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Steve Hatchell,
President & CEO
Media Contacts:
Phil Marwill | 917-579-4256
Alan Cox | 972-556-1000
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NFF Chalktalk - Jan. 5, 2017
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LaVell Edwards, the legendary head coach at BYU from 1972-2000 and a 2004 College Football Hall of Fame inductee, passed away Dec. 29. He was 86.
A coaching icon with success and longevity paralleled by few, Edwards guided Brigham Young to heights never before reached in the program's history. During 29 seasons, he amassed a 257-101-3 record for a .716 winning percentage. In 19 of those 29 seasons, the Cougars claimed the conference title, and Edwards guided the team to 22 bowl appearances. Edwards reached the pinnacle of coaching success in 1984 by winning the national championship. His 257 wins rank him seventh in NCAA Division I-A history, and he has more victories than every other coach in BYU history combined. |
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The Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl hosted the 12th Annual National Hall of Fame Salute on Dec. 31. The event took place at the Georgia Dome, just steps from the College Football Hall of Fame in the heart of Atlanta, and utilized the Bowl to showcase the 2016 Hall of Fame Class on the field. The game saw Alabama defeat Washington, 24-7, in a College Football Playoff Semifinal.
Prior to the game, a multi-day celebration for the inductees took place in Atlanta, including several unique events and a special public ceremony on Dec. 30 at the College Football Hall of Fame where the inductees saw their legendary accomplishments permanently immortalized for the first time.
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The Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl hosted a welcome dinner for the 2016 College Football Hall of Fame Class. Front row, L-R:
Peach Bowl Chairman Percy Vaughn, NFF President & CEO Steve Hatchell, Marlin Briscoe (Nebraska Omaha), Coach Frank Girardi (Lycoming [Pa.]), Mike Utley (Washington State), Troy Davis (Iowa State), Scott Woerner (Georgia), Peach Bowl President & CEO Gary Stokan. Back Row, L-R: Herb Orvis (Colorado), Bill Royce (Ashland [Ohio]), Tom Cousineau (Ohio State), Tim Krumrie (Wisconsin), Pat McInally (Harvard), Bert Jones (LSU), William Fuller (North Carolina).
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FootballMatters.org and SportsManias! announced that Lids, the number-one destination for officially licensed headwear, apparel, and sports memorabilia, with over 1,400 locations, will be the official sponsor of the College Football Legends emoji keyboard. The keyboard features members of the College Football Hall of Fame and is available for FREE in the SportsManias! app, along with access to the FootballMatters.org newsfeed, showcasing exclusive stories promoting the good in the game.
As part of the partnership, college football fans can visit their local Lids store and get an exclusive college football legend emoji on a customized Lids hat.
With legendary college players like
Tommie Frazier (Nebraska),
Lincoln Kennedy (Washington),
Ronnie Lott (Southern California),
Danny Wuerffel (Florida) and many more involved, the emojis of College Football Hall of Famers from playoff teams and other top bowl participants will allow fans to celebrate college football legends in their mobile messages.
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The NFF will announce the 2017 College Football Hall of Fame Class on Jan. 9 in conjunction with the College Football Playoff National Championship in Tampa, Fla. Click here to see the complete 2017 ballot, which includes 75 players and six coaches from the Football Bowl Subdivision and 95 players and 29 coaches from the divisional ranks. A few members of the newly announced class will take part in pregame festivities and be recognized on the field before the coin toss.
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The NFF announced a record-breaking year for its Institutional Academic Membership program. On the heels of a high-water mark in 2015, the NFF reached new heights again with record levels of support from its Institutional Academic Members in 2016, led by Lifetime Members Duke and North Carolina State.
Each year, the NFF invites universities, colleges, conferences and bowl games from across the country to support the organization through its Institutional Academic Membership Program. The program allows the NFF to greatly enhance the power of football's collective voice while actively building a stronger national platform for the game with community leaders, educators, and the media.
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Jan. 9, The 2016 CFP National Championship Viewing Party, presented by Dos Equis
: Can't be at the big game... We are the next best thing. We have a shrine to all that is amazing about college football and a really big TV in our living room! Come watch with us! The fun starts at 6 p.m. and lasts until the victor claims the CFP national title. Click here for
tickets to the CFP National Championship viewing party
.
About the College Football Hall of Fame:
The Hall opened its doors Aug. 23, 2014, in the heart of Atlanta's sports, entertainment and tourism district. Adjacent to Centennial Olympic Park, the new Hall provides visitors with a highly immersive, interactive and engaging experience using a blend of historic college football artifacts and state-of-the-art, interactive multimedia exhibits. To plan your visit and purchase tickets, visit
www.cfbhall.com
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| Check out FootballMatters.org, the NFF's home for storytelling that promotes the power of amateur football. Recent headlines on the site include: |
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The Consumer Technology Association revealed that NFF Board Member and Under Armour founder & CEO Kevin Plank
will deliver
a keynote at CES 2017 on Jan. 6 that will focus on how technology is shaping athletic performance and lifestyle now and in the years to come. Plank was also recently named the The Baltimore Sun's 2016 Marylander of the Year.
For the 22nd consecutive year, NFF Board Member and College Football Hall of Fame coach Grant Teaff gave the invocation at the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic on Jan. 2.
NFF Board Member and Dallas Cowboys owner, president & general manager Jerry Jones and College Football Hall of Famers Tony Boselli (Southern California), Coach Don Coryell (Whittier [Calif.], San Diego State) and LaDainian Tomlinson (TCU) are among the finalists under consideration for the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2017. College Football Hall of Famer Kenny Easley (UCLA) is also being considered as a finalist by the Seniors Committee. The class will be announced Feb. 4, the day before the Super Bowl in Houston.
College Football Hall of Fame coach Barry Switzer
will receive
the Tom Osborne Legacy Award during the Outland Trophy presentation banquet Jan. 11 in Omaha, Neb.
College Football Hall of Fame coach and current Wisconsin athletics director Barry Alvarez has been
named
the 2017 Paul "Bear" Bryant Lifetime Achievement Award recipient. He will receive the American Heart Association's award on Jan. 11 in Houston. Alvarez recently reflected on his run as a member of the College Football Playoff selection committee after fulfilling his three-year commitment.
College Football Hall of Famer
Eddie George
(Ohio State)
will host
the live television debut of the American Football Coaches Awards show Jan. 10 at 9 p.m. EST on CBS Sports Network.
College Football Hall of Famer Joe Greene (North Texas)
will be inducted
as part of the 2017 Texas High School Football Hall of Fame Class on May 6 during a dinner at Baylor University's Ferrell Center. Current Illinois head coach Lovie Smith, 2017 College Football Hall of Fame candidate Dat Nguyen (Texas A&M) and longtime high school coaches Steve Lineweaver (Euless Trinity) and Eddy Peach (Arlington Lamar) are also part of the class.
2013 Campbell Trophy winner John Urschel (Penn State) was named to Forbes' 30 Under 30 in Science 2017 list. Now an offensive lineman for the Baltimore Ravens, he is pursuing his Ph.D. in mathematics at MIT in the offseason.
2016 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Updates
2016
Campbell Trophy
winner
Zach Terrell
threw for 157 yards and a touchdown while also rushing seven times for 14 yards and a touchdown in Western Michigan's loss to Wisconsin in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic on Jan. 2. Terrell's touchdown pass went to wide receiver Corey Davis, the 51st touchdown they combined for in their careers, tying an FBS record. His Campbell Trophy was on display all week at Cotton Bowl media headquarters. Terrell finishes his remarkable college career as the Broncos' all-time leader in passing yards (12,104), and he is second in school history in career passing touchdowns (96) and completions (908). He also rushed 277 times for 620 yards and 13 touchdowns in his career.
Terrell will be honored on the field during the College Football Playoff National Championship on Jan. 9 in Tampa, Fla. He next plays in the
East-West Shrine Game on Jan. 21 at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Fla., with a 3 p.m. ET kickoff on the NFL Network.
Linebacker Brooks Ellis recorded five tackles, one fumble recovery and one pass breakup in Arkansas' loss to Virginia Tech in the Belk Bowl on Dec. 29. He finishes his career with 290 tackles, 22.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks and four interceptions. Ellis next plays in the
East-West Shrine Game on Jan. 21 at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Fla., with a 3 p.m. ET kickoff on the NFL Network.
East Carolina wide receiver
Zay Jones
has accepted an invitation to play in the
2017 Reese's Senior Bowl, which will kick off Jan. 28 at 2:30 p.m. ET in Mobile, Ala., and air on the NFL Network.
Central Michigan quarterback Cooper Rush will next play in the East-West Shrine Game on Jan. 21 at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Fla., with a 3 p.m. ET kickoff on the NFL Network.
Northern Iowa defensive lineman Karter Schult has earned a spot on the 2016 Hero Sports FCS All-America first-team and was voted Hero Sports FCS Defensive Player of the Year, his third player of the year honor this season. He is also a finalist for the Buck Buchanan Award, given to the best defensive player in the FCS, which will be announced during the 2016 STATS FCS Awards Banquet and Presentation on Jan. 6 in Frisco, Texas. He will next play in the
East-West Shrine Game on Jan. 21 at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Fla., with a 3 p.m. ET kickoff on the NFL Network.
NFF Program Updates
The NFF Scholar-Athlete of the Day, presented by Fidelity Investments, is a daily segment honoring the semifinalists for the 2016 William V. Campbell Trophy, presented by Fidelity Investments. Today's honoree is Temple offensive lineman Brendan McGowan, who graduated in three years with a 3.29 GPA in finance.
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Orvis Sigler, a founding member of the NFF S.M. McNaughton/Shreveport (La.) Chapter, passed away Dec. 31. He was 94.
The NFF Tom Lombardo/St. Louis Chapter will hold a luncheon on Jan. 11 at Lombardo's-Airport featuring Channel 4 sports director Maurice Drummon and ESPN radio host Randy Karraker.
North Carolina at Pembroke senior place-kicker
Matt Davis
was selected as the
recipient of the 2016 Fred Mitchell Award, which is presented to the nation's top place-kicker in FCS, Division II, Division III, NAIA or NJCAA for excellence on the football field and in the community. He will be honored at Halas Hall on Feb. 20 at the NFF Chicago Metro Chapter's annual Awards Ceremony.
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People
Elon
named
Curt Cignetti as head coach... Bryant
announced the hiring of
James Perry as head coach... Lake Erie (Ohio)
named
Jeff Horrocks as head coach... St. Olaf (Minn.)
named
James Kilian as head coach... Mayville State (N.D.)
announced
Sean Thom as its new head coach... Pomona-Pitzer (Calif.)
named
John Walsh head coach... Brevard (N.C.)
named
Bill Khayat head coach...
Wake Forest head coach Dave Clawson has received a contract extension through the 2024 season...
Awards & Honors
The 2016 STATS FCS Awards Banquet will be held
Friday, Jan. 6, in Frisco, Texas. Among the awards that will be presented are the Walter Payton Award (FCS Offensive Player of the Year), Buck Buchanan Award (FCS Defensive Player of the Year), Jerry Rice Award (FCS Freshman Player of the Year), Eddie Robinson Award (FCS Coach of the Year) and
Doris Robinson FCS Scholar-Athlete Award...
Media
The College Football Playoff Semifinals ratings were up double digits from last season, delivered year-over-year overnight growth in both games and set new streaming records... The Rose Bowl Game Presented by Northwestern Mutual between USC and Penn State generated an overnight rating of 9.4 on ESPN, up 19 percent from last year's Rose Bowl. Streaming of the game added an average minute audience of 300,000 viewers with 1,103,000 unique viewers watching a total of 75,989,000 minutes, making it by far the best overnight and most-streamed non-semifinal New Year's Six game ever (12 games in three years)...
ESPN's presentation of the New Year's Six Bowls generated an average overnight rating of 7.8 across the six games and streaming added an additional average minute audience of 293,000 viewers with 926,000 unique viewers watching a total of 63,487,000 minutes. The six game overnight average is up 10 percent from last season and the streaming audience was up 66 percent, 30 percent, and 62 percent, respectively...
Donations
The Rose Bowl Legacy Foundation announced a generous gift by Paula and Patrick Donahue in honor of Paula's parents, Betty and Tom Kemp and a gift from Community Bank to create a compelling historical video for the original locker room at the Stadium... Ted and Deb
Pacha have
committed a leadership gift to Iowa's $25 million fundraising effort to help with renovations to Kinnick Stadium's north end zone...
Obituaries
Former Virginia Tech football player
Keion Carpenter died Dec. 29. He was 39... Former Michigan State tight end Matt Snorton passed away Dec. 30. He was 74...
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Join the NFF
Support amateur football in your area by joining the NFF today.
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Donate to the NFF
Tax deductible gifts help fulfill mission of
Building Leaders Through Football.
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Each year, the NFF invites universities, colleges, conferences and bowl games from across the country to provide support for NFF programs through its Institutional Academic Membership Program. The program allows the NFF to greatly enhance the power of football's collective voice while actively building a stronger national platform for the game with community leaders, educators and the media.
Alabama and
SMU
joined this week as Presidential Members.
Click here
to see all of the 2016 NFF Institutional Academic Members.
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Since 1959, the National Football Foundation has annually recognized the best and brightest college players, presenting them with prestigious NFF National Scholar-Athlete Awards, presented by Fidelity Investments. The $18,000 postgraduate scholarships are presented at the NFF Annual Awards Dinner in New York City.
Launched in 2008, the NFF Scholar-Athlete Alumni Association provides a powerful vehicle for past honorees to remain in the vanguard of the NFF's present efforts.
2002
Campbell Trophy winner
Brandon Roberts (Washington U. in St. Louis [Mo.]) joined this week.
Click here to see all of the members of the 2016 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Alumni Association.
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Jan. 5, 2017
- NFF Leadership Hall of Fame Induction Dinner of Tod Leiweke - Tampa, Fla.
Jan. 9, 2017
- Announcement of the 2017 College Football Hall of Fame Class - Tampa, Fla.
Jan. 9, 2017
- College Football Playoff National Championship at Raymond James Stadium - Tampa, Fla.
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Advertising in NFF publications will put your organization in front of key decision makers in football including key administrators, coaches, players, former players, as well as other key sports business executives throughout the year.
To inquire about the print advertising opportunities available, please contact
Clerrinda Queen at 704-987-4089 or
[email protected]
.
The NFF would like to thank NFF correspondent Bo Carter for his contributions to this report.
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