 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||
|
2009 Enshrinement Festival Schedule Announced
Posted: Jun 9, 2009
"We are very pleased to have the opportunity to enshrine another exceptional class of college football legends," said NFF President & CEO Steven J. Hatchell. "Each year our hard-working honors courts do an outstanding job ensuring the game's greatest players and coaches find their place on college football’s mountain top. We look forward to celebrating in South Bend with this amazing class and their loyal fans from around the country." The weekend’s festivities will include a celebrity golf tournament, live concerts, a grand parade, a youth clinic, a fireworks spectacular with the celebration culminating with the Enshrinement Dinner & Show on Saturday night. “The College Football Hall of Fame is honored to host so many notable contributors to the game in South Bend, celebrating this tremendous accolade,” said College Football Hall of Fame Executive Director Lisa Klunder. “Enshrinement in the College Football Hall of Fame is a rare distinction shared by only the game’s greatest stars, and our festival boasts a myriad of events to highlight this extraordinary achievement.” Tickets for all events are on sale now. Space is limited for certain events. Contact Kristen Pflipsen at 574-235-5717 to purchase tickets or to obtain a media credential. A full list of events, pricing and times is available at www.collegefootball.org. FRIDAY, JULY 17 ENSHRINEMENT CELEBRITY GOLF SCRAMBLE Blackthorn Golf Club, South Bend, Ind. ENSHRINEMENT DOWNTOWN BLOCK PARTY & FIREWORKS SPECTACULAR Downtown South Bend SATURDAY, JULY 18 ENSHRINEMENT FESTIVAL URBAN ADVENTURE RACE Downtown South Bend COLLEGE FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME GRAND PARADE Downtown South Bend ENSHRINEMENT FANFEST Hall of Fame Gridiron Plaza AUTOGRAPH SESSION WITH THE 2009 ENSHRINEMENT CLASS College Football Hall of Fame Press Box HALL OF FAMER PEP RALLY Hall of Fame Gridiron Plaza ENSHRINEMENT YOUTH FOOTBALL CLINIC Hall of Fame Gridiron Plaza ENSHRINEMENT DINNER AND SHOW Century Center Convention Center PLAYERS TROY AIKMAN – QB, UCLA (1987-88) BILLY CANNON – RB, LSU (1957-59) JIM DOMBROWSKI – OT, Virginia (1982-85) PAT FITZGERALD – LB, Northwestern (1994-96) WILBER MARSHALL – LB, Florida (1980-83) RUEBEN MAYES – RB, Washington State (1982-85) RANDALL McDANIEL – OG, Arizona State (1984-87) DON McPHERSON – QB, Syracuse (1984-87) JAY NOVACEK – TE, Wyoming (1982-84) DAVE PARKS – SE, Texas Tech (1961-63) RON SIMMONS – NG, Florida State (1977-80) THURMAN THOMAS – RB, Oklahoma State (1984-87) ARNOLD TUCKER – QB, Army (1944-46) COACHES JOHN COOPER – 192-84-6 (.691) – Tulsa (1977-84), Arizona State (1985-87), Ohio State (1988-2000) LOU HOLTZ – 249-132-7 (.651) – William & Mary (1969-71), North Carolina State (1972-75), Arkansas (1977-83), Minnesota (1984-85), Notre Dame (1986-96), South Carolina (1999-2004) PLAYERS ROGER BROWN – Maryland-Eastern Shore, DT (1956-59) FRED DEAN – Louisiana Tech, DT (1971-74) SAM MILLS* – Montclair State (N.J.), LB (1977-80) ROD SMITH – Missouri Southern State, WR (1988, 1990-93) COACHES VOLNEY ASHFORD* – 197-55-12 (.769); Missouri Valley (Mo.) (1937-71) JIM DONNAN – 104-40-0 (.722); Marshall (1990-95), Georgia (1996-2000) * Deceased Founded in 1947, The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame inducted its first class of inductees in 1951. The first class included 32 players and 19 coaches, including Illinois' Red Grange, Notre Dame's Knute Rockne, Amos Alonzo Stagg and Carlisle's Jim Thorpe. Out of the more than 4.6 million individuals who have played college football over the past 140 years, only 850 players and 184 coaches have been immortalized with a place in the sport's most hallowed institution. 279 schools are represented with at least one College Football Hall of Famer. The current building in South Bend, Ind. was built in 1995 as a $17 million state-of-the-art interactive facility for fans of all ages. The next class of College Football Hall of Famers from the Football Bowl Subdivision, which was announced April 30, 2009, will be inducted at the NFF Annual Awards Dinner on December 8, 2009, at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York City. 1. First and foremost, a player must have received First Team All-America recognition by a selector organization that is recognized by the NCAA and utilized to comprise their consensus All-America teams. 2. A player becomes eligible for consideration by the Foundation's Honors Courts ten years after his final year of intercollegiate football played. 3. While each nominee's football achievements in college are of prime consideration, his post football record as a citizen is also weighed. He must have proven himself worthy as a citizen, carrying the ideals of football forward into his relations with his community and his fellow man with love of his country. Consideration may also be given for academic honors and whether or not the candidate earned a college degree. 4. Players must have played their last year of intercollegiate football within the last 50 years*. For example, to be eligible for the 2009 ballot, the player must have played his last year in 1958 or thereafter. In addition, players who are playing professionally and coaches who are coaching on the professional level are not eligible until after they retire. 5. A coach becomes eligible three years after retirement or immediately following retirement provided he is at least 70 years of age. Active coaches become eligible at 75 years of age. He must have been a head coach for a minimum of 10 years and coached at least 100 games with a .600 winning percentage*. (*Those players that do not comply with the 50-year rule and coaches that have not won 60% of their games may still be eligible for consideration by the FBS (Formerly Division I-A) and Divisional Honors Review Committees, which examine unique cases.) University of California-Los Angeles Quarterback, 1987-88 After transferring from the University of Oklahoma, Troy Aikman made an immediate and indelible impact on UCLA football in only two seasons with the Bruins. A consensus First Team All-America pick in 1988, Aikman finished third in the Heisman Trophy voting and led UCLA to a No. 1 ranking during the season. The Davey O’Brien Award winner passed for 5,363 yards during his career and still holds school records for most completions in a single season (228) and completion percentage (64.8). He led the Bruins to victories in the 1987 Aloha Bowl and the 1989 Cotton Bowl and was named Pac-10 Offensive Player of the Year following his junior campaign. A native of West Covina, Calif., Aikman was chosen as the first overall pick in the 1989 NFL Draft by the Dallas Cowboys. He went on to become one of the NFL’s most prolific passers, winning three Super Bowls and garnering Pro Bowl laurels six times. Spending his entire career with the Cowboys, Aikman was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2006. As the founder and president of the Troy Aikman Foundation, he is committed to helping disadvantaged children fulfill their physical, psychological, social and economical needs. He also serves as a pro football analyst on Fox and resides in Dallas, where he is a successful businessman. Louisiana State University Halfback, 1957-59 The only player in LSU’s storied football history to have his number retired, Billy Cannon clinched the 1959 Heisman Trophy with a punt return against Ole Miss on Halloween night that has simply become known as “The Run”. The leader of the Tigers’ 1958 National Championship team, Cannon rushed for 1,867 yards and 19 touchdowns and amassed 965 yards in punt/kick returns during his career. He received unanimous First Team All-America honors and placed third in Heisman voting in 1958 en route to earning consensus First Team All-America laurels and winning both the Heisman and the Walter Camp Player of the Year Award the following season. Drafted in the first round of the 1960 AFL Draft, he played 11 professional seasons with the Houston Oilers, Oakland Raiders and Kansas City Chiefs. He returned to school during each off-season to further his education, eventually receiving his D.D.S. from the Tennessee School of Dentistry in 1969 and a Master’s in Oral Biology from Loyola (Ill.) in 1971. A member of the LSU Athletics Hall of Fame, he is currently Head of Dentistry at Angola Federal Penitentiary and resides in Baton Rouge. University of Virginia Offensive Tackle, 1982-85 A consummate leader on and off the football field, Jim Dombrowski won numerous accolades as one of the finest student-athletes in the history of the University of Virginia. The recipient of the NCAA Today’s Top Six Award for his combined athletic ability, academic achievement, leadership characteristics and campus involvement, Dombrowski was a unanimous First Team All-America pick in 1984 and was a two-time First Team All-ACC selection. He also received the Jacobs Blocking Trophy in back-to-back years (1984-85) as the ACC’s best offensive lineman. Equally impressive in the classroom, he earned First Team Academic All-Conference honors in 1985. The New Orleans Saints chose Dombrowski sixth overall in the 1986 NFL Draft. He spent 11 seasons with the Saints and was named to the franchise’s 30th and 35th Anniversary Teams. He also received his Master’s of Education in 1991. A former Toyota Leadership Award winner for his contributions to the Virginia football program, Dombroski’s jersey has been retired by the university. He resides in Mandeville, La., and works as a certified financial planner. Northwestern University Linebacker, 1993-96 The only two-time winner of both the Chuck Bednarik and Bronco Nagurski Awards, Pat Fitzgerald was the heart of the Northwestern defense that led the Wildcats to their first Rose Bowl in 47 years. A two-time consensus First Team All-America selection, he recorded 299 career tackles, including 20 for a loss, en route to being named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year in 1995 and ’96. Fitzgerald’s athletic prowess ignited an NU defense that led the nation in scoring in 1995, generating back-to-back Big Ten titles. The Orland Park, Ill., native was named both Chevrolet’s and Sports Illustrated’s Defensive Player of the Year in 1995. Fitzgerald signed with the Dallas Cowboys as a free agent following his Northwestern career only to discover that coaching was his true passion. He served as an assistant at several universities before returning to his alma mater in 2001. Fitzgerald spent the next five years as an NU assistant coach before taking the head coaching reigns in 2006. He is the youngest head football coach among Football Bowl Subdivision (formerly Division I-A) schools. A 2003 Northwestern Athletic Hall of Fame inductee, Fitzgerald is active in local charities and speaks to Chicago-area schools about drug prevention. He resides in Evanston, Ill. University of Florida Linebacker, 1980-83 A record-breaking tackler and a member of Florida’s first senior class to play in four bowl games, Wilber Marshall punished opposing offenses during his prolific career. Twice a consensus First Team All-America pick, Marshall broke the Gators’ single-season records for sacks (11) and tackles for loss (16) as a sophomore. By career’s end, he finished with a then school-record 23 sacks and remains UF’s record holder in career tackles for loss (58). The Titusville, Fla., native was only the third player in school history to be named a three-time First Team All-SEC pick. The Gainesville Sun named him Defensive Player of the Century in 1999. Selected in the first round of the 1984 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears, Marshall played for five teams in 12 seasons on the professional level. He was named All-Pro three times and earned Super Bowl rings with Chicago and the Washington Redskins. One of only five players in Florida’s Ring of Honor, Marshall assists with National Kidney Foundation and Organ Donor Awareness. He lives in Sterling, Va. Washington State University Running Back, 1982-85 Washington State’s Rueben Mayes rewrote every Cougar rushing record during his career, firmly establishing himself as one of the finest running backs in Pac-10 annals. By career’s end, the 1984 consensus First Team All-America set 15 school records, including single-season (1,632) and career rushing yards (3,519), rushing touchdowns (23), rushing average (5.53) and 100-yard games (13). Additionally, he established an NCAA Division I single-game record with a 357-yard rushing performance against Oregon in 1984. Twice named the Pac-10 Offensive Player of the Year, the North Battleford, Saskatchewan, native was the first Cougar in history to boast two 1,000-yard rushing seasons. A third round selection in the 1986 NFL Draft, Mayes played six seasons in the league with the New Orleans Saints and the Seattle Seahawks. He received Offensive Rookie of the Year honors in 1986 and earned two trips to the Pro Bowl. He later returned to school, obtaining his M.B.A. in 2000. Mayes was named to the WSU All-Time Team in 1995 and was inducted into the university’s Hall of Fame in 1993. He currently serves as the Senior Director of Development at his alma mater. Arizona State University Offensive Guard, 1984-87 A four-year starter and born leader at Arizona State, Randall McDaniel created an unparalleled collegiate and professional record that few can match. Twice named a First Team All-America (1986, ’87-consensus), McDaniel led the Sun Devils to three bowl berths during his career, including ASU’s first-ever trip to the Rose Bowl in 1987. The native Arizonan was a two-time First Team All-Conference pick, earning the Morris Trophy as the Pac-10’s best offensive lineman and leading Arizona State to a conference title in 1986. He started 39 consecutive games for the Sun Devils after moving from tight end. McDaniel was selected in the first round of the 1988 NFL Draft by Minnesota. He played 15 seasons in the league with the Vikings and Tampa Bay and secured 12 trips to the Pro Bowl. Named NFL/True Value Man of the Year for his charity work in 1996, he is a current nominee for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Active in the community, McDaniel created and facilitated “Hands On,” an after school program for disadvantaged children. He additionally developed the R.O.C.K. (Reaching Out to Challenge Kids) Foundation, which serves as an umbrella organization for community initiatives. A member of ASU’s All-Century Team, he resides in Shorewood, Minn. Syracuse University Quarterback, 1984-87 Cultivating one of the most highly decorated careers in Syracuse football history, Don McPherson won over 18 national Player of the Year honors during his collegiate career. McPherson’s many honors included the Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award, the Maxwell Player of the Year and the inaugural Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award. Garnering unanimous First Team All-America laurels and finishing second in the 1987 Heisman balloting, the West Hempstead, N.Y., native holds or shares 11 Syracuse football records. He claimed MVP honors in the Sugar Bowl, capping an undefeated 1987 regular season and a No. 4 final ranking for the Orange. Professionally, McPherson played four years in the NFL and three seasons in the Canadian Football League. He later founded the Sports Leadership Institute at Adelphi University and created the John Mackey Award, which annually recognizes college football’s most outstanding tight end. Honored with numerous humanitarian awards, including the Frederick Douglas Men of Strength Award and Lifetime’s Champions for Change Award, McPherson has become one of the nation's leading educators and advocates for the prevention of men's violence against women and has been featured on Nightline and The Oprah Winfrey Show. He currently serves as the vice president of The Hopewell Group Inc., a philanthropic consulting firm in New York City. University of Wyoming Tight End, 1982-84 One of Wyoming’s greatest athletes and a national record-setter, Jay Novacek becomes the second Cowboy inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. A consensus First Team All-America selection, Novacek amassed 83 receptions for 1,536 yards and 10 touchdowns in his three-year career. As captain of the 1984 UW team, he set an NCAA record for average yards per reception by a tight end (22.6). Revered for his tremendous blocking ability, the Martin, S.D., native was a First Team All-WAC pick in 1984. The two-sport standout also broke school decathlon records in track and field. Selected in the sixth round of the 1985 NFL Draft by the St. Louis Cardinals, Novacek played 12 seasons in the NFL. He helped the Dallas Cowboys to three Super Bowl wins in four years and made five Pro Bowl appearances. Novacek was a member of Wyoming’s inaugural Athletics Hall of Fame class in 1993. He owns and operates the “Upper 84 Ranch,” a 3,500-acre private hunting ranch he created in 1997 in Brady, Neb. Texas Tech University Split End, 1961-63 A pioneer of Texas Tech football, Dave Parks brought national acclaim to the university as the first Red Raider to ever make the Associated Press’ All-America First Team and to receive All-Southwest Conference honors twice. Parks established nearly every Texas Tech receiving record, including receiving yards in a game (132), season reception yardage (499), career receptions (80) and career receiving yardage (1,090). He also started on defense and recorded the longest pass interception in school history (98 yards), a record that still stands today. The native Texan also punted and was honored as one of the nation’s best blockers. The first and only Texas Tech player selected as the first overall pick in the NFL Draft, Parks led the league in receiving as a rookie with 643 yards – 150 yards more than any other player. He played 10 seasons with San Francisco, New Orleans and Houston. Parks has served as the associate director of the Texas Ranger Law Enforcement Association and on the executive board of Dallas’ NFL Retired Players Association. He also invented the “Speedy Weedy,” a lawn and garden tool that he manufactures and sells. He resides in Dallas. Florida State University Nose Guard, 1977-80 One of Florida State’s most terrifying tacklers, Ron Simmons was twice named a consensus First Team All-America en route to leading the Seminoles to three bowl berths. The fourth FSU player to be enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame, Simmons was a three-time First Team All-South pick and led the Seminoles to a 39-8-0 record during his career. He holds school records for career tackles for loss (44) and forced fumbles (17); ranks second all-time in career tackles (483); and owns a spot in the top five of nearly every other FSU defensive category. Simmons also finished ninth in the 1979 Heisman Trophy voting. The 235-pound nose guard played two seasons in the United States Football League (USFL) before becoming a fixture in the professional wrestling world for more than 20 years. As part of “Doom,” he and partner Butch Reed became the first WCW World Tag Team title holders. He later became the first-ever African American WCW World Heavyweight Champion. Currently a semi-retired professional wrestler for the WWE named “Faarooq,” Simmons was the first FSU defender to have his jersey number retired by the university. He resides in Marietta, Ga. Oklahoma State University Running Back, 1984-87 Twice named a First Team All-America pick (1985-consensus, ’87), Thurman Thomas amassed 4,595 rushing yards and 44 touchdowns at Oklahoma State, catapulting him into school and conference record books. Thomas led the Big Eight in rushing and scoring in 1985 and ’87 and was voted the conference’s Offensive Player of the Year both seasons. His career rushing yardage is second best all-time in the conference, trailing only 2006 College Football Hall of Famer Mike Rozier of Nebraska. The Missouri City, Texas, native earned MVP honors in the 1984 Gator Bowl and the 1987 Sun Bowl and ran for 100-plus yards 21 times at OSU. Buffalo selected Thomas in the second round of the 1988 NFL Draft. He played in the NFL for 13 seasons, appearing in four Super Bowls with the Bills. He was named to the league’s All-Decade Team of the 1990s and inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame last year. Residing in East Aurora, N.Y., he owns and operates “Thurman Thomas Sports,” a training center dedicated to helping athletes of all ages and skill levels reach their maximum potential. United State Military Academy Quarterback, 1944-46 Few quarterbacks in college football history can match the unprecedented success of the 1946 Sullivan Award winner, Army’s Arnold Tucker, a selection from the NFF Honors Review Committee*. A member of three National Championship teams (1944-46), Tucker was undefeated at Army, leading his fellow cadets to an unparalleled 27-0-1 record during his prolific career. He was one-fourth of the 1946 Army backfield, coached by West Point legend Earl “Red” Blaik and considered by many as the greatest of all time – Tucker, Tom McWilliams and Heisman Trophy winners Doc Blanchard and Glenn Davis. The 1946 All-American led Army to three Lambert Trophies, passing for 1,127 yards and 10 touchdowns in his three-year campaign and trouncing perennial powerhouses Michigan, Oklahoma and Notre Dame. He played for the University of Miami in 1943. After graduation from the USMA and flying training, Tucker returned to West Point as an assistant backfield coach. He later served in numerous capacities for both the Army and Air Force, including Deputy Chief of Operations for the 5th AF in Japan from 1968-1970 and Commanding Officer of the 16th Special Operations Squadron in Thailand in 1970. From 1971-74, Tucker acted as Commanding Officer of the Army ROTC program at the University of Miami. He retired as a Lieutenant Colonel and presently lives in the Miami area. * The Honors Review Committee examines unique cases, including players that do not comply with the 50-year rule and coaches that have not won 60% of their games, for induction into the College Football Hall of Fame. These candidates are not listed on the NFF’s National Ballot. Tulsa (1977-84), Arizona State (1985-87), Ohio State (1988-2000) Head Coach, 192-84-6 The first coach in history to lead both a Big Ten and a Pac-10 team to victories in the Rose Bowl, Coach John Cooper ranks second only to the legendary Woody Hayes in all-time wins at Ohio State. Under Cooper’s watch, Ohio State teams finished the regular season ranked in the Top 25 in 12 of his 13 seasons with the Buckeyes. He tallied at least a share of nine conference championships, including five at Tulsa, one at Arizona State and three at OSU. A four-time American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Regional Coach of the Year, Cooper led his teams to 14 bowl games in 24 seasons. A Tennessee native and former MVP on the Iowa State football team, Cooper coached Heisman Trophy winner Eddie George and two-time Lombardi winner Orlando Pace as well as 20 First Team All-Americas, seven NFF National Scholar-Athletes and one NFF Draddy Trophy recipient during his career. Cooper formerly served as the president of the American Football Coaches Association and as a professional scout in the NFL. He currently acts as a college football analyst for ESPN and resides in Columbus, Ohio. William & Mary (1969-71), North Carolina State (1972-75), Arkansas (1977-83), Minnesota (1984-85), Notre Dame (1986-96), South Carolina (1999-2004) Head Coach, 249-132-7 The only coach in NCAA history to lead six different programs to bowl games, Coach Lou Holtz was a fixture in the college football coaching landscape for more than three decades. Best known for his tenure at Notre Dame, Holtz led the Fighting Irish to the 1988 National Championship and 100 wins. He won conference championships at William & Mary, North Carolina State and Arkansas and is the only coach to guide four different programs to final Top 20 rankings. The Follansbee, W.V., native produced the best four-year win-loss record in NC State history and led Arkansas to six straight bowl games and four Top Ten finishes. Holtz received Man of the Year laurels from the Walter Camp Foundation in 1997 and twice earned the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Academic Achievement Award, which annually honors the school with the highest graduation rate among members of its football team. He also coached Heisman Trophy winner Tim Brown and College Football Hall of Fame inductees Chris Zorich and Billy Ray Smith. Currently a motivational speaker and a studio analyst for college football on ESPN, Holtz resides in Orlando, Fla. University of Maryland-Eastern Shore Defensive Tackle, 1956-59 A two-sport standout at Maryland-Eastern Shore (formerly Maryland State College), Roger Brown anchored the Hawks defensive line that held its opponents to 7.3 points per game over his four-year career. Brown led the Hawks to the CIAA title in 1957 and was twice named an NAIA All-American in 1958 and 1959. A two-time Pittsburgh Courier Negro All-American selection, the Hawks posted a 24-5-1 record and outscored their opponents 693 to 213 during his career. Drafted in the fourth round by the Detroit Lions in 1960, Brown was named the 1962 National Football League Pro Lineman of the Year and was selected to the Pro Bowl six times. Brown played six seasons with the Lions before being traded to the Los Angeles Rams in 1967 and becoming a member of the Ram’s “Fearsome Foursome”. Brown currently resides in Portsmouth, Va. where he runs “Roger Brown’s Restaurant and Sports Bar”. He is a member of the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame. Louisiana Tech University Defensive Tackle, 1971-74 A four-time All-Southland Conference selection, Fred Dean led Louisiana Tech to the 1973 Division II National Championship and four consecutive Southland Conference titles. Dean, who accumulated 392 tackles during his career, led the Bulldogs to a win in the 1972 Grantland Rice Bowl and was an All-American selection in 1974. A two-time Southland Conference Defensive Player of the Year honoree, the Bulldogs posted a record of 44-4 during his career. Drafted in the second round by the San Diego Chargers in the 1975 NFL Draft, Dean later joined the San Francisco 49ers early in the 1981 season. While with the 49ers, Dean won two Super Bowls and was named UPI NFC Player of the Year in 1981. During his career, he was named to four Pro Bowls (1980-82, 1984) and was a two-time All-Pro selection (1980-81). In 2008, Dean was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He currently serves as a pastor at New Hebron Baptist Church in Arcadia, La. Montclair State University (N.J.) Linebacker, 1977-80 A two-time First Team All-American (1979-80), Mills finished his career at Montclair State with a school-record 501 tackles. Mills, a three-time New Jersey Athletic Conference First Team All-Star, was named the New Jersey Collegiate Writers Defensive Player of the Year three straight seasons from 1978 to 1980. A four-year letterman, Mills finished his career with three school records including career tackles (501), tackles in a season (142) and tackles in a game (22). While at MSU, his teams posted a 30-9-1 record and captured two New Jersey Athletic Conference Championships. After spending three years playing for the Philadelphia Stars in the USFL, Mills followed head coach Jim Mora to the New Orleans Saints and played an integral part in the vaunted “Dome Patrol” linebacking crew for nine seasons. Mills signed with the Carolina Panthers as a free agent in 1994. He led the franchise to an NFC Championship berth in only its second season and was named to the Pro Bowl five times. Diagnosed with cancer in 2003, Mills founded the “Keep Pounding” Foundation at the Carolina Medical Center to advance cancer research in North Carolina. He passed away in 2005 at age 45, and is survived by his wife Melanie and their four children, who reside in Manalapan, N.J. A statue was built in his memory outside Bank of America Stadium, home of the Carolina Panthers. * Deceased Missouri Southern State University Wide Receiver, 1988, 1990-93 The only player in Missouri Southern State history to have his number retired, Rod Smith set six school records during his college career with the Lions. A two-time All-MIAA selection, Smith set five conference records by the conclusion of his collegiate career including most receiving yards in a game (254), receiving touchdowns in a game (4), average yards per catch (24.0), career receiving yards (3,122) and career touchdowns (35). In 1993, Smith led the Lions to the MIAA Conference Championship en route to being named a Harlon Hill finalist and a First Team All-American. Smith graduated with three degrees and was named Missouri Southern’s Outstanding Graduate. Picked up by the Denver Broncos as an undrafted free agent in 1994, Smith leads all undrafted free agents in NFL history in every major career-receiving category. During his career with the Broncos, Smith set franchise records for career receptions (849), receiving yards (11,389), touchdown receptions (68) and overall touchdowns (71). The Broncos won two Super Bowls during Smith’s tenure with the club and he retired prior to the 2008 season. Smith is a member of the Missouri Southern Athletics Hall of Fame, the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame, the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame and the Division II Football Hall of Fame. He resides in Cherry Hills Village, Colo. Missouri Valley College Head Coach, 197-55-12 From 1941-47, Missouri Valley College reeled off a 41-game winning streak with Coach Volney Ashford at the helm. Ashford coached the Vikings for 30 years (1937-67). Ashford graduated from Missouri Valley in 1931 and became head coach in 1937. Following the 41-game winning streak, which ranks fifth all-time in all divisions of college football, Ashford led the Vikings to unanimous national acclaim as the No. 1 small college team in the country in 1949. He was named Little All-American Coach of the Year in 1950 and twice received the NAIA Award of Merit. In 1959, he was named NAIA Coach of the Year, and his overall record ranks him in the top ten of all-time college coaches. In 1971, Ashford retired and took over as vice-president of development for the university. Ashford is a member of the Helms Foundation Coaches Hall of Fame as well as the Helms Foundation National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics Hall of Fame. He helped found the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and received the Rockne Award for his contribution to athletics. Ashford passed away in 1973. * Deceased Marshall University, University of Georgia Head Coach, 104-40-0 Boasting a winning percentage of more than 70 percent, Jim Donnan has had success coaching in both the FCS and FBS, leading Marshall and Georgia to national prominence. Donnan spent six seasons with Marshall and posted a 64-21 record. Donnan led the Thundering Herd to four Division I-AA National Championship games, winning the 1992 national title. In 1994, the Thundering Herd won the Southern Conference Championship. His 15-4 playoff record ranks second best in NCAA FCS history. He was named Division I-AA Coach of the Year in 1992 and 1995. In 1996, Donnan took the head coaching job at the University of Georgia. From 1997-2000, the Bulldogs won four consecutive bowl games and pushed Donnan’s postseason record to 19-4 overall. The 1997 SEC Coach of the Year, Donnan set a Georgia record with four-straight eight-win seasons. Prior to his head coaching career, Donnan helped construct the Oklahoma Sooners wishbone offense that led to 28-straight Big 8 Conference wins and the 1985 NCAA National Championship as the offensive coordinator under Hall of Famer Barry Switzer. Donnan is inducted with the Divisional Hall of Fame class since his coaching career at Marshall (an FCS school at the time) was longer than his tenure at Georgia. He currently works as an analyst for ESPN. ABOUT THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL FOUNDATION & COLLEGE HALL OF FAME Founded in 1947 with leadership from General Douglas MacArthur, legendary Army coach Earl “Red” Blaik and immortal journalist Grantland Rice, The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame, a non-profit educational organization, runs programs designed to use the power of amateur football in developing scholarship, citizenship and athletic achievement in young people. With 121 chapters and 12,000 members nationwide, NFF programs include the College Football Hall of Fame in South Bend, Ind., the NFF Hampshire Honor Society, Play It Smart, and scholarships of over $1 million for college and high school scholar-athletes. The NFF presents the MacArthur Trophy, the Draddy Trophy, presented by HealthSouth, and releases the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) Standings. Learn more at www.footballfoundation.org. ABOUT THE COLLEGE FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME The College Football Hall of Fame, an initiative of The National Football Foundation, stands as one of the nation's premier sports shrines, preserving and dramatizing the history of the game to an ever broadening audience of fans while holding up the greatest players and coaches as role models who highlight the game's positive values. For more information on the College Football Hall of Fame and its 2009 Enshrinement Festival, visit www.collegefootball.org. |
