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Steve Hatchell,
President & CEO
Media Contacts:
Phil Marwill | 917-579-4256
Alan Cox | 972-556-1000
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Recognizing one of the most impressive groups of scholar-athletes in the history of college football, The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame (NFF) proudly announced the 181 semifinalists for the 2017 William V. Campbell Trophy®, presented by Fidelity Investments®. The award recognizes an individual as the absolute best football scholar-athlete in the nation.
The NFF will announce 12-14 finalists on Nov. 1, and each of them will receive an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship as a member of the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class, presented by Fidelity Investments. The finalists will travel to New York City for the 60th NFF Annual Awards Dinner on Dec. 5, where their accomplishments will be highlighted in front of one of the most powerful audiences in all of sports. Live during the event, one member of the class will be declared as the winner of the 28th William V. Campbell Trophy® and have his postgraduate scholarship increased to $25,000.
Nominated by their schools, which are limited to one nominee each, candidates for the award must be a senior or graduate student in their final year of playing eligibility, have a GPA of at least 3.2 on a 4.0 scale, have outstanding football ability as a first team player or significant contributor and have demonstrated strong leadership and citizenship.
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2017 College Football Hall of Fame electee Peyton Manning (Tennessee) was honored Sept. 30 with an NFF Hall of Fame On-Campus Salute, presented by Fidelity Investments, during the Vols' game against Georgia. Manning was also recently honored by the UT Knoxville Alumni Board of Directors with the Distinguished Alumnus award.
A 1997 consensus First Team All-American, Manning is Tennessee's all-time leading passer and becomes just the second College Football Hall of Fame inductee ever to have also claimed the NFF William V. Campbell Trophy®. He will join his father, NFF Chairman Archie, as the first father-son duo to both be inducted as players. Click here to read more about Manning.
During the NFF Hall of Fame On-Campus Salutes, each inductee returns to his alma mater or school where they coached to accept a Hall of Fame plaque that will remain on permanent display at the institution. Manning will officially be inducted during the 60th NFF Annual Awards Dinner at the New York Hilton Midtown on Tuesday, Dec. 5.
The NFF would like to thank NFF Board Member and Orange Bowl Committee past president Bob Epling, NFF President & CEO Steve Hatchell, NFF Chairman and College Football Hall of Famer Archie Manning (Mississippi) and NFF Vice Chairwoman and Fidelity Investments President of Personal Investing Kathy Murphy for taking part in the on-field presentation.
Peyton personally invited all of Tennessee's living College Football Hall of Famers to join him on Shields-Watkins Field for the presentation, including Coach Doug Dickey, Frank Emanuel, Coach Phillip Fulmer, Bob Johnson, Chip Kell, Steve Kiner, Johnny Majors and John Michels (represented by his daughter). (Photo via @Vol_Football on Twitter.)
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From the more than 1.1 million high school football players across the country, the NFF announced the names of five outstanding individuals as the recipients of the 2017 NFF Chapter Scholar-Athlete Awards. Each recipient is selected as the best of the best from his region of the country at the high school level. The five honorees, who are now playing college football after graduating high school in May 2017, are being recognized solely for their accomplishments in high school.
2017 NFF Chapter Scholar-Athlete Honorees
- John Mahoney - from Valley High School in West Des Moines, Iowa, and the Iowa Chapter in the Midwest Region. (Currently attending the University of Notre Dame.)
- Bobby Maimaron - from Duxbury High School in Duxbury, Mass., and the Jack Grinold/Eastern Massachusetts Chapter in the Northeast Region. (Currently attending Williams College [Mass.].)
- Brandon Micale - from Pomona High School in Arvada, Colo., and the Colorado Chapter in the West Region. (Currently attending the University of San Diego.)
- Rick Mottram - from Allentown High School in Allentown, N.J., and the Delaware Valley (N.J.) Chapter in the East Region. (Currently attending Bucknell University.)
- Blake Wooden - from American Heritage School in Plantation, Fla., and the Brian Piccolo/Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) Chapter in South Region. (Currently attending Columbia University.)
The five scholar-athletes will travel to New York City to be honored during the NFF Chapter Awards Luncheon, presented by Under Armour, on Tuesday, Dec. 5, at the New York Hilton Midtown.
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NFF Addresses Future of Football in Washington D.C.
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Expanding upon the National Football Foundation's Congressional College Football Caucus established in 2016, the NFF joined the LEAD1 Association (formerly known as the Division 1A Athletic Directors Association) for their Annual Meeting in Washington D.C. last week. The NFF was invited to partner with the LEAD1 Association to honor and recognize the 52 Members of Congress who played intercollegiate sports.
On Wednesday, Sept. 27, a luncheon was held at the Rayburn House Office Building at the U.S. Capitol. Several members of the Congressional College Football Caucus, led by NFF Board member and U.S. Congressman Roger Williams (R-TX), were in attendance. Prior to the luncheon, NFF President & CEO Steve Hatchell made a presentation to the athletics directors on the future of football, the opportunities it provides and its impact on the community.
In 2016, with the assistance of the American Continental Group (ACG) and Williams, the NFF established a Congressional College Football Caucus to promote and protect the game and be able to provide accurate information on the game to members of Congress.
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| College Football 150th Anniversary Executive Director Kevin Weiberg, NFF Vice Chairman Jack Ford, NFF Board Member and Arizona State Vice President for University Athletics Ray Anderson and NFF President & CEO Steve Hatchell. |
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Joe Tiller, the winningest head football coach in Purdue history and the namesake of the NFF Joe Tiller Chapter of Northwest Indiana, passed away Sept. 30 in Buffalo, Wyo. Born in Toledo, Ohio, he was 74.
Throughout his career, Coach Tiller remained committed to strengthening the game for future generations, and he joined the National Football Foundation (NFF) in 1978. He played a seminal role in the launch of the NFF Wyoming Chapter in 1993 while the head coach at the Wyoming and then again with the Northwest Indiana Chapter in 2004 while leading the Purdue program. In 2007, the Northwest Indiana Chapter decided to recognize his commitment to the NFF by renaming itself in his honor.
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As part of its "I'm A Football Player®" initiative, the NFF will produce a series of graphics to be distributed through social media every Tuesday and Thursday this fall, highlighting former college football players that have experienced success off the field. From Fortune 500 CEOs, to lawyers and doctors, to coaches and teachers and all other walks of life, our goal is to showcase everyone who has benefited from the game of football, sharing their stories across the nation.
Click here to view all of the past
"I'm A Football Player®" profiles.
If you, or someone you know, would like to take part and share a football story, please email us at:
[email protected].
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The Rose Bowl Game® presented by Northwestern Mutual, in conjunction with the National Football Foundation, will honor coaches with its "Coaches Making a Difference" contest. Now through December 4, individuals can nominate a high school coach that has made a difference in the lives of student-athletes in their community. The grand prize winner will receive a trip to the "Granddaddy of Them All," the Rose Bowl Game, on January 1, 2018. This year's game will play host to a College Football Playoff Semifinal and feature two of the top teams in college football.
Coaches can be nominated for the contest by filling out a nomination form
online
. A panel of representatives from the Tournament of Roses and the National Football Foundation will select the six winners which will include one grand prize winner and five finalist winners.
Six finalists and a grand prize winner will be announced at 12 p.m. PT on December 8.
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The organization formed to plan and administer a nationwide celebration of the 150th anniversary of college football in 2019 has announced staff additions.
College Football 150th Anniversary Executive Director Kevin Weiberg has named Rob Carolla as Director of Communications; Natalie Jenkins will serve in the role of Director of Marketing, while Kaylah Hughes has been tabbed as Administrative Manager. The College Football 150th Anniversary staff will work out of the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame headquarters in Irving, Texas.
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Alabama remained No. 1 with 36 first-place votes in the Week 5 FWAA-NFF Super 16 Poll. Clemson, Oklahoma, Penn State and Georgia round out the top five in the poll, in which voters rank the top 16 FBS teams.
The results of the poll will be released every Sunday of the 2017 season and the individual votes of all members will also be made public. The final poll will be released Dec. 3. The pollsters consist of FWAA writers and College Football Hall of Famers.
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The entrance to the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta.
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Tailgate Saturdays Built by The Home Depot:
Join the Hall every Saturday this season from 9 a.m.-6 p.m. for Tailgate Saturdays Built by The Home Depot. Watch the top matchups of the week on the Hall's 36-foot HD video board while you enjoy beverages and tailgate games on the field. Participate in the GameDay Desk contest for a chance to win prizes. Visit the Hall's Twitter page
@cfbhall
each week and vote for the matchups you want to see on Saturday! There's no better way to spend your Saturday's this Fall than at the Hall.
Haunted Hall of Fame, Oct. 21-22 and Oct. 28-29:
Guests will delight in the Field of Screams and enjoy a spooky scavenger hunt, complete with candy cauldrons, while touring the Hall's haunted hallways. Fans dressed in costumes, ages 12 and under, will receive free admission into the Hall, and each fan will receive a two-sided card
with the scavenger hunt details and a trick or treat bag from the box office. Fans will have the opportunity to trick or treat throughout the building, as well as have their face painted on the Playing Field.
Haunted Hall of Fame will be Saturday, Oct. 21 and 28 from 9 a.m.-6 p.m. and also Sunday, Oct. 22 and 29 from 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
About the College Football Hall of Fame: The College Football Hall of Fame and Chick-fil-A Fan Experience 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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NFF-partner VICIS launched the VICIS Foundation at a private
event on Sept. 26 hosted by Philadelphia Eagles tight end Zach Ertz. The VICIS Foundation was formed to promote the use of sports safety equipment among young people.
NFF Board Member Emeritus and 2014 NFF Gold Medal recipient
George Weiss was
named a 2017 Bowling Green University College Alumni Award recipient.
The Indianapolis Colts
announced
that a statue of 2017 College Football Hall of Fame electee and 1997 Campbell Trophy
®
winner
Peyton Manning
(Tennessee) will be unveiled Oct. 7 outside of Lucas Oil Stadium. The following day, Manning's No. 18 jersey will be officially retired, and he will be inducted into the team's Ring of Honor during halftime of the Colts' game against the San Francisco 49ers.
Manning recently helped raise more than $600,000 for The Pat Summitt Foundation, which raises awareness and funds for research, treatment and support for those facing Alzheimer's disease.
WFAA in Dallas took a look at how 2017 College Football Hall of Fame electee Dat Nguyen (Texas A&M) applies football to his current venture as an owner of a Chick-fil-A franchise.
Now a pastor, College Football Hall of Famer Randall Cunningham (UNLV) rallies his church to assist Las Vegas victims.
College Football Hall of Famer and 1982 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Dave Rimington has been named Nebraska's interim director of athletics.
College Football Hall of Famers Don McCauley (North Carolina) and Don McPherson (Syracuse) were inducted into the Nassau County (N.Y.) High School Athletics Hall of Fame on Sept. 27.
2013 Campbell Trophy® winner John Urschel was named Penn State's 2017 Homecoming grand marshal.
2009 Campbell Trophy® winner Tim Tebow (Florida) will be inducted into the State of Florida Sports Hall of Fame at a Nov. 8 induction ceremony at the Sawgrass Marriott Golf Resort and Spa in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.
1996 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Tiki Barber (Virginia) called Sunday's New York Giants at Tampa Bay Buccaneers game on FOX with his brother, Rondé. It is believed to be the first time twin brothers have called an NFL game for national broadcast television.
DeLoss Dodds, the former athletics director at Texas and Kansas State and the 2006 NFF John L. Toner Award recipient, was selected by the board of the LEAD1 Association to receive the 27th Homer Rice Award, which was presented at its annual meeting in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 26 and 27.
Weekly TV Schedule:
Each week during the season, the NFF produces a comprehensive television schedule for all Division I (FBS and FCS) games complete with date, time, teams and on-air talent listings. Email [email protected] to sign up for the weekly schedule.
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Longtime NFF Lehigh Valley (Pa.) Chapter president and 2007 NFF Chapter Leadership Award recipient Ed Watto passed away Oct. 2. Watto served as president of the chapter since 1999 and was on its board since 1994. Under his steady leadership, the chapter annually honored more than 30 high school scholar-athletes and six collegiate scholar-athletes, distributing thousands of dollars in scholarships. A former coach and athletics administrator, Watto served more than 43 years in education. All but one of his 43-plus years was spent at the Pocono Mountain School District. He coached football for 10 years, wrestling for 28 years and was the district director of athletics for an impressive 35 years, winning countless area and state awards. He attended East Stroudsburg University (Pa.), earning a bachelor's degree in 1962 and a master's in education in 1964.
The
NFF Arkansas Chapter/Little Rock Touchdown Club
's
2017 speaker series will continue O
ct. 9 with Barrett Jones, the 2012 Campbell Trophy® winner, a two-time First Team All-American at Alabama and a current SEC Network broadcaster.
The NFF Arkansas Chapter/Little Rock Touchdown Club will host its Southwest Conference Hall of Fame induction ceremony and luncheon Oct. 30 at the Embassy Suites Little Rock. Members of the induction class include two late College Football Hall of Famers from Arkansas: Ronnie Caveness and Wear Schoonover. Other former Razorback football players to be inducted are Jim Benton, Joe Ferguson, Steve Little, Fred Marshall, Billy Ray Smith Sr. and Dennis Winston.
The Touchdown Club of Atlanta-NFF Chapter held a luncheon today featuring former Oklahoma head coach Bob Stoops as the guest speaker at 103 West in Atlanta. The chapter will host a luncheon featuring Terrell Davis, the Pro Football Hall of Fame running back who played in college at Long Beach State and Georgia, on Oct. 16 at 103 West.
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Obituaries
Former UMass football player
David Hietala passed away Sept. 21. He was 56... Former
Cortland State (N.Y.) football player Lyle Schuler passed away Sept. 23... Former Texas A&M-Commerce kicker Saul Martinez died Sept. 24. He was 24... Former Tennessee right tackle and captain
Joe Schaffer passed away Sept. 25. He was 79... Former Western Illinois football player and coach and NFL head coach Robert "Red" Miller passed away Sept. 27. He was 89... Steve Hammer, who for more than 30 years was the public address announcer for St. Cloud State (Minn.) football games, passed away Oct. 1. He was 69...
More News of Interest
UNLV and San Diego State players will wear red ribbon decals on their helmets during their game Saturday to honor the victims of Sunday night's mass shooting on the Las Vegas Strip... Sept. 30 marked the 50th anniversary of the day Kentucky's Nate Northington became the first African-American to participate in a varsity contest between two SEC football teams... UAB
football will honor the children and families of Children's Harbor Family Center by wearing the names of patients on the backs of their jerseys during their game against Louisiana Tech
on Oct. 7... Austin Peay State and NFF-partner Under Armour announced a new partnership agreement... The Rose Bowl Stadium Speaker Series returns Oct. 26 in Pasadena, Calif. Former Washington and Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Warren Moon will be among the speakers...
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Join the NFF
Support amateur football in your area by joining the NFF today.
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Nov. 1, 2017
- Announcement of the 2017 William V. Campbell Trophy® finalists, who comprise the 2017 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class, presented by Fidelity Investments - Via Press Release
Dec. 3, 2017 - Release of the Final FWAA-NFF Super 16 Poll for the 2017 season - Via Press Release
Dec. 4, 2017
- Ivy League's Asa S. Bushnell Cup Announcement, presented by the Pasadena Tournament of Roses, at the New York Hilton Midtown - New York City
Dec. 5, 2017
- NFF Annual Awards Press Conference at the New York Hilton Midtown - New York City
Dec. 5, 2017
- NFF Chapter Awards Luncheon, presented by Under Armour, at the New York Hilton Midtown - New York City
Dec. 5, 2017
- 60th NFF Annual Awards Dinner at the New York Hilton Midtown - New York City, including the induction of the 2017 College Football Hall of Fame Class and the 28th presentation of The William V. Campbell Trophy®, presented by Fidelity Investments and prominently displayed at the New York Athletic Club.
Dec. 6, 2017
- Campbell Trophy® Luncheon at the New York Athletic Club - New York City
Jan. 1, 2018
- The 13th Annual NFF National Hall of Fame Salute during the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl - Atlanta, Ga.
Jan. 8, 2018 -
Announcement of the 2018 College Football Hall of Fame Class during festivities prior to College Football Playoff National Championship - Atlanta, Ga.
Jan. 8, 2018
- College Football Playoff National Championship at Mercedes-Benz Stadium - Atlanta, Ga.
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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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The Georgia Bulldogs, fresh off of an impressive 41-0 road victory over Tennessee, strengthened its hold on the No. 1 overall spot in the Week 6 Fan Plan Championship Index (FPCI). The Bulldogs improved more than 10 percentage points in their chances to make the national championship game, entering Week 6 of the season with a 42.27% chance, the highest percentage of any team thus far this season. The Bulldogs also lead all teams with a 52.59% chance to make the College Football Playoff. Click here for the full FPCI.
Compiled weekly during the season, the FPCI is a proprietary analytical look at the current state of the chase for college football's national championship. The FPCI aims to rate college football teams by their real-time percent chance to make the national championship game -- a dynamic metric that no other poll or ranking system measures.
The FPCI also includes the cost of a Fan Plan for each team. A Fan Plan is a one-of-a-kind indemnity product fans can purchase for their favorite team. If that team goes to the national championship game, Fan Plan pays for the fan's game tickets and travel costs, up to the total coverage value of the Fan Plan. Each Fan Plan has a $1,000 coverage value and fans can buy additional coverage in $1,000 increments, up to $10,000 in total coverage. Fan Plan costs are dynamic and change based on each team's real-time odds of making the championship game.
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