Ryan Day, Jaylen McClain nominated for AllState AFCA Good Works team

· Yahoo Sports

Ohio State football head coach Ryan Day and junior defensive back Jaylen McClain have been nominated for the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team. The team recognizes college football student-athletes and coaches who demonstrate exceptional commitment to community service, academics and athletics. It was established in 1992 and presented by Allstate since 2008. The program honors players who use their platforms to strengthen communities and support causes important to them. 

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If you know anything about Ryan Day, we don't have to tell you where his heart is off the field.

  • He and his wife, Nina, established The Nina and Ryan Day Resilience Fund with a $1 million donation to The Ohio State University. The fund focuses on research to identify risk factors for mental illness and cultivate resilience, something that is near and dear to Day, having lost his father to suicide early in life.
  • The couple also created the Christina and Ryan Day Fund for Pediatric and Adolescent Mental Wellness in partnership with Nationwide Children's Hospital and The Kids Mental Health Foundation. The fund provides free "Day Time Break" curriculum kits to classrooms, teaching young students how to manage stress and boost mental health. 
  • At an event in April, nearly 1,000 students, teachers, counselors, coaches, and community members were present at The Palace Theatre in Manchester, New Hampshire, for Ryan and Nina Day’s speech about their work with The Kids Mental Health Foundation. 
  • All 6,000 students in the Manchester School District -- Ryan and Nina’s schools they attended growing up -- are receiving their Day Time Break Kits from The Kids Mental Health Foundation. Former OSU running back TreVeyon Henderson, current quarterback Julian Sayin, and former safety Caleb Downs also provided recorded videos to inspire kids to talk about their mental health and place as much importance on their mental health as they do on their physical health. Day spent time after the event speaking to three area football teams about mental illness for about an hour.

For Jaylen McCalin, he started Everyday Legends Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to empowering youth and strengthening underserved communities. He also put on the inaugural Jaylen McClain Youth Football Camp, focusing on leadership, skill-building, and confidence for young athletes. McClain also has volunteered in seasonal outreach efforts, including holiday toy drives and Thanksgiving turkey donation initiatives. 

The 2026 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team will be announced in September and include 22 student-athletes and one honorary head coach. One well-deserving student-athlete will also be selected as team captain and receive the Allstate Wuerffel Trophy.

Best of luck to both, and thanks for making a difference in the Ohio State community and beyond to both Day and McClain.

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This article originally appeared on Buckeyes Wire: Ryan Day, Jaylen McClain nominated for AllState AFCA Good Works team

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