grants of $500 to $700 to provide emergency relief funds to students at Cal for expenses including bills, rent and food.
Here is the official statement fro Jon Butler, executive director of Pop Warner Little Scholars:
"Elijah's accomplishments on the field are enough for celebration, but his commitment to his studies, his team and his community make him a true embodiment of Pop Warner and a role model for the next generation of young student-athletes.
"Each year we are impressed by the nominations for this award and the stories about college football players whose exploits on the field are well known but who are also working diligently in the classroom and study hall to get great grades while giving back to others in the community.
"The balance exhibited on and off the field by our finalists this year is beyond impressive. Elijah is the definition of difference maker and we are honored to have him among our incredible list of Pop Warner College Football Award winners.”
Hicks was the only Cal player to play in all 54 possible games his five years in the program. From 2017 through ’21, he started 46 games, totaling 213 tackles, 14.5 tackles for loss, 3.0 sacks, five interceptions, 14 pass breakups and six forced fumbles.
He shared the team lead in 2021 with a career-high interceptions and tied for the Pac-12 lead with four forced fumbes. He also had 72 tackles, second-most on the team, while adding 5.5 tackles for loss, one sack and two pass breakups.
Cover photo of Cal safety Elijah Hicks courtesy of Cal Athletics
Follow Jeff Faraudo of Cal Sports Report on Twitter: @jefffaraudo
