The new Tulane kicker is receiving honors for his leadership on and off the field.
The Tulane Green Wave didn’t have the start they wanted in all three phases last weekend, including at kicker, and they’re hoping to turn that all around this weekend.
But one Green Wave specialist landed on a national stage that recognizes the utmost leaders in college football.
Redshirt junior kicker Jackson Courville was recently named to the 2026 Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year Watch List.
He is one of 89 total nominees for the award across the nation.
The focus is on character rather than production, and that says a lot about the program’s view of Courville, who nominated him for the award directly.
The decade-long honor puts a spotlight on multiple facets of leadership: courage, integrity and sportsmanship on and off the field.
The list will be trimmed to 20 semifinalists on Oct. 13, with three finalists announced on Dec. 14. The winner will be announced at the award ceremony which will be revealed in the spring 2027 ceremony.
The award is named after one of the best tight ends in the sport, but Jason Witten is known for much more than his illustrious career. He’s one of the most highly touted figures in the sport and has won the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award in 2012 along with the Bart Starr Award and Bob Lilly Award.
The winner also receives a $10k contribution to their athletic scholarship fund from Witten’s SCORE Foundation. The foundation has supported work in domestic violence shelters in Texas and Tennessee since 2007.
The news comes at a bit of a rough time for Courville after going 1-of-2 with a 37-yarder in his debut for the Green Wave, but none of the phases of the team had much to show against the Duke Blue Devils.
But Courville has a lengthy track record across multiple conferences and programs. He transferred to Tulane from Ohio State and was previously at Ball State along with current teammate and new starting quarterback Kadin Semonza.
At Ball State, Courville hit 26 of 34 field goal attempts and had a long of 52 yards. He also earned Academic All-MAC recognition and has received a Wuerffel Trophy watch list nod.
Now, he and the Wave will look to bounce back on the field.
The 0-1 Green Wave will host the 1-0 South Alabama Jaguars in a Mardi Gras clash for the season opener at Yulman Stadium this Saturday at 6 pm.
