Two G5 Players Named Semifinalists For Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year Award

20 semifinalists for the 2023 Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year were announced on Wednesday afternoon. 

"Compiled by a subset of the Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year Selection Committee, the semifinalists have all demonstrated a record of leadership by exhibiting exceptional courage, integrity and sportsmanship both on and off the field," the committee's press release read.

Of the 20 players named, two come from the Group of Five. Below are their bios provided by the selection committee.

Three finalists will be named for the award on Wednesday, December 13. The winner will be announced at the award ceremony in Frisco, Texas, on February 15, 2024. 

Brian Dooley, Eastern Michigan (Sr., OL) 

A two-time captain for the Eagles, Dooley is also two-time All-MAC honoree who has started 53 games and played in 55 in his career, just three shy of the school record in each category. His dedication to the community is impressive, having participated in a mission trip to Guatemala and regularly volunteering in schools near campus. But perhaps his most selfless act came last Fall when he gave his full-ride scholarship to fellow lineman Zach Conti, who was working construction and donating plasma to try and pay for tuition.

Xavier McDonald, Navy (Sr., DB) 

Xavier McDonald overcame an enormously challenging childhood to become a high achiever in both academics and athletics in high school, while working 30 to 35 hours a week and taking care of four younger siblings. McDonald took on that heavy responsibility as a freshman in high school after both his parents were incarcerated simultaneously. To help support himself and his siblings, McDonald got a job as a cashier at Winn-Dixie. Despite the dire situation, McDonald made it to the United States Naval Academy where he is an operations major. He has played in 27 games in his career at Navy, including every game this season, while also completing over 50 hours of community service over the last year.