NFF announces star-studded 2024 College Football Hall of Fame class
The National Football Foundation (NFF) & College Hall of Fame announced Monday the 2024 College Football Hall of Fame Class during ESPN's "Championship Drive Presented by Allstate."
2024 COLLEGE FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME CLASS
PLAYERS:
Justin Blackmon – WR, Oklahoma State (2009-11)
Paul Cameron – TB, UCLA (1951-53)
Tim Couch – QB, Kentucky (1996-98)
Warrick Dunn – RB, Florida State (1993-96)
Armanti Edwards – QB, Appalachian State (2006-09)
Deon Figures – CB, Colorado (1988, 1990-92)
Larry Fitzgerald – WR, Pittsburgh (2002-03)
Toby Gerhart – RB, Stanford (2006-09)
Dan Hampton – DT, Arkansas (1975-78)
Steve Hutchinson – OG, Michigan (1997-2000)
Antonio Langham – CB, Alabama (1990-93)
Randy Moss – WR, Marshall (1996-97)
Julius Peppers – DE, North Carolina (1999-2001)
Paul Posluszny – LB, Penn State (2003-06)
Dewey Selmon – NG, Oklahoma (1972-75)
Alex Smith – QB, Utah (2002-04)
Kevin Smith – CB, Texas A&M (1988-91)
Chris Ward – OT, Ohio State (1974-77)
Danny Woodhead – RB, Chadron State [NE] (2004-07).
COACHES:
Mark Dantonio – 132-74-0 (64.1%): Cincinnati (2004-06), Michigan State (2007-19)
Danny Hale – 213-69-1 (75.4%): West Chester [PA] (1984-88), Bloomsburg [PA] (1993-2012)
Frank Solich – 173-101-0: (63.1%) Nebraska (1998-2003), Ohio (2005-2020).
The 19 First Team All-America players and three standout coaches in the 2024 Class were selected from the national ballot of 78 players and nine coaches from the Football Bowl Subdivision and 101 players and 32 coaches from the divisional ranks.
"We are extremely proud to announce the 2024 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 2024 College Football Hall of Fame Class will officially be inducted during the 66th NFF Annual Awards Dinner Presented by Las Vegas on Dec. 10, 2024, at Bellagio Resort & Casino in Las Vegas.
The inductees will also be recognized at their respective collegiate institutions with NFF Hall of Fame On-Campus Salutes, presented by Fidelity Investments, during the fall. Their accomplishments will be forever immortalized at the Chick-fil-A College Football Hall of Fame, which is celebrating its 10th Anniversary in Atlanta on Aug. 23. Each inductee will receive a custom ring created by Jostens, the official and exclusive supplier of NFF rings.
The announcement of the 2024 College Football Hall of Fame Class was made Monday during ESPN's "Championship Drive Presented by Allstate," leading up to the College Football Playoff National Championship.
"We want to thank ESPN for the opportunity to announce the 2024 College Football Hall of Fame Class during today's lead up to the College Football Playoff National Championship," said NFF President & CEO Steve Hatchell. "Today's announcement shines a light on the accomplishments of some of college football's greatest legends. We also want to extend a big thanks to the CFP for their role in today's announcement."
2024 COLLEGE FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME CLASS NOTES
PLAYERS:
8 unanimous First Team All-Americans (Blackmon [2], Fitzgerald, Gerhart, Hutchinson, Langham, Moss, Peppers, Ward)
8 consensus First Team All-Americans (Cameron, Couch, Figures, Moss, Posluszny, Selmon, K. Smith, Ward)
8 multi-year First Team All-Americans (Blackmon, Cameron, Edwards [4x], Moss, Posluszny, Selmon, Ward, Woodhead [3x])
10 winners of college football major awards (Bednarik Award – Peppers, Posluszny [2x]; Biletnikoff Award – Blackmon [2x], Fitzgerald, Moss; Butkus Award – Posluszny; Doak Walker Award – Gerhart; Harlon Hill Trophy – Woodhead [2x]; Jim Thorpe Award – Figures, Langham; Lombardi Award – Peppers; Walter Camp POY Award – Fitzgerald; Walter Payton Award – Edwards [2x])
7 members of national championship teams (Dunn, Edwards [2x], Figures, Hutchinson, Langham, Moss, Selmon [2x])
7 conference players of the year (Blackmon, Edwards [2x], Figures, Fitzgerald, Hampton, Moss, A. Smith, Woodhead)
12 members of conference championship teams (Blackmon, Cameron, Edwards, Figures, Hampton, Hutchinson, Langham, Moss, Selmon, A. Smith, K. Smith, Ward, Woodhead)
9 players who still hold school records (Blackmon, Couch, Edwards, Fitzgerald, Gerhart, Moss, Peppers, A. Smith, K. Smith, Woodhead)
10 played for College Football Hall of Fame coaches (Dunn – Bobby Bowden; Edwards – Jerry Moore; Figures – Bill McCartney; Hampton – Frank Broyles & Lou Holtz; Hutchinson – Lloyd Carr; Langham – Gene Stallings; Posluszny – Joe Paterno; Selmon – Barry Switzer; K. Smith – R.C. Slocum; Ward – Woody Hayes)
2 NFF National Scholar-Athletes (Posluszny, Woodhead)
12 first-round NFL draft picks (Blackmon, Couch*, Dunn, Figures, Fitzgerald, Hampton, Hutchinson, Langham, Moss, A. Smith*, K. Smith, Ward) [*First Overall Selection]
12 offensive players (Blackmon, Cameron, Couch, Dunn, Edwards, Fitzgerald, Gerhart, Hutchinson, Moss, A. Smith, Ward, Woodhead)
7 defensive players (Figures, Hampton, Langham, Peppers, Posluszny, Selmon, K. Smith)
6 decades represented: 1950s (1) – Cameron; 1970s (3) – Hampton, Selmon, Ward; 1980s (1) – K. Smith; 1990s (5) – Couch, Dunn, Figures, Langham, Moss; 2000s (8) – Edwards, Fitzgerald, Gerhart, Hutchinson, Peppers, Posluszny, A. Smith, Woodhead; 2010s (1) – Blackmon (1)
2 schools with their first-ever Hall of Fame player (Utah – A. Smith; Chadron State – Woodhead)
COACHES:
25 conference championships (Dantonio – 3, Hale – 11, Solich – 1)
2 coaches with the most wins in school history (Dantonio – Michigan State; Hale – Bloomsburg [PA])
39 bowl/postseason appearances (Dantonio – 14, Hale – 8, Solich – 17)
29 First Team All-Americans coached (Dantonio – 10, Hale – 6, Solich – 13)
3 national coaches of the year (Dantonio, Hale, Solich)
15 conference coach of the year honors (Dantonio – 2, Hale – 10, Solich – 3)
2 schools with their first-ever Hall of Fame coach or player inductee (West Chester [PA] – Hale; Ohio – Solich).
SELECTION CRITERIA
1. First and foremost, a player must have received First Team All-America recognition by a selector recognized by the NCAA and utilized to comprise its consensus All-America teams.
2. A player becomes eligible for consideration by the NFF's Honors Court 10 full seasons 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. 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 2024 ballot, the player must have played his last year in 1974 or thereafter. In addition, current professional players and/or coaches are not eligible until retirement.
5. A coach becomes eligible three full seasons after retirement or immediately following retirement provided he is at least 70 years old. Active coaches become eligible at 75 years of age. He must have been a head football coach for a minimum of 10 years and coached at least 100 games with a .600 winning percentage.
6. Nominations may only be submitted by the current athletics director, head coach or sports information director (SID) of a potential candidate's collegiate institution.
* Players that do not comply with the 50-year rule may still be eligible for consideration by the Football Bowl Subdivision and Divisional Veterans Committees. Veterans Committee candidates must still meet First Team All-America requirement.
Founded in 1947 with early leadership from General Douglas MacArthur, legendary Army coach Earl "Red" Blaik and immortal journalist Grantland Rice, The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame is a non-profit educational organization that runs programs designed to use the power of amateur football in developing scholarship, citizenship, and athletic achievement in young people. With 120 chapters in 47 states, NFF programs include the criteria, selection and induction of members of the College Football Hall of Fame; the Chick-fil-A College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta; Future For Football; The William V. Campbell Trophy®; the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class Presented by Fidelity Investments; the NFF National High School Academic Excellence Awards presented by the Rose Bowl Legacy Foundation & Hatchell Cup presented by the Original Bob's Steak & Chop House; and a series of programs and initiatives to honor the legends of the past and inspire the leaders of the future. NFF corporate partners include Bruin Capital, Catapult, Delta Air Lines, Fidelity Investments, Hanold Associates Executive Search, Jostens, Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, New York Athletic Club, Pasadena Tournament of Roses and the Sports Business Journal. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @NFFNetwork and learn more at footballfoundation.org.