OT - 2022 CFB Hall of Fame Ballot unveiled

Submitted by MountainDew88 on June 2nd, 2021 at 4:10 PM

The National Football Foundation (NFF) and College Hall of Fame released the names on their 2022 ballot just before 10 a.m. ET today.

Totaling 78 players and seven coaches from the FBS level, notable names include:

- Flozell Adams: OT, Michigan State

- LaVar Arrington: LB, Penn State

- Brandon Burlsworth: G, Arkansas

- Reggie Bush: RB, USC

- Dallas Clark: TE, Iowa

- Larry Coker: HC, Miami (FL), UTSA

- Ken Dorsey: QB, Miami (FL)

- Mike Doss: S, Ohio State

- Willie Gault: WR/KR, Tennessee

- Tony Gonzalez: TE, Cal

- Dan Hampton: DE/DT, Arkansas

- Marvin Harrison: WR/KR, Syracuse

- Josh Heupel: QB, Oklahoma

- Steve Hutchinson: G, Michigan

- James Laurinaitis: LB, Ohio State

- Andrew Luck: QB, Stanford

- Marshawn Lynch: RB, Cal

- Kellen Moore: QB, Boise State

- Julius Peppers: DE, North Carolina

- Gary Pinkel: HC, Toledo, Missouri

- Antwaan Randle El: QB, Indiana

- Ron Rivera: LB, Cal

- Darryl Rogers: HC, Fresno State, San Jose State, Michigan State, Arizona State

- Rashaan Salaam, RB, Colorado

NittanyFan

June 2nd, 2021 at 5:46 PM ^

A lot more players than you would intuitively expect.

Just doing some high-level research (this is far from all-inclusive), you have Steve Atwater, Champ Bailey, Jerome Bettis, Isaac Bruce, Cris Carter, Terrell Davis, Brian Dawkins, Richard Dent, Alan Faneca, Brett Favre, Tony Gonzalez, Edgerrin James, Jim Kelly, Steve Largent, Ty Law, Curtis Martin, Joe Montana, Warren Moon, Randy Moss (!!!!!!), Joe Namath, John Riggins, Warren Sapp and Kurt Warner.

Randy Moss not being in the College Football HOF stuns me.  But that is the case.

matty blue

June 3rd, 2021 at 9:33 AM ^

was thinking about this a bit more and did some digging...per the college HOF eligibility page,

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.

emphasis mine.  i think that explains guys a lot of the guys on that list...at a quick glance, i don't think any of favre, montana, moon, terrell davis, namath, or kurt warner were all-americans...this requirement will also explain tom brady, when he doesn't get in - a terrific college player, but got nowhere near being a first-team all american.

also - i was wrong below.  graduation is less of a flat-out requirement than a consideration:

Consideration may also be given for academic honors and whether or not the candidate earned a college degree.

LabattsBleu

June 2nd, 2021 at 8:57 PM ^

i vaguely remember the player, mainly due to his signature glasses, but didn't know much about his story....Its a tough one to be sure.

I am glad that the NCAA has immortalized him with the Burlsworth trophy however - its fitting that his story isn't lost, but is reflected upon and celebrated every year.

Germany_Schulz

June 2nd, 2021 at 4:39 PM ^

- Steve Hutchinson: G, Michigan

- Brandon Burlsworth: G, Arkansas

- Reggie Bush: RB, USC

- Willie Gault: WR/KR, Tennessee

- Andrew Luck: QB, Stanford

Go Blue. 

NittanyFan

June 2nd, 2021 at 5:56 PM ^

Michigan's own Mark Messner is also on the list --- not highlighted above but he's on the list (not for the first time, he's just never been voted in).

ToledoWolverine

June 2nd, 2021 at 6:53 PM ^

I know he coached for a lot of years, but is Gary Pinkel really a HOF level coach? I have a hard time with that one. Not a bad coach by any stretch, but this seems a bit much.

Edit: I’m an idiot, read right past the whole “ballot” part. Carry on

Chris S

June 3rd, 2021 at 12:35 AM ^

Honest question, do they have a criteria for how many years after your career ended when you become eligible? Randel El and Andrew Luck both seem like 1st Ballot-types.

rschreiber91

June 3rd, 2021 at 5:16 AM ^

Quick answers to multiple questions about eligibility:

1) Graduation from college is a factor in consideration for admission, but not a requirement to be a nominee or a member of the HOF.  The only objective criterion is that a player must have been a first-team All-American on one of the NCAA recognized organizations.  So, a former player could easily be an NFL HOF but not in the college HOF if that player was never an All-American.

2) Eligibility for players starts 10 years after that player's last year of college football.

3) Eligibility for players ends 50 years after that player's last year of college football (although there are committees that could admit a player after that period expires).