ITHACA, N.Y. -- Cornell head coach David Archer '05 and senior linebacker Jake Stebbins are among the nominees to the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team it was announced recently by the American Football Coaches Association. Archer is among 20 head coaches and Stebbins is one of 136 student-athletes nominated to the team.
 
Archer ranks as one of the longest tenured head coaches in Cornell history and one of the most impactful on and off the field. A campus leader in diversity, equity and inclusion, he is the Co-Founder of the DEI Athletic Committee and spearheaded the creation of "Campus Partner's Creating Pathways Luncheons." Archer built the most diverse and representative coaching staff in program history by consulting with HR department and revamping sourcing and recruiting practices and strategies, later functioning as a hiring consultant to University police department and College of Veterinary Medicine.
 
He has championed academic excellence with team players, resulting in a 97 percent graduation success rate as posted by NCAA, besting the 93 percent campus rate for males, 95 percent rate for black male players, and campus-wide rate of 88 percent.  He achieved a yearly APR higher than the national average, including a perfect score in the 2014-2015 Academic Calendar year. Archer spent two years prior to beginning his coaching career as part of the Teach for America program, working in inner city Newark, N.J. schools.
 
Archer has also focused time on improving the mental health availability for student-athletes and staff. He created and implemented "Huddle Together for Mental Health" in partnership with Cornell Health, Visions Federal Credit Union, and NAMI-FL to deliver impactful programming to nearly 200 people and secure $5,000 in gifts to NAMI-FL.
 
On the field, Archer has assisted in developing 63 All-Ivy League selections in his first 10 seasons, as well as Ivy League Rookies of the Year Chris Fraser (2013) and Nick Gesualdi (2014). Four players (Jeff Mathews, Chris Fraser, Nick Gesualdi and Grant Gellatly) were named FCS All-Americans and Gellatly, Seth Hope (two times) and Jelani Taylor earned spots on the Capital One Academic All-America squad. The Big Red tied for fourth in the Ivy in 2019, its best finish since 2006. It went 5-5 in 2022, matching the program's best win total since 2005, going unbeaten in non-conference play for the first time since 2007.
 
Stebbins, a three-time All-Ivy selection and a first-teamer in 2021, enters his final season ranked among the school's all-time leaders in tackles (230, 15th), tackles for loss (19.0, 24th) and forced fumbles (three, 22nd). He posted a team-best 76 tackles with 2.5 for a loss, two fumbles recovered, three pass breakups and two hurries in 10 starts last fall. He ranked fifth in the Ivy League in tackles and second in fumbles recovered with two, a number that was 13th nationally.
 
The 6-0, 228-pound linebacker and two-year captain organized and took the lead on Cornell's Red Key Clothing Drive for the Cayuga Medical Center, as well as for a football group that participated in the Polar Plunge to support the Special Olympics. A participant in Relay For Life, he is a multiple-time group captain for Salvation Army's Adopt-A-Family program during Christmas Seasons. He has worked as an actuarial intern for Highmark Health for three years.
 
The final 22-member team and honorary coach are selected by a voting panel of former Allstate AFCA Good Works Team members, current and former head coaches and journalists. They look for exceptional leadership on and off the football field. After the final team members are announced in September, fans can vote for this year's Allstate AFCA Good Works Team captain through the official page on ESPN.com/allstate.
 
Established in 1992, the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team is one of the most coveted community service awards in college football. From the 135 nominees, the final roster of 23 award recipients will bring together 11 players from the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision; 11 players from the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision, Divisions II, III and the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA); and one honorary head coach. To be considered for a spot on the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team, each player must be actively involved with a charitable organization or service group while maintaining strong academic standing.
 
Established in 1992 by the College Football Association, the award recognizes the extra efforts made by college football players and student support staff off the field. AFCA became the governing body of the award in 1997 and continues to honor college football players who go the extra mile for those in need. Allstate worked to present the award starting with the 2008 season.