Youngstown State linebacker Griffin Hoak is one of 156 semifinalists for 2022 William V. Campbell Trophy®, which is college football's premier scholar-athlete award.

The award recognizes an individual as the absolute best in the country for his combined academic success, football performance and exemplary leadership, and the candidates also comprise the pool of nominees for the 2022 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Awards Presented by Fidelity Investments®.

Hoak has been a starter at linebacker for the Penguins since November 2019. He has started the last 22 games for the Penguins. In three games this season he has 11 tackles, including seven solos, and one interception. In the spring and fall 2021 seasons, Hoak combined to make 93 tackles (62 solos) in 17 games. He had 12 tackles in the final two games of the 2019 campaign giving him 105 tackles in his 19 career starts.

The semifinalists have been nominated by their schools as the best all-around student-athlete on their respective football teams. Each nominee must be a senior or graduate student in their final year of eligibility, have a GPA of at least 3.2 on a 4.0 scale, have outstanding football ability as a first team player or significant contributor and have demonstrated strong leadership and citizenship. The candidates come from all levels of play in the NCAA and the NAIA.

This year will mark the 64th year of the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Awards Presented by Fidelity Investments, which began in 1959, and the 33rd year of the Campbell Trophy®, which was added to the program in 1990.

The NFF will announce 12-14 finalists on Oct. 26, and each finalist will receive an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship as a member of the 2022 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class Presented by Fidelity Investments. One of the finalists will be named the winner of the 33rd Campbell Trophy® during the 64th NFF Annual Awards Dinner Presented by Las Vegas on Dec. 6 and have his postgraduate scholarship increased to $25,000.