When people ask Virginia coach Mike London who the ideal football player is, his answer is simple: Chase Minnifield.
"On the field, off the field, in the classroom - you can point to Chase Minnifield being the model," London said.
Minnifield's coach is not the only one, however, who is recognizing the All-ACC senior cornerback's exemplary efforts. Minnifield was tabbed Tuesday as one of 30 finalists for the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award for football, which distinguishes NCAA Division I FBS senior student-athletes who demonstrate outstanding achievement in four areas - competition, classroom, character and community.
Minnifield said he doesn't "have that many expectations" for his upcoming season - just being an All-ACC cornerback, an All-American and "the best corner in the country."
For many, those expectations may seem lofty. But for Minnifield, they might actually be attainable.
Football prowess runs through the cornerback's blood. His father, Frank Minnifield, was a four-time Pro Bowl cornerback for the Cleveland Browns, and helped Chase persevere through his darkest football moments.
Competition\n"The biggest thing I've learned [from my father] is probably work ethic, and it's kind of hard how I learned it," Minnifield said during the ACC Football Kickoff in July. "I tore my ACL [in high school], and my dad pushed me through that situation. From things like waking me at four in the morning ... to working out with me three times a day, he's shown me how much he cares and [pushed] me to work out three to four times a day, when I was guy who couldn't even lift up his leg."
Last season, Minnifield's off-field effort translated into on-field production. The cornerback snagged six interceptions during the 2010 season - a mark that ranked second in the conference and fifth in the country - and also recorded 48 tackles. Those impressive numbers earned him All-ACC honors and moved him closer to another goal inspired by his father - a professional career.
Classroom\nWhen a younger Chase Minnifield considered leaving his hometown in Lexington, Ky., to play for Virginia, Frank Minnifield asked him one question: "What's your goal?"
"I said, 'I want to play in the NFL,' and he said, 'The University of Virginia will get you to the NFL.' I [never wanted] to lose sight of that goal, that dream," Minnifield said. "Being away from my home, being away from my friends, being away from my family really helped me focus on that and really push towards it."
This winter, Minnifield's dream of going to the NFL was closer than ever. He submitted his name to the NFL Draft Advisory Board and learned he was a projected second-round pick. After graduating in just three-and-a-half years, Minnifield could have taken his bachelor's degree and bolted for the NFL.
Yet he chose to return for another season and enrolled in the Education School's graduate program.
"He put his name into it to be evaluated for the draft, but one of the reasons he wanted to come back is to finish up with that positive college experience," London said. "He wants to be [a] leader."
Minnifield said while making his decision this winter, he spoke with former Cavalier wideout Kevin Ogletree, who left Virginia early after the 2008 season and did not get drafted. He also talked to former offensive linemen Eugene Monroe, who left early and did get drafted high in the draft, and former All-American Chris Long, who could have left but returned for his senior year. Minnifield listened to each of their different stories, but heard the same ultimate advice: "Go with your gut." For Minnifield, his gut told him he had more to do at Virginia. "At the end of the day, I didn't want to settle for something that I thought I could do better," Minnifield said.
Community and character\nNow Minnifield's name appears on virtually every preseason watch list available. In addition to the CLASS award, he is listed as a candidate for the Jim Thorpe Award, the Lott IMPACT Trophy and the Bronko Nagurski Trophy. But Minnifield said he most cherishes his nomination for the 2011 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team.
"That's probably my most important one," Minnifield said. "I really qualify that because having the opportunity to change somebody's life or just show your face and help somebody is something that you can't take for granted ... I want to take advantage of every opportunity I can and regardless if someone recognizes that. I just want to help somebody."
Minnifield's mantra - "If you're in a position to help somebody, you should" - has prompted him to become involved in the Charlottesville community. Every week, he visits Walker Upper Elementary School as part of Virginia's Athletes Committed to Community and Education program, which partners Virginia athletes with young students to promote classroom success and achievement in local schools. He also assists in the football team's annual Bone Marrow Drive, the Shoot Out for Cancer and an Easter egg hunt at a local children's rehabilitation clinic.
That community service, combined with academic commitment and football talent, has put a national spotlight on what Mike London has always known to be true.
"Everything that Chase gets - the awards, the accolades, the acknowledgements - everything that's been pointed his way, he deserves," London said. "Because he's been doing it in the classroom, off the field and on the field"
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