National Football Foundation Communications
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (Jan. 8, 2016) – The National Football Foundation (NFF) & College Hall of Fame announced today the 2016 College Football Hall of Fame Class, which includes the names of 14 First Team All-America players and two standout coaches. The inductees were selected from the national ballot of 76 All-America players and five elite coaches from the Football Bowl Subdivision and the 92 players and 27 coaches from the divisional ranks.
2016 COLLEGE FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME CLASS
Players:
· MARLIN BRISCOE – QB, Nebraska Omaha (1964-67)
· DERRICK BROOKS – LB, Florida State (1991-94)
· TOM COUSINEAU – LB, Ohio State (1975-78)
· RANDALL CUNNINGHAM – P/QB, UNLV (1982-84)
· TROY DAVIS – TB, Iowa State (1994-96)
· WILLIAM FULLER – DT, North Carolina (1981-83)
· BERT JONES – QB, LSU (1970-72)
· TIM KRUMRIE – DL, Wisconsin (1979-82)
· PAT McINALLY – TE, Harvard (1972-74)
· HERB ORVIS – DE, Colorado (1969-71)
· BILL ROYCE – LB, Ashland (Ohio) (1990-93)
· MIKE UTLEY – OG, Washington State (1985-88)
· SCOTT WOERNER – DB, Georgia (1977-80)
· ROD WOODSON – DB, Purdue (1983-86)
Coaches:
· BILL BOWES – 175-106-5 (62.1%); New Hampshire (1972-98)
· FRANK GIRARDI – 257-97-5 (72.3%); Lycoming (Pa.) (1972-2007)
“We are extremely proud to announce the 2016 College Football Hall of Fame Class,” said Archie Manning, NFF Chairman and a 1989 College Football Hall of Famer from Mississippi. “Each of these men has established himself among the absolute best to have ever played or coached the game, and we look forward to immortalizing their incredible accomplishments.”
The announcement of the 2016 Class was made today at the JW Marriott Scottsdale Camelback Inn, the media hotel for the College Football Playoff (CFP) National Championship, which will be played on Monday at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Ariz., between No. 1 Clemson (14-0) and No. 2 Alabama (13-1). Randall Cunningham (UNLV) and Pat McInally (Harvard) attended the announcement while Derrick Brooks (Florida State) and Rod Woodson (Purdue) called in,representing the class and sharing their thoughts on induction. Members of the class will also participate in pregame festivities and the coin toss on the field during the championship game. Bert Jones (LSU), McInally and Woodson are currently slated to represent the class during those events.
The new tradition of announcing the College Football Hall of Fame class before the CFP National Championship began last season before the inaugural edition of the CFP title game in Dallas. The 2016 College Football Hall of Fame Class will be inducted at the 59th NFF Annual Awards Dinner on Dec. 6, 2016 at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City. The inductees will also be honored at the National Hall of Fame Salute at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl on Dec. 31, 2016, and they will be recognized at their respective collegiate institutions with on-campus salutes during the fall. Their accomplishments will be forever immortalized at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta. The 2017 class will be announced on Jan. 6, 2017 in Tampa, Fla., at the media hotel for next year’s CFP title game.
“The College Football Playoff National Championship weekend provides a great opportunity to shine a spotlight on the student-athletes and coaches who are being chosen for this great honor by the National Football Foundation,” said College Football Playoff Executive Director Bill Hancock. “We are pleased that the National Football Foundation and the College Football Hall of Fame are showcasing some of the game’s outstanding individuals as part of the national championship festivities. We believe fans will be excited to share in the history of the game.”
“We would like to thank CFP Executive Director Bill Hancock and his staff for the opportunity to announce the Hall of Fame Class in conjunction with the championship game,” said NFF President & CEO Steve Hatchell. “The presence of the national media at the title game significantly raises the profile of the announcement and allows us to shine a much brighter light on the accomplishments of our game’s greatest legends. We are also grateful for the guidance, knowledge and vision of honors court chairmen Gene Corrigan (FBS) and Jack Lengyel (divisional) for the essential role that they each play in guiding the committees in the selection of the inductees.”
2016 COLLEGE FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME CLASS NOTES
PLAYERS:
- TWO NFF National Scholar-Athletes (Brooks, McInally)
- ONE unanimous First Team All-American (Brooks – 2)
- SEVEN consensus First Team All-Americans (Cousineau – 2, Davis – 2, Fuller, Jones, Krumrie, Utley, Woodson)
- FOUR multi-year First Team All-Americans (Brooks – 2, Cousineau – 2, Davis – 2, Fuller – 2)
- 13 school record breakers (Briscoe, Cousineau, Cunningham, Davis, Fuller, Jones, Krumrie, McInally, Orvis, Royce, Utley, Woerner, Woodson)
- FOUR conference players of the year (Brooks, Cunningham – 2, Davis, Royce)
- TWO members of national championship teams (Brooks, Woerner )
- SEVEN members of conference championship teams (Briscoe, Brooks, Cousineau, Cunningham, Jones, McInally, Woerner)
- FOUR bowl MVPs (Brooks – Senior Bowl, Cousineau – Orange Bowl, Jones – Sun Bowl, Krumrie – Independence Bowl)
- FIVE played for College Football Hall of Fame coaches (Brooks, Cousineau, Jones, Royce, Woerner)
- FIVE first-round NFL draft picks (Brooks, Cousineau, Jones, Orvis, Woodson)
- FIVE offensive players (Briscoe, Davis, Jones, McInally, Utley)
- EIGHT defensive players (Brooks, Cousineau, Fuller, Krumrie, Orvis, Royce, Woerner, Woodson)
- ONE special teams player (Cunningham)
- FOUR decades represented: 1960s (1) – Briscoe; 1970s (5) – Cousineau, Jones, McInally, Orvis, Woerner; 1980s (5) – Cunningham, Fuller, Krumrie, Utley, Woodson; 1990s (3) – Brooks, Davis, Royce
- THREE schools with its first-ever College Football Hall of Fame player inductee (Ashland [Ohio] – Royce, Nebraska Omaha – Briscoe*, UNLV – Cunningham)
*Briscoe is his school’s first inductee of any kind; no other players or coaches have ever been inducted from Nebraska Omaha.
COACHES:
- TWO national championships appearances (Girardi)
- 20 conference championships (Bowes – 4, Girardi – 16)
- 15 playoff appearances (Bowes – 4, Girardi – 11)
- 14 conference coach of the year honors (Bowes – 2, Girardi – 12)
- 22 First Team All-Americans coached (Bowes – 12, Girardi – 10)
- ONE major award winner coached (Bowes – Walter Payton Award winner, Jerry Azumah)
- Winningest football coach in school history (Bowes, Girardi)
- All-time winningest coach in Yankee/Atlantic-10 history (Bowes)
- One of only 17 coaches all-time to win 250 games at one institution (Girardi)
SELECTION CRITERIA
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 fellow man. 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 2016 ballot, the player must have played his last year in 1966 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.
* Players that do not comply with the 50-year rule may still be eligible for consideration by the Football Bowl Subdivision and Divisional Honors Review Committees, which examine unique cases.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME QUICK FACTS
- Including the 2016 Hall of Fame class, only 977 players and 211 coaches, have been inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame from the nearly 5.12 million who have played or coached the game during the past 147 years. In other words, less than two ten-thousandths of one percent (.0002) of the individuals who have played the game have been deemed worthy of this distinction.
- 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.
- 305 schools are represented with at least one College Football Hall of Famer.
- Induction for this class of Hall of Famers will take place Dec. 6, 2016 during the 59th NFF Annual Awards Dinner at New York City’s historic Waldorf Astoria.
2016 College Football Hall of Fame Inductee Bios
MARLIN BRISCOE
University of Nebraska Omaha
Quarterback, 1964-67
Known as “The Magician” for his ability to pull great plays out of a hat, Marlin Briscoe arguably ranks as the most famous and well-remembered player in the University of Nebraska Omaha’s history, and he becomes the first Maverick to enter the College Football Hall of Fame.
An NAIA First Team All-American his senior year, the Omaha, Neb., native set 22 school records as the starting quarterback for the Mavericks from 1964-67, when the school was still named Omaha University. A member of the 1967 Black All-America Team, Briscoe was a three-time All-Central Intercollegiate Conference selection, and he led the Mavericks to CIC title in 1967. He enjoyed the finest season of his career in 1967, throwing for 2,283 yards and a single-season school-record 25 touchdowns. At UNO, Briscoe ranks second all-time with 53 touchdown passes, third all-time with 5,114 passing yards and fourth in total offense with 6,505 yards.
Briscoe was drafted in the 14th round of the 1968 NFL Draft by the Denver Broncos, playing one season with the franchise and setting a rookie record with 14 touchdown passes. Considered the first starting black quarterback in the NFL’s modern era, he would also play for the Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, San Diego Chargers, Detroit Lions and New England Patriots during his nine-year career. The 1970 All-Pro selection was a member of the 1972 undefeated Miami Dolphins team and won two Super Bowls (VII, VIII) with the franchise as a wide receiver.
Now retired, Briscoe ran various youth football camps and established the Marlin Briscoe Scholarship Fund at UNO. He has received the keys to the cities of Los Angeles and Bellevue, Neb., and he is a former director of a Boys and Girls Club. He was among the inaugural inductees into the UNO Athletics Hall of Fame in 1975.
DERRICK BROOKS
Florida State University
Linebacker, 1991-94
A two-time unanimous First Team All-American (1993 and 1994), Derrick Brooks led Florida State to its first-ever national championship in 1993. He becomes the sixth Seminole player to enter the College Football Hall of Fame.
The 1994 ACC Player of the Year, Brooks guided Florida State to victories in four consecutive bowl games, including the 18-16 win over Nebraska in the Orange Bowl for the national title. The three-time First Team All-ACC selection led the Seminoles to three-straight ACC titles and a 42-7 record, and the team never finished with a final ranking lower than fourth during his career. A team captain his senior season, Brooks was a finalist for the Butkus, Rotary Lombardi and FWAA Defensive Player of the Year Award in 1993 and 1994 while playing for College Football Hall of Fame coach Bobby Bowden. The standout four-year letterman finished his career with 274 tackles, 8.5 sacks and five interceptions, and he was named MVP of the Senior Bowl. Brooks was just as stellar off the field as a 1994 NFF National Scholar-Athlete and two-time Academic All-American. A teammate of Hall of Fame quarterback Charlie Ward, he was also a three-time Academic All-ACC honoree and a recipient of an NCAA postgraduate scholarship. Brooks’ No. 10 jersey is retired at Florida State, and he is a member of both the Seminoles’ and CoSIDA Academic All-America halls of fame.
Drafted in the first round of the 1995 NFL Draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Brooks spent his entire 14-year career with the franchise. The 11-time Pro Bowl selection never missed a game during his pro career and led the Bucs to a victory in Super Bowl XXXVII in 2003. A 2014 Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee, he had his number retired by Tampa Bay and is a member of the team’s ring of honor.
Brooks continued to impress during and after his pro career, earning his master’s degree in business communications in 1999. His numerous community initiatives have included establishing Brooks Bunch, founding Derrick Brooks Charities, and establishing Brooks DeBartolo Collegiate High, a nonprofit public charter school. He was named the 2000 NFL Walter Payton Man of the Year and the 2014 Boys and Girls Club Community Champion. Appointed by the Governor of Florida to serve as chairman of the Governor’s Council on Physical Education, Brooks also served on the FSU Board of Trustees from 2003-11. He currently serves as co-owner and president of the Tampa Bay Storm in the Arena Football League and as an appeals officer for the NFL and NFLPA.
TOM COUSINEAU
Ohio State University
Linebacker, 1975-78
One of the most dominant linebackers in Big Ten history, Tom Cousineau left Ohio State as the school’s leader in nearly every tackling category. He becomes the 25th Buckeye player to be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.
A two-time consensus First Team All-American for the Buckeyes under College Football Hall of Fame coach Woody Hayes, Cousineau’s 569 career tackles are second all-time in Ohio State history. He still holds six school records, setting marks for single-season tackles and solo tackles during his senior campaign when he was named team MVP. The 1978 team captain led Ohio State to three Big Ten championships, three top 12 finishes and four bowl berths, earning MVP honors after a win in the 1977 Orange Bowl. A three-time All-Big Ten honoree, Cousineau owns six of the top 10 single-game tackling performances in school history, and he helped the Buckeyes lead the conference in total defense in 1977. Following his senior season, he was invited to play in the Hula Bowl, where he earned Defensive MVP honors.
Cousineau was the No. 1 overall pick in the 1979 NFL Draft by the Buffalo Bills, but he chose to play for Montreal of the Canadian Football League from 1979-82, earning the league’s Grey Cup MVP honor in 1979. He would later return to the NFL, playing for the Cleveland Browns from 1982-85 and the San Francisco 49ers from 1986-87.
A 1995 Ohio State Sports Hall of Fame inductee, Cousineau was the recipient of the Silver Anniversary Butkus Award in 2003. He later tried his hand at politics, running for a seat in the Ohio House of Representatives in 2006. He now serves as an assistant football coach at his high school alma mater St. Edward in Ohio, where he is enshrined in the school’s Hall of Fame.
RANDALL CUNNINGHAM
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Punter/Quarterback, 1982-84
UNLV’s career passing and punting leader, Randall Cunningham left Las Vegas as the most accomplished player in school history. He becomes the first Rebel player to enter the College Football Hall of Fame.
A First Team All-America punter in 1983, Cunningham received second team honors as a senior while also garnering honorable mention as a quarterback. The two-position star broke 18 UNLV records, including career marks for passing yards (8,020), touchdown passes (59) and punting average (45.6). A two-time PCAA Offensive Player of the Year, Cunningham was first team all-conference three times as a punter and twice as a quarterback. The single-season and career punting leader in PCAA history, he led the Rebels to the 1984 conference title and earned MVP honors in their first-ever bowl game appearance, which was a victory in the California Bowl. Cunningham is only the third quarterback in history to pass for at least 2,500 yards in three consecutive seasons, and he finished his career with 142 punts for 6,471 yards.
Drafted in the second round of the 1985 NFL Draft by the Philadelphia Eagles, Cunningham went on to play for 17 years in the NFL for the Eagles, Minnesota Vikings, Dallas Cowboys and Baltimore Ravens. The four-time Pro Bowl selection ranks second all-time in the NFL for career rushing yards by a quarterback with 4,928, and he was named the 1998 NFL Offensive Player of the Year while with the Vikings. He was inducted into the Philadelphia Eagles Hall of Fame in 2009.
After retirement, Cunningham returned to UNLV to finish his degree in 2004. A 1997 inductee into the UNLV Athletics Hall of Fame, Cunningham saw his No. 12 retired, making it the only football jersey in school football history with the distinction. Cunningham currently serves as head pastor at Remnant Ministries, which he founded with his wife Felicity in Las Vegas, and as the head football coach at Silverado High School also in Las Vegas. He received the NFL Alumni Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award for community service in 2012.
TROY DAVIS
Iowa State University
Tailback, 1994-96
The only player in FBS history to rush for more than 2,000 yards in two seasons, Troy Davis finished his stellar career as the best running back in Iowa State history. He becomes the second Cyclone player elected to the College Football Hall of Fame.
A two-time consensus First Team All-American and two-time Heisman Trophy finalist, Davis led the nation in rushing in both his sophomore (2,010 yards) and junior (2,185) seasons. The 1996 Big 12 Player of the Year twice earned first team all-conference honors, and he set the conference’s single-season rushing record as a junior. The Miami native owns nearly every rushing record in Iowa State history, including game, single-season and career marks for rushing yards, rushing touchdowns and total offense.
Davis also became the first sophomore to break the 1,000-yard barrier in the first five games of the season in 1995. During his Heisman runner-up season in 1996, Davis ran for 2,185 yards, currently the fifth-most in a single season in FBS history, and he never had less than 130 yards in a game. He rushed for 4,382 yards and 36 touchdowns in his illustrious career, and he owns the sixth-highest single-game rushing performance in FBS annals with 378 yards against Missouri in 1996.
Drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the third round of the 1997 NFL Draft, Davis would play three seasons with the franchise before moving to the Canadian Football League. There, he racked up five-straight 1,000-yard seasons for the Hamilton Tiger Cats, and he was named a CFL All-Star in 2004. Davis also led the Edmonton Eskimos to the 2005 Grey Cup.
Davis was inducted into the Iowa State Sports Hall of Fame in 2007. His brother, Darren, currently sits second all-time on the Cyclones’ career rushing list behind Troy.
WILLIAM FULLER
University of North Carolina
Defensive Tackle, 1981-83
Using his tremendous quickness to slice through offensive lines, William Fuller is one of just six North Carolina players to twice earn First-Team All-America honors. He becomes the fifth Tar Heel player to be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.
A consensus First Team All-American in 1983, Fuller owns the school record with 57 career tackles for loss and set a then school-record for single-season tackles for loss with 22 in both 1981 and 1983. The two-time Outland Trophy finalist led the Tar Heels to three consecutive bowl berths, including wins in the 1981 Gator Bowl and 1982 Sun Bowl. Fuller was the only unanimous choice on the 1983 All-ACC team, and he is one of just three defensive linemen ever to make All-ACC for three straight years. A team captain as a senior, he finished his career with 225 tackles and 20 sacks, and he earned invitations to both the Hula Bowl and the Japan Bowl. Fuller was one of just two defensive linemen named to the ACC Silver Anniversary Team, and his No. 95 has been retired by UNC.
Fuller was selected in the first round of the NFL Supplemental Draft, but he chose to start his pro career with the Philadelphia/Baltimore Stars of the USFL. He led the Stars to consecutive league championships before moving to the NFL, where he played 13 seasons with the Houston Oilers, Philadelphia Eagles and San Diego Chargers. A member of the All-Time USFL Team, Fuller was a four-time All-Pro and four-time Pro Bowl selection
A noted philanthropist, Fuller hosts the William Fuller Golf Tournament to benefit the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation, which has raised nearly $5 million for the organization. He is also involved in the United Way, Special Olympics, Ronald McDonald House, Philadelphia Services for the Blind and the Boys’ Club of America. Fuller endowed a football scholarship at UNC, and he has served on numerous boards, including Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International and the Educational Foundation at UNC. He currently serves as manager at Fuller Consulting Group, LLC, in Virginia.
BERT JONES
Louisiana State University
Quarterback, 1970-72
Possessing as strong an arm as any quarterback in college history, Bert Jones finished fourth for the 1972 Heisman Trophy after a consensus First Team All-America season at LSU. He becomes the ninth Tiger player to be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.
Sporting News’1972 National Player of the Year, Jones finished his career as LSU’s all-time leader in passing yards, completions, attempts and touchdowns. The First Team All-SEC selection led the Tigers to three consecutive bowl games, including a win in the 1971 Sun Bowl where he was named MVP after recording the longest pass play in the school’s bowl history with a 77-yard pass. Jones led the SEC in passing in both his junior and senior seasons, and he was a member of LSU’s 1970 SEC championship team. One of his most famous moments came against Ole Miss in 1972 when, with time expired, he threw a touchdown pass to Brad Davis in the corner of the end zone for a 17-16 LSU victory to keep alive an 11-game win streak. Jones played for College Football Hall of Fame coach Charlie McClendon and alongside Hall of Famer Tommy Casanova during his time in Baton Rouge.
The second overall pick in the 1973 draft by the Baltimore Colts, Jones spent 10 years in the league with the Colts and the Los Angeles Rams. His best season as a pro came in 1976 when he was named NFL MVP, NFL Offensive Player of the Year and a Pro Bowl selection. Jones was inducted into the State of Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame in 1986.
As an avid outdoorsman, hunter and private landowner, Jones is actively involved in timber and wildlife management and conservation. He is the co-founder of Louisiana Clean Team (addressing trash and litter problems), the former chairman of Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission and the past national chairman of both the Treated Wood Council and American Wood Preservers Institute. He is the longtime host of the annual Bert Jones Golf Classic, now in its 27th year, which has raised nearly $2 million for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. A member of the LSU Athletics Hall of Fame and the LSU Alumni Association Hall of Distinction, Jones currently serves as the owner and operator of Mid-States Wood Preservers, Inc. in Louisiana.
TIM KRUMRIE
University of Wisconsin
Defensive Lineman, 1979-82
Finishing as Wisconsin’s all-time leading tackler, Tim Krumrie started all 46 games of his remarkable Hall of Fame career at Wisconsin. He becomes the ninth Badger player to enter the College Football Hall of Fame.
A consensus First Team All-American in 1981, Krumrie recorded 135 tackles that year, which is still Wisconsin’s single-season record for a defensive lineman. He is currently third on the school’s career tackles list with 444, and he owns the school record with 276 career solo tackles. The three time All-Big Ten selection led the Badgers to two bowl games, including a win in the 1982 Independence Bowl where he earned Defensive MVP honors after posting a then school bowl-record 13 tackles. Krumrie also took them to the 1981 Garden State Bowl, Wisconsin’s first postseason berth since 1962. The senior team captain led the Badgers in tackles in both 1980 and 1981, and he played in the 1982 Hula Bowl.
Taken in the 10th round of the 1983 NFL Draft by the Cincinnati Bengals, where he would spend his entire 12-year career from 1983-94. The two-time Pro Bowl selection led the Bengals to an appearance in Super Bowl XXIII.
After retiring in 1994, Krumrie remained with the Bengals organization as defensive line coach from 1995-2002. He would go on to serve the same role with the Buffalo Bills (2003-05) and the Kansas City Chiefs (2006-09). A member of the University of Wisconsin Hall of Fame, Krumrie was honored in 2009 when the outstanding high school senior defensive lineman award in Wisconsin was named the Tim Krumrie Award. He currently serves as a Brain Injury Advocate at CereScan.
PAT McINALLY
Harvard University
Tight End, 1972-74
Excelling both on and off the field at Harvard, Pat McInally was selected as both an NFF National Scholar-Athlete and a First Team All-American in 1974. He becomes the 18th Crimson player to enter the College Football Hall of Fame.
A two-time First Team All-Ivy League selection, McInally led Harvard to a share of the 1974 conference title. The 1974 New England Player of the Year finished his career as the Crimson’s single-game, single-season and career record-holder for touchdowns and receptions and as the school’s leader in career receiving yards. McInally ranked second in the nation in receptions in 1973 and fourth in 1974 while also serving as Harvard’s punter. After graduating cum laude, he played in the East-West Shrine Game and the Senior Bowl. McInally is a member of the Harvard University Hall of Fame.
Selected by the Cincinnati Bengals in the fifth round of the 1975 NFL Draft, McInally played both punter and wide receiver for the Bengals from 1976-85. He has the distinction of being the first Harvard graduate ever to play in a Pro Bowl and a Super Bowl, both of which he did in the 1981 season.
McInally has remained active after his playing career, creating Kenner’s Starting Lineup action sports figures in 1987, which had more than $700 million in sales over the next 13 years. A prolific writer, he penned the nationally syndicated column, “Pat Answers for Kids,” as well as articles for other publications. The owner of the only perfect “50” score ever recorded on the NFL’s Wonderlic Test, McInally joined the Wonderlic company to help student athletes prepare for the scholastic aptitude test. He currently serves as the head football coach at Brethren Christian Junior & Senior High School in Huntington Beach, Calif.
HERB ORVIS
University of Colorado
Defensive End, 1969-71
A First Team All-American as a senior in 1971, Herb Orvis caused nightmares for opposing offenses during a Hall of Fame career at Colorado. He becomes the seventh Buffalo player to be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.
A First Team All-Big Eight Conference selection as both a junior and senior, Orvis was named the Big Eight Conference Newcomer of the Year as a sophomore in 1969 after recording 75 tackles. The 1971 recipient of the Dave Jones Award as Colorado’s most outstanding defensive lineman, he led the Buffs to three consecutive bowl games, including wins in the 1969 Liberty Bowl and the 1971 Bluebonnet Bowl. The senior team captain finished his career as Colorado’s all-time leader in sacks (20) and second in tackles for loss (32). Orvis was named the National Player of the Week after a 12-tackle, two-sack performance against Penn State in 1970 that ended the Nittany Lions’ 31-game unbeaten streak. He would lead the Buffs to a No. 3 national ranking in 1971 before playing in the Hula Bowl.
The 16th overall pick by the Detroit Lions in the 1972 NFL Draft, Orvis played for the Lions from 1972-77 and for the Baltimore Colts from 1978-81. He received Second Team All-NFC honors in 1975.
Selected as a member of the All-Big Eight Decade team for the 1970s, Orvis is a member of the Big Eight Hall of Fame and the University of Colorado Athletic Hall of Fame. He joined the Army while in high school, and he earned his diploma while serving in Germany, where he was offered a scholarship by Colorado head coach Eddie Crowder during a government-sponsored coaching tour. Orvis played alongside Hall of Famer Bobby Anderson during his career in Boulder.
BILL ROYCE
Ashland University (Ohio)
Linebacker, 1990-93
One of the most highly decorated defensive players in Division II history, Bill Royce earned First Team All-America honors in 1993 on his way to becoming the first Eagle player to enter the College Football Hall of Fame.
Royce was named a First Team All-American by the Associated Press, C.M. Frank and the Don Hansen Football Gazette in 1993 after posting a single-season school record 20.5 sacks. He would also lead the team in sacks in 1991 and 1992, finishing with an astounding 71 in his career, though it was not an officially kept stat until 2000. Named the MIFC/GLIAC Player of the Year as a senior, Royce is one of just four defensive players to earn the honor. He was the conference’s defensive player and defensive lineman of the year in both 1992 and 1993 while also earning first team all-conference laurels. A Harlon Hill candidate as the top player in Division II as a junior and senior, Royce was Ashland’s defensive MVP and team captain both seasons. An AP Third Team All-American in 1992, Royce led the Eagles to national rankings three times while guiding the team to its best four-year record in school history at 33-10-1.
Chosen as Ashland’s most outstanding linebacker three times, Royce helped the Eagles defense lead the NCAA in total defense, rushing defense and scoring defense during his junior and senior seasons. He set a single-game school record for sacks with 3.5 against Wayne State (Mich.) in 1993. Royce was selected to play in the 1993 Snow Bowl All-Star Game after posting 366 career tackles while playing for College Football Hall of Fame coach Fred Martinelli.
Royce graduated from Ashland in 1994 with a bachelor’s in business administration. He was selected to the Ashland University All Sports Hall of Fame in 2005, and he is a charter member of the Ashland University Gridiron Club. After serving as a sales representative for Eagle Crusher Co. for 10 years, Royce was named KPI-JCI and Astec Mobile Screens’ regional sales manager for mobile-crushing and screening-equipment sales in the Mid-Atlantic region.
MIKE UTLEY
Washington State University
Offensive Guard, 1985-88
Just the second Consensus First Team All-American in Washington State history, Mike Utley is considered the most decorated player in the school’s football annals. He becomes the fourth Cougar player to enter the College Football Hall of Fame.
A three-time All-Pac-10 selection, Utley earned First Team accolades in 1988 after leading Washington State to its best record in 58 years and a triumphed in the Aloha Bowl, which marked the school’s first postseason win since 1916. He was named team MVP as a senior after anchoring one of the most prolific offenses in school history, including 3,000-yard passer Timm Rosenbach and two 1,000-yard rushers. Utley led the Cougars to their first-ever win against a No. 1 team in 1988 against UCLA, and he guided an offense that led the Pac-10 and ranked third nationally in total offense. After starting a then school-record 43-straight games, Utley was invited to the Senior Bowl and East-West Shrine Game. He was inducted into the Washington State University Athletics Hall of Fame in 2004, and the team’s Offensive Lineman of the Year Award carries his name.
Taken in the third round of the 1989 NFL Draft by the Detroit Lions, Utley played three seasons in the NFL before suffering from spinal cord injuries that left him paralyzed from the chest and elbows down. He has since regained the use of his shoulders, arms and hands, and even has partial movement in his legs. The Lions renamed their Spirit Award as the Mike Utley Spirit Award in his honor. He received the WSU Alumni Achievement Award in 2007 and the Walter Camp Man of the Year Award in 2006.
Since his paralysis, Utley has won dozens of awards for community service and his work with those suffering from spinal cord injuries. He established the Mike Utley Foundation in 1992, which provides research, rehab and education for those living with spinal cord injuries and financially supports rehabilitation projects as well as patient/family assistance programs. Utley provides three scholarships for patients at Detroit Medical Center’s Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan, and he founded the Mike Utley Rehabilitation Scholarship Program. He also established the Mike Utley Center for Human Performance in Detroit, the Mike Utley Terrain Park in Englewood, Colo. And the Mike Utley Terrain Training Course in Atlanta.
SCOTT WOERNER
University of Georgia
Defensive Back, 1977-80
Scott Woerner cemented his name among the greatest defensive players in Georgia history after leading the program to a perfect 12-0 national championship season in 1980. He becomes the 13th Bulldog player to enter the College Football Hall of Fame.
A First Team All-America selection as a senior, Woerner made two key interceptions in Georgia’s win over Notre Dame in the 1981 Sugar Bowl for the national title. The 1980 First Team All-SEC selection led the Bulldogs to the conference title, and he was the only defensive player in the conference’s top 10 in all-purpose yardage. Georgia’s Most Valuable Back in 1980, Woerner currently ranks fourth all-time in program history with 13 career interceptions and second with 303 career interception return yards. Considered the best punt returner in Bulldogs history, he was twice named the school’s Outstanding Special Teams Player, and he set UGA records for career (1,077) and single-season (488) punt return yards and kickoff return yards in a game (190). Woerner played for College Football Hall of Fame coach Vince Dooley and alongside Hall of Famers Terry Hoage and Herschel Walker during his time in Athens.
Chosen in the third round of the 1981 NFL Draft by the Atlanta Falcons, Woerner played one year for the franchise. He played for the Philadelphia/Baltimore Stars of the USFL for three seasons, leading them to consecutive league championships in 1984 and 1985.
After his playing days ended, Woerner spent a career teaching physical education, and he is now semi-retired in Rabun County, Ga. He has been very active in the community, volunteering with the American Heart Association, Northeast Georgia Food Bank, Shepherd Spinal Center and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. Woerner is a member of the University of Georgia Athletic Association Circle of Honor and the State of Georgia Sports Hall of Fame.
ROD WOODSON
Purdue University
Defensive Back, 1983-86
A 1986 consensus First Team All-American, Rod Woodson ended his stellar Purdue career holding 13 individual records. He becomes the eighth Boilermaker player to be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.
The runner-up for the 1986 Jim Thorpe Award, Woodson was a three-time First Team All-Big Ten selection who started all 45 games of his career. He left Purdue as the career leader in solo tackles, interceptions, interception return yardage, interceptions returned for touchdowns, kickoff returns and kickoff return yardage, and he still ranks in the top five in nearly every category. The senior team captain and MVP is also tied for the school record for career fumble recoveries, and he boasts the Boilermakers’ longest interception return, a 100-yard run back against Iowa in 1986. Named Purdue’s 1986-87 Male Athlete of the Year, Woodson led the Boilermakers to an appearance in the 1984 Peach Bowl. He finished his career with 445 tackles, 11 interceptions and 29 pass breakups while adding 71 kickoff returns for 1,535 yards and one touchdown.
Taken 10th overall in the 1987 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers, Woodson played 17 seasons in the league with the Steelers, San Francisco 49ers, Baltimore Ravens and Oakland Raiders. The 1993 NFL Defensive Player of the Year was an 11-time Pro Bowl selection, and he appeared in three Super Bowls, winning Super Bowl XXXV as a member of the Ravens.
A 2009 Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee, he is a member of the NFL’s 75th Anniversary Team and the NFL’s All-Decade Team of the 1990s. Woodson was inducted into the Purdue Athletics Hall of Fame in 2003 and the Big Ten’s annual Tatum-Woodson Defensive Back of the Year Award carries his name. He now serves as the assistant defensive backs coach for the Oakland Raiders.
BILL BOWES
University of New Hampshire, 1972-98
Head Coach, 175-106-5 (62.1%)
The winningest head coach in Yankee Conference/Atlantic 10 and University of New Hampshire history, Bill Bowes guided the Wildcats to success and oversaw their transition to the FCS during 27 seasons as head coach from 1972-98. He becomes the first College Football Hall of Fame inductee (player or coach) from New Hampshire.
Bowes became the youngest head coach in school history in 1972. He guided the Wildcats to four Yankee Conference championships, and he strung together eight straight winning seasons from 1974-81 and another nine consecutive winning campaigns from 1983-91. Bowes was named conference coach of the year in 1989 and 1994, and his teams qualified for the NCAA playoffs four times.
Bowes’ honors include twice being named Kodak District I Coach of the Year, AFCA Region I Coach of the Year, New England Coach of the Year and Boston Gridiron Club Division I-AA Coach of the Year. During his tenure in Durham, he coached 1998 Walter Payton Award recipient Jerry Azumah, 12 All-Americans, 69 First Team All-Yankee Conference honorees and six First Team All-Atlantic 10 selections.
He has received many awards for his service and contributions to the game, including the NFF New Hampshire Chapter’s Distinguished Contribution to Football Award, the George C. Carens Awards for contributions to New England football and the Eastern Intercollegiate Officials Association’s Murray Lewis Award for sportsmanship. In 1999, New Hampshire initiated the Bill Bowes Coaches Award, an annual honor presented to a Wildcat senior.
The Blanchard, Pa., native was a team captain for College Football Hall of Fame coach Rip Engle’s 1964 Penn State team, and he was the recipient of the Penn State University Alumni Athlete Award in 2000. Following his graduation, Bowes served as a graduate assistant for one season at Penn State before two seasons as New Hampshire’s offensive line coach. He moved to Boston College with former Wildcat head coach Joe Yukica from 1968-71 before taking the reins at UNH.
FRANK GIRARDI
Lycoming College (Pa.), 1972-2007
Head Coach, 257-97-5 (72.3%)
Ranking 16th across all NCAA divisions in total wins, Frank Girardi firmly established himself as a legend during his 36 years as Lycoming’s head coach from 1972-2007. He becomes the first College Football Hall of Fame inductee (player or coach) from the college.
Girardi took over as the Warriors’ head coach in 1972, finishing his career with an impressive 257-97-5 record (72.3 win percentage). It took him three years, but when the team finished 6-2 in 1975, it started a streak of 29 consecutive winning seasons that lasted through 2003. Ranked sixth in NCAA Division III history in wins, Girardi is one of just 17 coaches at any NCAA level to reach the 250-win plateau at one school.
Girardi led Lycoming to 11 appearances in the Division III playoffs, 13 playoff victories and two trips to the Stagg Bowl, the Division III national championship game, in 1990 and 1997. His Warriors led Division III in total defense twice and rushing defense three times. The 12-time MAC Coach of the Year led Lycoming to at least a share of the conference title 13 times, and he became the Maxwell Football Club’s first recipient of the Tri-State Coach of the Year Award in 1999. During his illustrious career, Girardi coached 10 First Team All-Americans, two First Team Academic All-Americans and 217 first team all-conference selections. His bust now stands in front of Lycoming’s stadium.
Girardi has been inducted into four halls of fame, including the Lycoming Athletics Hall of Fame, West Branch Valley Sports Hall of Fame, the State of Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame and West Chester University (Pa.)’s W. Glenn Killinger Football Hall of Fame. Following the 2007 season, ESPN Radio 1050/104.1 honored Girardi with a lifetime achievement award and announced that the award will carry his name. His other numerous accolades include the NFF Central Pennsylvania Chapter’s lifetime achievement award, the first-ever Williamsport Area School District Distinguished Alumni Award and the Boy Scouts of America Brotherhood Award.
A running back on two undefeated teams at West Chester University (Pa.) under College Football Hall of Fame player Glenn Killinger (Penn State),Girardi started his coaching career as the head coach of Jersey Shore (Pa.) Area High School. He joined Lycoming’s staff in 1969 as an assistant before taking the reins as head coach in 1972. He also served as Lycoming’s athletics director from 1984-2008.
