NFF News
The National Football Foundation (NFF) announced today that distinguished NFL and former UCLA coach Dick Vermeil will emcee the 2009 NFF Chapter Awards Luncheon, presented by Sprinturf, at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York City on December 8, 2009 from 11:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. EST.
The National Football Foundation (NFF) announced that widely respected sports commentator Chris Fowler will emcee the 2009 NFF Annual Awards Dinner at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York City on December 8, 2009 from 7:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
2009 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Colt McCoy (Texas) broke the NCAA FBS all-time record with 43 wins as a starter.
East Carolina's Thomas "Rock" Roggeman is the weekly nominee for the 2009 FedEx Orange Bowl-FWAA Courage Award, to be announced at the end of the season.
Bill Hancock has been appointed the first executive director of the BCS.
Help Your Coach Win $50,000 for Charity
Whether building houses for the homeless or starting charities to help neighbors in need, many of today’s NCAA football coaches are making a meaningful impact in their communities. If your favorite coach is a community leader, you can help him win $50,000 for his favorite charities through the Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year Award. Just visit www.CoachoftheYear.com, click on “Vote Now” and cast for the coach you believe best represents sportsmanship, integrity, responsibility and excellence, on and off the field. And after voting, fans with Facebook accounts can encourage family and friends to cast their votes, by clicking on “Connect with Facebook.”
Since its 2006 debut, Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year Award winners have donated a total of $680,000 in prize money to support dozens of charities and college scholarship funds. This year, four more coaches – one from each NCAA football division – will earn the honor to direct a collective total of $280,000 toward their most important causes. By casting your vote on www.CoachoftheYear.com and spreading the word online, you can help decide who should win this valuable support.
The Heisman Trophy Trust announced that ballots for the 75th Annual Heisman Winner were mailed to the 926 electors last Monday. Ballots are due on Monday, December 7th. The 75th Heisman winner will be announced live on ESPN from the Nokia Theatre in Times Square on Saturday, December 12th at 8 p.m. EST.
The Heisman Trophy Trust also announced that former University of North Carolina and Olympic superstar Mia Hamm has been selected for the fourth annual Heisman Humanitarian Award for her work with The Mia Hamm Foundation. The Heisman Humanitarian Award was established by the Heisman Trophy Trust in 2006 to recognize athletes who go above and beyond to serve their community and improve the lives of others. The Mia Hamm Foundation is a non-profit, national organization dedicated to raising funds and awareness for families in need of a marrow or cord blood transplant and the development of greater opportunities for young women to participate in sport.
NFF Information
SAVE THE DATE: The 2009 NFF Annual Awards Dinner will be held Tuesday, Dec. 8, at New York City's Waldorf=Astoria. For more information, please contact NFF Director of National Events Will Rudd at 800-486-1865 or via email at wrudd@footballfoundation.com. Invitations to the dinner have been mailed.
Advertising in NFF publications such as the quarterly Footballetter and the prestigious NFF Annual Awards Dinner Program will put your organization in front of key decision makers in football including coaches, players, former players, as well as NFL and college football administrators throughout the year. To inquire about the print advertising opportunities available to your organization, please contact Bret Krift with IMG College at 859-226-4406 or bret.krift@imgworld.com.
Become a fan of the National Football Foundation on Facebook - Upload your game day photos, check out pictures of the NFF Annual Awards Dinner, and chat with other college football fans.
To become an NFF member, please contact NFF Director of Membership Ron Dilatush at 800-486-1865 or via email at rdilatush@footballfoundation.com. Worldwide membership now is at 12,000-plus in 119 chapters.
For more information on the NFF and college football, including announcements from the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) and NCAA Football, please visit www.footballfoundation.com.
Sign up for “This Week in NCAA Football” at ncaafootball.com.
The FBS television schedule, including broadcast teams, will be posted every Thursday on the NFF website, www.footballfoundation.com.
Look for the NFF’s “This Week in College Football History” posted and released every Friday on our website at www.footballfoundation.com.
Chapter News
TWO-MINUTE DRILL
Scheduling
Season tickets for Georgia State’s inaugural football season will go on sale Dec. 7 at 8 a.m.
Business
Georgia Tech head coach Paul Johnson had his contract extended one year beyond his recent seven-year pact through 2016.
Awards and Honors
The Faculty Athletics Representatives Association honored the late Myles Brand by naming him the winner of the David Knight Award… Boston College linebacker Mark Herzlich has been selected for the Disney Spirit Award, given annually to college football’s most inspirational figure… 2009 William V. Campbell Trophy finalists Colt McCoy and Tim Tebow have been named finalists for the 2009 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award… The 2009 Walter Camp Award’s 15 Players to Watch includes: Toby Gerhart, RB, Stanford; Mardy Gilyard, WR, Cincinnati; Jerry Hughes, DL, TCU; Mark Ingram, RB, Alabama; Case Keenum, QB, Houston; Dion Lewis, RB, Pittsburgh; Rolando McClain, LB, Alabama; Colt McCoy, QB, Texas; Kellen Moore, QB, Boise State; Jacquizz Rodgers, RB, Oregon State; Jordan Shipley, WR, Texas; C.J. Spiller, WR/KR, Clemson; Ndamukong Suh, DT, Nebraska; Golden Tate, WR, Notre Dame; and Tim Tebow, QB, Florida. Finalists will be announced Dec. 2…The five finalists for the 2009 Dick Butkus Award are Rolando McClain, Alabama; Sergio Kindle, Texas; Sean Weatherspoon, Missouri; Brandon Spikes, Florida; and Eric Norwood, South Carolina. McClain, Weatherspoon and Spikes were 2008 finalists…Five finalists for the Bronko Nagurski Award are Pat Angerer, Iowa; Eric Berry, Tennessee; Terrence Cody, Alabama; Jerry Hughes, TCU; and Ndamukong Suh, Nebraska… Finalists for the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award include: Dan LeFevour, Central Michigan; Thaddeus Lewis, Duke; McCoy; Zac Robinson, Oklahoma State; and Tim Tebow, Florida … Semifinalists for the John Mackey Award (best tight end in FBS) are Dorin Dickerson, Pittsburgh; Ed Dickson, Oregon; Aaron Hernandez, Florida; Anthony McCoy, Southern California; Tony Moeaki, Iowa; Dennis Pitta, BYU; Kyle Rudolph, Notre Dame; and Cody Slate, Marshall. The finalists will be announced later this evening… The Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award® finalists are: Case Keenum (Houston), Colt McCoy (Texas) and Tim Tebow (Florida) … Doak Walker Award finalists include: Toby Gerhart, Stanford; Mark Ingram, Alabama; and C.J. Spiller, Clemson… The Outland Trophy finalists include: Mike Lupati, Idaho; Russell Okung, Oklahoma State; and Ndamukong Suh, Nebraska.
Miscellaneous
Wyoming’s Cowboy Joe Club broke an all-time fundraising record for the fourth consecutive year... Oklahoma and Ohio State wore special Nike Pro Combat uniforms on Saturday... Austin College (Texas) 61 year-old kicker Tom Thompson successfully converted a PAT for the Div. III Kangaroos against Trinity (Texas)... Indiana will average over 40,000 fans this season for the first time in 17 years... Hundreds of high school students will ring in the New Year Texas style at the annual National AT&T Cotton Bowl Music Festival, Dec. 31, 2009 through Jan. 2, 2010, in North Texas. More than 1,500 students from 29 high schools across 11 states will participate in at least part of the three-day event that includes concert band, jazz band and field show competitions, the televised Comerica Bank New Year's Parade through downtown Dallas, and nationally televised pre-game and halftime pageantry performances during the 74th annual AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic (www.attcottonbowl.com)... The BCS has launched a Facebook page... Tiger Woods served as honorary captain at Stanford’s game against Cal on Saturday… Former Ole Miss running back Deuce McAllister appeared on CBS College Sports Network’s SEC Tailgate as a guest analyst last Saturday. The network streamed the game between Ole Miss and LSU live on cbssports.com.
Obituaries
Stefanie Spielman, wife of 2009 College Football Hall of Fame inductee Chris Spielman, died after a long battle with breast cancer. She was 42... Ken Kirk, co-captain of the 1959 Ole Miss national championship team, died at 71… Former Penn State athletics director Ed Czekaj died at age 87... Steve Ellis, former sports writer who covered Florida State for 30 years, died at age 54... Gregory Raffaelli, former Rutgers football player, died at age 44... Memorial services for former Colorado football player Ray Cone who died November 7 at age 48, will be held November 25 in Highlands Ranch, Colo… Former Colorado player Nick Counter passed away on November 6 at age 69… Uga VII, Georgia’s English Bulldog mascot, died at age 4.
Key NFF Dates for 2009
Tuesday, Dec. 8- Annual Awards Dinner Press Conference, Waldorf=Astoria, New York, N.Y.
Tuesday, Dec. 8 – 52nd NFF Annual Awards Dinner, Waldorf=Astoria, New York, N.Y.
Tuesday, Dec. 8- Announcement of the William V. Campbell Trophy Winner
Friday, January 9- Presentation of the MacArthur Trophy, Newport Beach, California
2010 BCS Schedule
Dec. 6- Final BCS Standings Release, FOX
Jan. 1- Rose Bowl presented by Citi, Pasadena, Calif., ABC
Jan. 1 - Allstate Sugar Bowl, FOX
Jan. 4 - Tostitos Fiesta Bowl, FOX
Jan. 5 - FedEx Orange Bowl, FOX
Jan. 7 - Citi BCS National Championship Game, Pasadena, Calif., ABC
NCAA Championship Schedule
Dec. 12- NCAA Div. II National Championship Game- Florence, Ala. (ESPN)
Dec. 18- NCAA FCS National Championship Game- Chattanooga, Tenn. (ESPN)
Dec. 19- NCAA Div. III National Championship Game- Salem, Va. (ESPN)
NAIA Championship Schedule
Dec. 19- NAIA National Championship- Rome, Ga. (CBS College)
Remaining Schedules for BCS Top Ten Teams
1. Florida: @ Florida State; Alabama, SEC Championship (Atlanta)
2. Alabama: @ Auburn; Florida, SEC Championship (Atlanta)
3. Texas: @ Texas A&M; Nebraska, Dr Pepper Big 12 Championship in Arlington
4. TCU: New Mexico
5. Cincinnati: Illinois, @ Pittsburgh
6. Boise State: Nevada; New Mexico State
7. Georgia Tech: Georgia; Clemson, ACC Championship (Tampa).
8. Oregon: Oregon State
9. Pittsburgh: @ West Virginia; Cincinnati.
10. Ohio State: Rose Bowl, Jan. 1, 2010
NCAA FCS Playoffs – Saturday, Nov. 28
South Dakota State (8-3) at Montana (11-0); Eastern Washington (8-3) at Stephen F. Austin (9-2); Elon (9-2) at Richmond (10-1); South Carolina State (10-1) at Appalachian Stat (9-2); Holy Cross (9-2) at Villanova (10-1); New Hampshire (9-2) at McNeese State (9-2); Eastern Illinois (8-3) at No. 2 Southern Illinois (10-1); Weber State (7-4) at William & Mary (9-2). December 5: Quarterfinals, TBD, campus sites; Dec. 11-12: Semifinals, TBD, campus sites.
NCAA Division II Semifinals Playoffs – Saturday, Nov. 28
Minnesota-Duluth (11-1) at Grand Valley State (11-1); Carson-Newman (10-2) at North Alabama (11-1); West Liberty (11-1) at California (Pa.) (10-3); Northwest Missouri State (11-1) at Central Washington (12-0). Semifinals Dec. 5 or 6 – TBD, campus sites.
NCAA Division III Second Round Nov. 28
Mount Union (11-0) at Montclair State (10-1); Albright (10-1) at Delaware Valley (10-1); Wesley (11-0) at Mississippi College (9-2); Johns Hopkins (9-2) at Thomas More (11-0); UW-Whitewater (11-0) at Illinois Wesleyan (10-1); Trine (10-1) at Wittenberg (11-0); Coe (10-1) at St. Thomas (10-1). Semifinals, Dec. 5 or 6, TBD, campus sites.
NAIA Pairings for Nov. 28 Quarterfinals
Morningside (10-1) at Sioux Falls (S.D.) (12-0); MidAmerican Nazarane (10-1) at Carroll (Mont.) (12-0); Ottawa (Kan.) (11-0) at Lindenwood (11-0); Lambuth (12-0) at St. Xavier (Ill.) (12-0). Semifinals, Dec. 5, TBD, campus sites.
-NFF-
