By Joshua Huff

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UK football senior center Max Godby was awarded the 2014 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team Trophy Tuesday for his charitable involvement and community service within the community of Lexington.

Godby was surprised with the award at the Community Inn where he came to speak to the Catholic Action Center’s Street Voice Council. UK head coach Mark Stoops, Allstate representative Chuck Powers, and family and friends presented a shocked and humbled Godby with the trophy in front of a crowd of homeless people.

“It was very overwhelming,” Godby said of the presentation. “ I really had no idea what was going on. I’m still trying to process that this happened. It’s cool to see the recognition but more importantly I think it’s great to see that there’s an issue in this community and that people are finally taking advantage and seeing that we can do something to help out this community.”

The Good Works Team award was established by Allstate in 1992 and exists to pay tribute to excellence displayed not just on the football field, but out in the community. The group of 182 nominees was selected based on their lasting impact on their communities.

Godby, a native of Louisville, leads the football program with over 180 hours of community service. He has worked with the Catholic Action Center creating and developing a project called Bucks for Backpacks. He has participated in a plethora of events from the UK Christian Student Fellowship to the Special Olympics and has also co-led a tornado relief effort for the city of Joplin, MO.

“It didn’t take long for us to realize how special he was,” Stoops said. “(Godby is) always willing to do anything on the field and of course of the field as well. He was the first guy I offered a scholarship here. He earned it and he deserved it for all the great things he has done.”

Godby is a three-year member of the Southeastern Conference Academic Honor Roll and was a walk-on in 2010. Stoops awarded him a scholarship last season after Godby earned an opening-day start against Western Kentucky. Godby is also a representative of the SEC Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and is UK’s SAAC representative.

But as important as winning is in football, the biggest win for Godby is setting an example and giving back to society.

“The biggest thing I can say is I’m doing what Jesus called me to do,” Godby said. “That’s the biggest thing. He said whatever you do, for the least of these, you do these things for your neighbor, and whatever you do to your brother you do to me. And that’s been the aspect of my life that I have been trying to live out. “