Head coach Frank Beamer celebrates a win. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
IRVING, Texas – The National Football Foundation (NFF) & College Hall of Fame announced Thursday the names on the 2018 ballot for induction into the College Football Hall of Fame, including 75 players and six coaches from the Football Bowl Subdivision and 98 players and 31 coaches from the divisional ranks.
The announcement of the 2018 Class will be made Monday, Jan. 8, 2018, in Atlanta. The city is serving as the host for the CFP National Championship, which will be played later that day at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Some of the inductees will be on site during the announcement to represent the class and share their thoughts on being elected. The Jan. 8 announcement will be televised live, and specific viewing information will be available as the date draws near. A few inductees will also participate in the pregame festivities and the coin toss before the championship game.
“We cannot thank CFP Executive Director Bill Hancock and his staff enough for the opportunity to continue the tradition of announcing our Hall of Fame Class in conjunction with the National Championship,” said Hatchell. “Our presence at the title game has significantly raised the profile of the announcement, allowing us to shine a much brighter light on the accomplishments of our game’s greatest legends.”
The 2018 class will officially be inducted during the 61st NFF Annual Awards Dinner Dec. 4, 2018, at the New York Hilton Midtown. The inductees will be permanently enshrined at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta later that December and honored on the field during the 14th Annual National Hall of Fame Salute during the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl. They will also be honored at their respective schools at an NFF Hall of Fame On-Campus Salute, presented by Fidelity Investments, during the 2018 season.
The criteria for Hall of Fame consideration include:
- 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.
- A player becomes eligible for consideration by the Foundation’s Honors Courts 10 full seasons after his final year of intercollegiate football played.
- 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.
- Players must have played their last year of intercollegiate football within the last 50 years.* For example, to be eligible for the 2018 ballot, the player must have played his last year in 1968 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.
- A coach becomes eligible three full seasons 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 who do not comply with the 50-year rule may still be eligible for consideration by the Football Bowl Subdivision and Divisional Veterans Committees.
College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images for Southern Company)
Of the 5.19 million individuals who have played college football since Princeton first battled Rutgers on Nov. 6, 1869, only 987 players, including the 2017 class, have earned induction into the College Football Hall of Fame, or less than two ten-thousandths (.0002) of one percent of those who have played the game during the past 149 years. From the coaching ranks, 214 individuals have achieved Hall of Fame distinction. Click here for a complete list of players and coaches in the Hall.
Here are the candidates with local ties to the Hampton Roads area:
2018 FBS PLAYER CANDIDATES
Shawn Moore, Virginia-Quarterback-1990 First Team All-American, finishing fourth in 1990 Heisman voting and leading UVA to its first-ever No. 1 ranking…1990 ACC Player of the Year and 1989 ACC Offensive Player of the Year, who led Cavaliers to a share of the 1989 ACC title…Finished career with virtually every UVA passing and total offense record.
Anthony Poindexter, Virginia-Defensive Back-Two-time First Team All-American, earning consensus honors in 1998…Three-time All-ACC pick and 1998 ACC Defensive Player of the Year…Holds five school records and finished career with 342 tackles and 12 interceptions.
2018 FBS COACH CANDIDATES
Frank Beamer-Murray State (1981-86), Virginia Tech (1987-2015)-Winningest active coach in FBS history at the time of his retirement…Registered 23 consecutive bowl appearances in his final 23 seasons, including a trip to the 1999 National Championship game…Guided teams to eight conference titles (one at Murray State) and posted 13 seasons with 10 or more wins.
2018 DIVISIONAL COACH CANDIDATES
Hampton Pirates football practice
Gideon Smith-Hampton (1921-40)-Led Pirates to 1922 Black College National Championship… Recorded four CIAA titles and two unbeaten seasons in career…Longest tenured coach in Hampton history, boasting the second-most wins all-time at the school.
Joe Taylor-Howard (1983), Virginia Union (1984-91), Hampton (1992-07), Florida A&M (2008-12)-Winningest coach in Hampton history (74%), leading Pirates to four Black College National Championships…Led teams to 10 conference titles and 10 playoff appearances throughout career…Four-time MEAC Coach of the Year.
