One day we will look at the College Football Hall of Fame, and rank those who are not in their Hall. We really should get to it, as that particular institution is a little muddled on their rules of entry, and as the College gridiron game is growing in popularity, it stands to reason that there will be more attention focused on it.
Before we look at the new inductees, we should look at what the Hall tries to do. What is official is that to qualify, the player must be retired from playing professional football, have been named to at least one All American Team, and have played in the last fifty years; after which they can only be selected by a Veteran’s Committee. That makes sense right? Here is what doesn’t:
Unofficially, the Hall makes an effort to select players from different positions and ensure that both sides of the ball are represented as equal as possible. They also try to represent a player from each of the major conferences and also opt not to select players from the same school in consecutive years. As you can imagine, this means naturally that the best players eligible are not chosen based on what appears to be arbitrary and confusing rules.
Enough of the criticism, time for the accolades. Let’s look at the Class of 2013:
Vinny Testaverde: Quarterback, Miami (FL) 1982-86
For many, this is the headliner of the class. Testaverde was the Heisman Trophy winner in 1986 and the fourth runner up the year before. He was considered one of the best QBs the Hurricanes ever had, although he failed to lead them to National Championship when they were heavily favoured to do so in the 1987 Fiesta Bowl. He led the nation in Touchdowns, Passing Yards/Attempt and Passing Efficiency Rating in 1986. He would go on to have a very long career in the NFL, being named to two Pro Bowls.
Danny Wuerffel: Quarterback, Florida 1993-96
Another Heisman Trophy winning Quarterback, Danny Wuerffel was a star for Florida and helped them win four consecutive SEC titles. He was known for his 1996 Heisman Trophy win as well as his Christian beliefs. Wuerffel did play in the NFL, but was not a success on that level.
Tommie Frazier: Quarterback, Nebraska 1992-95
On consecutive occasions, Tommie Frazier quarterbacked the Nebraska Cornhuskers to National Championships in 1994 and 1995. Frazier may not have been the greatest passer in College history, but he was an excellent running QB and considered by many to be the best pivot the Huskers have ever had. Frazier was often hampered by injuries and this reduced his ability to play in the NFL. He went undrafted and only played one game as a backup in the Canadian Football League.
Don Trull: Quarterback, Baylor 1961-63
Trull finished 4th in the Heisman Trophy voting in 1963 and won the Sammy Baugh Trophy twice for being the nation’s top passer. He had an unsuccessful career for the Houston Oilers professionally.
Ron Dayne: Running Back, Wisconsin 1996-99
The third Heisman Trophy winner, Ron Dayne was a lunch pail like Running Back at Wisconsin who won his big trophy in 1999. Dayne rushed for 2,034 yards and led the NCAA in that category. Three times he would lead the Big Ten in Rushing and is the current NCAA and Big Ten Rushing Yardage career leader. Dayne had an unspectacular career in the NFL rushing for over 3,000 yards, primarily with the New York Giants.
Ted Brown: Running Back, North Carolina State, 1975-78
An all ACC pick in all four of his seasons at NC State, Ted Brown remains the all-time leading rusher in the ACC. He would have a decent career in Minnesota in the NFL, though mostly for his blocking skills in the Fullback position.
Orlando Pace: Offensive Lineman, Ohio State 1993-96
Pace was a dominating lineman for the Buckeyes and finished fourth in Heisman Voting in 1996. He won the Lombardi Award twice and the Outland Trophy once and was the first overall draft pick in the 199 NFL draft. Pace would have a very good career in the NFL and is a candidate to enter the Pro Football Hall of Fame soon.
Steve Meilinger: End, Kentucky 1950-53
Meilinger is the Veteran’s Category selection. He played for Kentucky and finished 10th in Heisman voting in 1953. He was a first round NFL draft pick and played five seasons there.
Tedy Bruschi: Linebacker, Arizona 1991-95
A star Linebacker (though only drafted in the third round), Tedy Bruschi was named the Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year in 1995. Bruschi would achieve greater fame in the NFL as a popular player for the New England Patriots where he would win the Super Bowl three times.
Rod Shoate: Linebacker, Oklahoma 1971-74
A four time All Big-8 Conference Player and three time All American at Oklahoma, Rod Shoate finished 7th in Heisman Trophy voting in 1974. Sadly, his pro career underwhelmed and drug addiction derailed him, to the point where he served time in prison and died from complications from AIDS in 1999.
Percy Snow: Linebacker, Michigan State 1986-89
Snow was the Butkus and Lombardi Award winner in 1989 for Michigan State and finished 8th in Heisman Trophy voting. Snow suffered a horrible injury in his second year as a pro, and was out of pro football shortly thereafter.
Jerry Gray: Defensive Back, Texas 1981-84
Jerry Gray was a two time All American for the Texas Longhorns, and a powerful and popular player there. He would go on to have a successful pro career where he would be selected to the Pro Bowl four times. Currently, he is the Defensive Coordinator for the Tennessee Titans.
These players are joined by two coaches. Bill McCartney took over the reins in Colorado and led the once decrepit program to a share of the National Championship in 1990. Wayne Hardin, who coached for nineteen years at Temple and Navy, was also selected.
We would like to congratulate all of these players and coaches for their latest accolade.
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