The College Football HOF announces their Finalists

We will get there one day.

The College Football Hall of Fame has announced their nominees for the next class and considering the vast amount of men who have participated in that level of football, to become a nominee is a massive achievement.  For a former player to be considered, they must be a former All-American, and here is the list of this year’s nominees:



1. Morten Andersen:  Place Kicker, Michigan State

Andersen set a Big Ten record with a 63 Yard Field Goal and was an All-American in 1981.

2. Eric Bieniemy:  Running Back, Colorado

Bieniemy finished second in Rushing Yards and third in Heisman Trophy voting in 1990.  He is also a former two-time First Time Big Eight Conference selection.

3. Michael Bishop:  Quarterback, Kansas State

Bishop only lost three games at Kansas State and finished second in Heisman Trophy in 1998.  That year he won the Davey O’Brien Award.

4. Lomas Brown:  Offensive Tackle, Florida

Brown would win the Jacobs Blocking Trophy in 1984 and was also an All-American that year.

5. Terrell Buckley:  Cornerback, Florida State

Buckley finished 7th in Heisman Trophy voting in 1991 and would win the Jim Thorpe Award and Jack Tatum Trophy that season.

6. Larry Burton:  Wide Receiver, Purdue

Burton led the Big 10 in receptions in 1975 and was a former Olympian in the 1972 Summer Olympics.

7. Keith Byars:  Fullback, Ohio State

Byars was an All-American in 1984 when he finished second in Heisman Trophy balloting and accumulated 2,441 All-Purpose Yards.

8. Fred Carr:  Linebacker, UTEP

Carr is still called the best Linebacker in the history of Texas-El Paso.

9. Mark Carrier:  Safety, USC

Carrier would win the Jim Thorpe Award in 1989 and was a two-time All-American. 

10. Matt Cavanaugh:  Quarterback, Pittsburgh

Cavanaugh was the starting Quarterback for Pittsburgh’s undefeated National Championship Season and was the Sugar Bowl MVP that year.

11. Trevor Cobb:  Running Back, Rice

Cobb was an All-American in 1991 and won the Doak Walker Award that year.

12. Kerry Collins:  Quarterback, Penn State

In 1994, Collins would finish fourth in Heisman Trophy balloting, win the Maxwell Award, the Davey O’Brien Award and the Sammy Baugh Award.

13. Tim Couch:  Quarterback, Kentucky

Couch was a Heisman semi-finalist in 1998 and was also the SEC Player of the Year.

14. Bob Crable:  Linebacker, Notre Dame

Crable still holds the tackles record at Notre Dame and is a two-time All-American.

15. Eric Crouch:  Quarterback, Nebraska

Crouch won the Heisman Trophy in 2001 and also captured the Davey O’Brien and Walter Camp Award.  Crouch is also a former Fiesta Bowl MVP and Big 12 MVP.

16. Brad Culpepper:  Defensive Tackle, Florida

Culpepper was an All-American in 1991 and was the winner of the Draddy Trophy that year.

17. Kenneth Davis:  Running Back, TCU

Davis finished fifth in Heisman Trophy voting in 1984 and was third in Rushing Yards that year.

18. Rich Diana:  Running Back, Yale

Diana was an All-American in 1981.

19. Eric Dickerson:  Running Back, SMU

Dickerson finished third in Heisman Trophy voting in 1982 and rushed for over 1,600 Yards.

20. John Didion:  Center, Oregon State

Didion was an All-American in 1968.

21. Mike Dirks:  Offensive Tackle, Wyoming

Dirks was an All-American in 1966.

22. Rickey Dixon:  Cornerback, Oklahoma

Dixon was part of the National Championship Team in 1986, played in four Orange Bowls and won the Jim Thorpe Award.

23. D.J. Dozier:  Running Back, Penn State

Dozier scored the winning touchdown for the Nittany Lions in the 1987 National Championship Game.

24. Tim Dwight:  Wide Receiver, Iowa

Dwight was a two-time All-American and finished seventh in Hall of Fame voting in 1997.

25. Jumbo Elliott:  Offensive Tackle, Michigan

Elliott was an All-American twice and was the starting Left Tackle for the ’85 Wolverines team that finished 2md overall.

26. Marshall Faulk:  Running Back, San Diego State

Faulk is currently eighth overall in Rushing Yards in NCAA history and finished second in Heisman Trophy voting in 1992.  He was also fourth in voting in 1993.

27. David Fulcher:  Safety, Arizona State

Fulcher was an All-American in 1985.

28. Moe Gardner: Defensive Tackle, Illinois

Gardner was a two time All-American and was a former Big 10 Defensive Player of the Year.

29. Kirk Gibson:  Wide Receiver, Michigan State

The future World Series Champion was an All-American in football in 1977.

30. Tony Gonzalez:  Tight End, California

Gonzalez was an All-American in 1996 and would become the all-time leader in receptions for a Tight End.

31. Dan Hampton:  Defensive Tackle, Arkansas

Hampton was an All-American in 1978 and was the Southwest Conference Player of the Year.

32. Jason Hanson:  Place Kicker, Washington Stat

Hanson still holds the Pac 12 record for the highest Field Goal Percentage in attempts 50 Yards or higher.

33. Byron Hanspard:  Running Back, Texas Tech

Hanspard won the Doak Walker Award and finished sixth in Heisman Trophy voting in 1996.

34. Craig Heyward:  Fullback, Pittsburgh

Heyward was an All-American in 1987 and finished fifth in Heisman Trophy Voting.

35. Torry Holt:  Wide Receiver, North Carolina

Holt was named the ACC Offensive Player of the Year in 1998.

36. Dana Howard:  Linebacker, Illinois

Howard is a two-time All-American and a two-time Big 10 Defensive Player of the Year.

37. Ken Huff:  Offensive Guard, North Carolina

Huff won the Jacobs Trophy in 1974 and was an All-American that year.

38. Bobby Humphrey:  Running Back, Alabama

Humphrey finished tenth in Heisman Trophy balloting in 1987.

39. Raghib Ismail:  Wide Receiver, Notre Dame

Ismail was the Heisman Trophy runner up in 1990 and won the Walter Camp Award that year. 

40. Ernie Jennings:  Wide Receiver, Air Force

Jennings was an All-American in 1970 and finished eighth in Heisman Trophy voting that year.

41. E.J. Junior:  Linebacker, Alabama

Junior was an All-American in 1980.

42. Matt Leinart:  Quarterback, USC

Leinart was the Heisman Trophy winner in 2004.  That year he won the Water Camp Award and the National Championship.   He would also win the Johnny Unitas Award in 2005.

43. Ray Lewis:  Linebacker, Miami (FL)

Lewis was the runner-up in 1995 for the Butkus Award and was an All-American that year.

44. Peyton Manning:  Quarterback, Tennessee

Manning would win in 1997 the Davey O’Brien Award, the Johnny Unitas Award, the Maxwell Award and the James E. Sullivan Award.

45. Buddy McClinton:  Defensive Back, Auburn

McClinton was the MVP of the Sun Bowl in 1968.

46. Bob McKay:  Offensive Tackle, Texas

McKay was an All-American in 1969, which was the year he helped the Longhorns win the National Championship.

47. Mark Messner:  Defensive Tackle, Michigan

Messner was a four time All-Big Ten Selection and was an All-American in 1988.  Messner still holds the school record for Quarterback Sacks in a Game (5).

48. Dat Nguyen:  Linebacker, Texas A&M

Nguyen won the Jack Lambert Award and the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year in 1998.

49. Ken Norton Jr.:  Linebacker, UCLA

Norton Jr. helped UCLA win four consecutive Bowl Games and was the runner-up for the Butkus Award in 1987.

50. Philip Olsen:  Center, Utah State

Olsen was an All-American in 1969.

51. Leslie O’Neal:  Defensive End, Oklahoma State

O’Neal was a two-time All-American and a former Big Eight Defensive Player of the Year.

52. Jim Otis:  Running Back, Ohio State

Otis would finish seventh in All-American voting and was an All-American in 1969.

53. Paul Palmer:  Running Back, Temple

Palmer still holds the all-time rushing record at Temple. 

54. Jake Plummer:  Quarterback, Arizona State

Plummer was an All-American and Pac 10 Player of the Year in 1996.

55. Anthony Poindexter:  Safety, Virginia

Poindexter was the ACC Defensive Player of the Year and an All-American in 1998.

56. Troy Polamalu:  Safety, USC

Polamalu was an All-American in 2002.

57. Antwaan Randle El:  Quarterback, Indiana

Randle El was the MVP of the Big 10 in 2001.

58. Simeon Rice:  Defensive End, Illinois

Rice was an All-American in 1995.

59. Ron Rivera:  Linebacker, California

Rivera was an All-American in 1983.

60. Mike Ruth:  Defensive Lineman, Boston College

Ruth was the Outland Trophy winner in 1985.

61. Rashaan Salaam:  Running Back, Colorado

Salaam was the Heisman Trophy winner in 1994 as well as the Walter Camp, Doak Walker and Jim Brown Award winner.

62. Lucius Sanford:  Linebacker, Georgia Tech

Sanford was an Al-American in 1977.

63. Larry Seivers:  Wide Receiver, Tennessee

Seivers was a two-time All-American.

64. Bob Stein:  Linebacker, Minnesota

Stein was a two-time All-American.

65. Matt Stinchcomb:  Offensive Tackle, Georgia

Stinchcomb won the Jim Parker and Draddy Trophy in 1998.

66. Bob Stein:  Linebacker, Minnesota

Stein is a two-time All American and a three-time All-Academic Big Ten Player.

67. Matt Stinchcomb:  Offensive Tackle, Georgia

Stinchcomb won both the Draddy and Jim Parker Trophy in 1998.  He is also a two-time All-American.

68. Aaron Taylor:  Offensive Guard, Nebraska

Taylor was an All-American and the Outland Trophy Winner in 1998.

69. Andre Tippett:  Linebacker, Iowa 

Tippett was an All-American in 1981.

70. Brian Urlacher:  Linebacker, New Mexico

Urlacher is considered by many to be the greatest football player in New Mexico history. 

71. Troy Vincent:  Cornerback, Wisconsin

Vincent was an All-American in 1991.

72. Jackie Walker:  Linebacker, Tennessee

Walker is a former two-time All-American. 

73. Lorenzo Wright:  Running Back, Wayne State

Wright was a star in the Mid-American Conference.

74. Zach Weigert: Offensive Tackle, Nebraska

Wiegert won the Outland Trophy and Jim Parker Trophy in 1994.  He is also a First Team Big Eight Selection three times.

75. Steve Wisniewski:  Offensive Guard, Penn State

Wisniewski was a member of the 1986 National Championship Team.

76. Al Worley:  Defensive Back, Washington

Worley was an All-American in 1968 and set the record of 14 Interceptions in a Season.

77. Marc Zeno:  Wide Receiver, Tulane

Zeno was an All-American in 1987.


There are College Football HOF 2016 subcategory Ballot Additions.


They are:

78. Steve Spurrier:  Head Coach, Florida & South Carolina

Spurrier was a Heisman Trophy winner in 1966 and as a coach has a record of 228-89-2.

79. Vincent Brown:  Linebacker, Mississippi Valley State

Brown would later star for the New England Patriots.

80. Parnell Dickinson:  Quarterback, Mississippi Valley State

Dickinson was an NAIA All-Star.

81. Boomer Grigby:  Linebacker, Illinois State

Grigsby was the runner-up for the Buck Buchanan Award in 2004. 

82. Tony Miles:  Wide Receiver, Northwest Missouri State

Miles was a former All-American in 2001.

83. Carl Morris:  Fullback, Harvard

Morris was a former All-American in 1977.

84. Adrian Peterson:  Running Back, Georgia Southern

Peterson was the first sophomore to win the Division 1AA MVP.

85.  David Rhodes:  Running Back, Central Florida

Rhodes was an All-American twice.

86. Danny Hale:  Head Coach, West Chester & Bloomsburg

Hale has a Coaching record of 213-69-1

87. Larry Kehres:  Head Coach, Mount Union

Kehres won eleven Division III Titles with a record of 332-24-3

88. Joe Taylor:  Head Coach, Howard, Virginia Union, Hampton & Florida A&M

Taylor won four Black College National Titles and has a record of 232-97-4.

89. Mel Tjeerdsma:  Head Coach, Austin College & Northwest Missouri State

Tjeerdsma won three Division II Titles and has a record of 246-82-4.



Who will get inducted next?  It won’t take a long time to find out!