What the heck is this ESPN blog writer thinking? He votes for Michael Payton & Archie Arneson (NAU) for the 2012 College Football HOF....yet no mention of Dave Dickenson. Currently only Wild Bill Kelly is an alumnus from Montana that is in the College Football HOF. We need to start lobbying to get other Grizzly greats in.
http://insider.espn.go.com/college-...t-ncaa-ruling-unc-case-means-miami-oregon-ncf
econd down: Call from the Hall
As I flew out to Las Vegas last week, I decided to bang out my ballot for the College Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2012.
Holy cow was that hard.
There were 206 candidates in all, covering players and coaches across all four NCAA divisions and the NAIA, and voters are supposed to pick 23. What I thought would be a 10-minute job turned into a transcontinental, internal debate. In the end, this is how I voted and why, in alphabetical order within each category:
FBS Players (Vote for 11):
Trev Alberts, Nebraska Cornhuskers -- Almost single-handedly won the national championship game against Florida State while playing with a cast on his arm.
Ted Brown, North Carolina State Wolfpack -- One the greatest players never remembered. His ACC record of 4,602 yards has stood for 34 years.
Tedy Bruschi, Arizona Wildcats -- 52 sacks. That's all I need to say.
Eric Crouch, Nebraska -- If you won a Heisman, you automatically get my vote for the Hall.
Ty Detmer, Brigham Young Cougars -- See above.
Tommie Frazier, Nebraska -- Speaking of Heisman, how did he not win one?
Raghib Ismail, Notre Dame Fighting Irish -- Also Heisman-less but was easily the most feared player in the land.
Jonathan Ogden, UCLA Bruins -- The immovable object.
Orlando Pace, Ohio State -- The irresistible force.
Vinny Testaverde, Miami -- Won his Heisman nearly 26 years ago. How the heck is he not already in?
Danny Wuerffel, Florida Gators -- Have there ever been four Heisman winners inducted in one year?
FBS coaches (2):
Phillip Fulmer, Tennessee Volunteers -- I worked for Fulmer as a student and I've always taken issue with how he ascended to the head coach's position at Tennessee, but his record is indisputable.
Jimmy Johnson, Oklahoma State and Miami -- Passed on him last year in favor of Lloyd Carr and Fisher DeBerry, as did a lot of others. This year, he should get in.
FCS players (2):
Archie Arneson, Northern Arizona -- Won the 1996 Walter Payton Award, the FCS Heisman.
Michael Payton, Marshall -- The '92 Payton Award winner and king of the Southern Conference when it was the SEC of FCS (then I-AA).
Division II players (2):
Tom Collins, Indianapolis -- All-time NCAA interceptions leader, across all divisions, with 37. That's a lot.
Bobby Hedrick, Elon -- When he graduated in 1980, he ranked second all-time among NCAA rushers, trailing only Tony Dorsett.
Division III players (2):
Chuck Downey, Stony Brook -- 239 tackles as a safety, first D-III player to surpass 1,000 yards on both punt and kickoff returns and holds 12 D-III records.
Jeff Wittman, Ithaca -- Three-time All-American, 1991 national champion and school's all-time rushing leader ... at fullback.
NAIA players (2):
Joe Micchia, Westchester -- Second year I've voted for him. Won two national titles and never lost a game as a starting QB: 31-0.
Rex Mirich, Northern Arizona -- Old-school ironman was an All-American at defensive tackle in '62 and offensive tackle in '63.
Divisional coaches (2):
Randy Hubbard, Florida A&M -- Second year I've voted him, too. Won back-to-back national titles in '77 and '78, including the inaugural FCS title.
John Whitehead, Lehigh -- Won 1977 Division II championship, then moved up to FCS and made it to the championship game there in '79.
Third down -- Missed it by that much
Of the names I left off of my Hall of Fame ballot, these are the ones who barely missed the cut. When and if they reappear next year, they will more than likely have my vote. Some of these guys -- Carrier, Dickerson and Majors -- I voted for one year ago. But this year's group was too talented, and some players had to be benched temporarily.
Brian Bosworth, Oklahoma
Mark Carrier, USC
Eric Dickerson, SMU
Joe Hamilton, Georgia Tech
Bobby Majors, Tennessee
Paul Palmer, Temple
Sterling Sharpe, South Carolina
Derrick Thomas, Alabama
Lorenzo White, Michigan State
http://insider.espn.go.com/college-...t-ncaa-ruling-unc-case-means-miami-oregon-ncf
econd down: Call from the Hall
As I flew out to Las Vegas last week, I decided to bang out my ballot for the College Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2012.
Holy cow was that hard.
There were 206 candidates in all, covering players and coaches across all four NCAA divisions and the NAIA, and voters are supposed to pick 23. What I thought would be a 10-minute job turned into a transcontinental, internal debate. In the end, this is how I voted and why, in alphabetical order within each category:
FBS Players (Vote for 11):
Trev Alberts, Nebraska Cornhuskers -- Almost single-handedly won the national championship game against Florida State while playing with a cast on his arm.
Ted Brown, North Carolina State Wolfpack -- One the greatest players never remembered. His ACC record of 4,602 yards has stood for 34 years.
Tedy Bruschi, Arizona Wildcats -- 52 sacks. That's all I need to say.
Eric Crouch, Nebraska -- If you won a Heisman, you automatically get my vote for the Hall.
Ty Detmer, Brigham Young Cougars -- See above.
Tommie Frazier, Nebraska -- Speaking of Heisman, how did he not win one?
Raghib Ismail, Notre Dame Fighting Irish -- Also Heisman-less but was easily the most feared player in the land.
Jonathan Ogden, UCLA Bruins -- The immovable object.
Orlando Pace, Ohio State -- The irresistible force.
Vinny Testaverde, Miami -- Won his Heisman nearly 26 years ago. How the heck is he not already in?
Danny Wuerffel, Florida Gators -- Have there ever been four Heisman winners inducted in one year?
FBS coaches (2):
Phillip Fulmer, Tennessee Volunteers -- I worked for Fulmer as a student and I've always taken issue with how he ascended to the head coach's position at Tennessee, but his record is indisputable.
Jimmy Johnson, Oklahoma State and Miami -- Passed on him last year in favor of Lloyd Carr and Fisher DeBerry, as did a lot of others. This year, he should get in.
FCS players (2):
Archie Arneson, Northern Arizona -- Won the 1996 Walter Payton Award, the FCS Heisman.
Michael Payton, Marshall -- The '92 Payton Award winner and king of the Southern Conference when it was the SEC of FCS (then I-AA).
Division II players (2):
Tom Collins, Indianapolis -- All-time NCAA interceptions leader, across all divisions, with 37. That's a lot.
Bobby Hedrick, Elon -- When he graduated in 1980, he ranked second all-time among NCAA rushers, trailing only Tony Dorsett.
Division III players (2):
Chuck Downey, Stony Brook -- 239 tackles as a safety, first D-III player to surpass 1,000 yards on both punt and kickoff returns and holds 12 D-III records.
Jeff Wittman, Ithaca -- Three-time All-American, 1991 national champion and school's all-time rushing leader ... at fullback.
NAIA players (2):
Joe Micchia, Westchester -- Second year I've voted for him. Won two national titles and never lost a game as a starting QB: 31-0.
Rex Mirich, Northern Arizona -- Old-school ironman was an All-American at defensive tackle in '62 and offensive tackle in '63.
Divisional coaches (2):
Randy Hubbard, Florida A&M -- Second year I've voted him, too. Won back-to-back national titles in '77 and '78, including the inaugural FCS title.
John Whitehead, Lehigh -- Won 1977 Division II championship, then moved up to FCS and made it to the championship game there in '79.
Third down -- Missed it by that much
Of the names I left off of my Hall of Fame ballot, these are the ones who barely missed the cut. When and if they reappear next year, they will more than likely have my vote. Some of these guys -- Carrier, Dickerson and Majors -- I voted for one year ago. But this year's group was too talented, and some players had to be benched temporarily.
Brian Bosworth, Oklahoma
Mark Carrier, USC
Eric Dickerson, SMU
Joe Hamilton, Georgia Tech
Bobby Majors, Tennessee
Paul Palmer, Temple
Sterling Sharpe, South Carolina
Derrick Thomas, Alabama
Lorenzo White, Michigan State
