DALLAS, August 15, 2012 – The National Football Foundation (NFF) announced today that that its chapter network distributed more than $1 million in scholarships during its recently-concluded 2012 award banquet season, which runs from January to July. Covering more than 4,800 high schools and 400,000 student-athletes, the NFF chapters selected 3,300 amateur football players, who on average boasted a 3.7 GPA, for recognition as the best and brightest for their combined excellence on the gridiron, in the classroom and as leaders in the community. 

"The NFF Chapter Network is a key component in the NFF's mission of highlighting football's unique ability to build our nation's next generation of great leaders," said NFF Chairman Archie Manning. "The banquet season holds out the best of today for their peers to emulate. It's always awe inspiring to attend an NFF chapter banquet and hear firsthand about the amazing accomplishments of the NFF Scholar-Athletes." 

The NFF Chapter Network, spread across 121 outposts in 47 states, serves as the pulse of a nationwide effort to encourage leadership, sportsmanship and academic excellence among young football players. Each year the chapters collectively stage more than 1,000 events, including coaching clinics, all-star games, leadership conferences, college nights and more than 100 scholar-athlete banquets. The first chapters began operation in 1959, and the network continues to expand behind the leadership of individuals with a passion for the NFF's mission of building leaders through football. Currently, there are seven new outposts in the works.

Annually drawing more than 33,000 people, the NFF banquets serve as an important milestone for the honorees as they claim a portion of $1 million in scholarships to further their educations. The all-time amount raised and disbursed by the chapters reached the $16 million mark in 2012. Coupled with the all-time amount of $9.8 million disbursed from the national headquarters through the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Program, the all-time amount awarded by the National Football Foundation neared $26 million this year. 

"There is no force in all of amateur sports like the NFF Chapter Network," said NFF President & CEO Steven J. Hatchell. "The game of football benefits greatly from the passion of our members, whose efforts have made a dramatic impact on inspiring leadership and lifting the academic performance of high school football players nationwide. It's a privilege to shine a light on their collective efforts and play a role in facilitating their impact at the grassroots level. I want to thank everybody who attended a banquet this year." 

The NFF would like to thank the following individuals for attending and supporting the NFF Chapter Network this year. 

Head Coaches from the Football Bowl Subdivision Ranks: 

• Tim Beckman, University of Illinois (Chicago Metro)
• Mack Brown, University of Texas (Greater Austin)
• Matt Campbell, University of Toledo (Wistert/Toledo)
• Norm Chow, University of Hawaii (Hawaii)
• Dave Christiansen, University of Wyoming (Wyoming)
• Dave Clawson, Bowling Green State University (Wistert/Toledo)
• Mario Cristobal, Florida International University (South Florida Touchdown Club)
• David Cutcliffe, Duke University (Bill Dooley/Triangle, N.C.)
• Dave Doeren, Northern Illinois University (Chicago Metro)
• Derek Dooley, University of Tennessee (East Tennessee)
• Randy Edsall, University of Maryland (Greater Baltimore/National Capital, Va.)
• Larry Fedora, University of North Carolina (Bill Dooley/Triangle, N.C.)
• Pat Fitzgerald, Northwestern University (Chicago Metro)
• Justin Fuente, University of Memphis (Memphis)
• Skip Holtz, University of South Florida (Brian Piccolo/South Florida)
• Danny Hope, Purdue University (Joe Tiller/Northwest Indiana)
• Brian Kelly, University of Notre Dame (Wistert/Toledo)
• Jerry Kill, University of Minnesota (Minnesota)
• Urban Meyer, Ohio State University (Columbus)
• Charley Molnar, University of Massachusetts (Western Massachusetts)
• Jim L. Mora, UCLA (Los Angeles)
• Bill O’Brien, Penn State University (Central Pennsylvania)
• Tom O’Brien, North Carolina State University (Bill Dooley/Triangle, N.C.)
• Paul Pasqualoni, University of Connecticut (Rhode Island)
• Gary Pinkel, University of Missouri (Lombardo/St. Louis)
• Mark Richt, University of Georgia (University of Georgia)
• Rick Stockstill, Middle Tennessee State University (Middle Tennessee)
• Tommy Tuberville, Texas Tech University (Texas Tech)
• Kyle Whittingham, University of Utah (Utah)

Head Coaches from the Divisional Ranks: 

• Jay Accorsi, Rowan University [N.J.] (South Jersey)
• Rob Ambrose, Towson State University (Greater Baltimore)
• Skip Bandini, Curry College [Mass.] (Grinold/Eastern Massachusetts)
• Bob Bartelomeo, University of Indianapolis [Ind.] (Central Indiana)
• Thom Boerman, Bentley University [Mass.] (Grinold/Eastern Massachusetts)
• Ron Caragher, University of San Diego (Zable/San Diego)
• Paul Castonia, Plymouth State University [N.H.] (Yukica/New Hampshire)
• Rick Christophal, Austin Peay State University (Middle Tennessee)
• Jim Christopherson, Concordia College [Minn.] (Minnesota)
• Jack Cosgrove, Maine (State of Maine)
• Glenn Davis, Copiah – Lincoln Community College [Miss.] (Miss.-Lou.)
• Loren Dawson, Austin College [Texas] (Gridiron Club of Dallas)
• Mike Feminis, Saint Xavier University [Ill.] (Chicago Metro)
• Joe Fincham, Wittenburg University [Ohio] (Springfield)
• Bob Ford, University at Albany (Capital District, N.Y.)
• Henry Frazier III, North Carolina Central University (Bill Dooley/Triangle, N.C.)
• Rich Giancola, Montclair State University [N.J.] (Essex County)
• Mike Gravier, Bluefield College [Va.] (Southwest Virginia Touchdown Club)
• Dan Gritti, Rhodes College [Tenn.] (Memphis)
• Eric Hamilton, The College of New Jersey (South Jersey/Delaware Valley/Essex County)
• Larry Kehres, University of Mount Union [Ohio] (Mike Cleary/Northeastern Ohio)
• Larry Kinbom, Washington University in St. Louis (Tom Lombardo/St. Louis)
• Sean McDonnell, University of New Hampshire (Yukica/New Hampshire)
• E.J. Mills, Amherst College [Mass.] (Western Massachusetts)
• Raymond Monica, Kutztown University [Pa.] (Lehigh Valley)
• Mike Moroski, University of California – Davis (Northern California)
• Tim Murphy, Harvard University (Jack Grinold/Eastern Massachusetts)
• Bradley Dale Peveto, Northwestern State University (S.M. McNaughton/Northwest Louisiana)
• Bob Ritter, Middlebury College [Vt.] (Vermont)
• Ron Roberts, Southeastern Louisiana University (Miss.-Lou. Chapter)
• Danny Rocco, University of Richmond (Central Pennsylvania)
• Peter Rossamondo, University of New Haven [Conn.] (Gene Casey/New Haven)
• Brock Spack, Illinois State University (Chicago Metro/Northwest Indiana)
• Bob Surace, Princeton University (Delaware Valley)
• Jason Swepson, Elon University (Corrigan/Faircloth)
• Andy Talley, Villanova University (Philadelphia)
• Art Wilkins, American International College [Mass.] (Western Massachusetts)

Members of the College Football Hall of Fame addressing or attending events included: 

• Otis Armstrong, Purdue University (Joe Tiller/Northwest Indiana)
• Brad Budde, University of Southern California (Orange County)
• Kevin Butler, University of Georgia (University of Georgia)
• Jim Covert, University of Pittsburgh (Chicago Metro)
• Coach Fisher DeBerry, United States Air Force Academy (Midlands, S.C.)
• Coach Vince Dooley, University of Georgia (University of Georgia)
• Coach LaVell Edwards, Brigham Young University (Utah)
• Chad Hennings, United States Air Force Academy (Gridiron Club of Dallas)
• Mark Herrmann, Purdue University (Joe Tiller/Northwest Indiana)
• Cosmo Iacavazzi, Princeton University (Delaware Valley)
• Leroy Keyes, Purdue University (Joe Tiller/Northwest Indiana)
• Coach Frank Kush, Arizona State University (Valley of the Sun)
• John Lattner, University of Notre Dame (Chicago Metro)
• Roosevelt Leaks, University of Texas (Greater Austin)
• D.D. Lewis, Mississippi State University (Gridiron Club of Dallas)
• Coach Bill Manlove, Widener University [Pa.] (Philadelphia/South Jersey)
• Don McCauley, University of North Carolina (Bill Dooley/Triangle, N.C.)
• Dr. Bill McColl, Stanford University (Zable/San Diego)
• Randall McDaniel, Arizona State University (Valley of the Sun)
• Coach Don Nehlen, West Virginia University (Nehlen/West Virginia)
• Gifford Nielsen, Brigham Young University (Touchdown Club of Houston)
• Ron Pritchard, Arizona State University (Valley of the Sun)
• Coach John Ralston, Utah State, Stanford, San Jose State (Northern California)
• Gary Reasons, Northwestern State University (Gridiron Club of Dallas)
• Jeff Siemon, Stanford University (Minnesota)
• Coach Jim Sochor, University of California – Davis (Northern California)
• Fran Tarkenton, University of Georgia (University of Georgia)
• Joe Washington, University of Oklahoma (Oklahoma)
• Danny White, Arizona State University (Valley of the Sun)
• Paul Wiggin, Stanford University (Minnesota)

NFF National Scholar- Athletics attending or speaking at events included: 

• Rep. Tom Allen, Bowdoin College [Maine] (State of Maine)
• Brian Baschnagel, Ohio State University (Chicago Metro)
• Drew Brees, Purdue University (Joe Tiller/Northwest Indiana)
• Drew Butler, University of Georgia (University of Georgia)
• Micah Davis, Delta State University [Miss.] (Miss.-Lou. Chapter)
• Dave Foley, Ohio State University (Springfield)
• Tim Harden, United States Naval Academy (Northern California)
• Chandler Harnish, Northern Illinois University (Chicago Metro)
• Oliver Luck, West Virginia University (Nehlen/West Virginia)

Members of the NFF Board of Directors attending or speaking at events included: 

• Joe Castiglione, University of Oklahoma athletics director (Oklahoma)
• Jim Delany, Big Ten Conference commissioner (Chicago Metro)
• Archie Manning, NFF Chairman (Mike Cleary/Northeast Ohio and Allstate Sugar Bowl)
• Chris Plonsky, University of Texas women’s athletics director (Greater Austin)

Other keynote speakers and VIP attendees included: 

• Judge Lance Africk, Allstate Sugar Bowl past president (Allstate Sugar Bowl)
• Eric Bjornson, former Washington and NFL tight end (Northern California)
• Dean Blevins, sports director, KWTV-TV Oklahoma City (Oklahoma)
• Clint Bowen, defensive backs coach and special teams coordinator, Univ. of Kansas (Sunflower)
• Gil Brandt, former Dallas Cowboys personnel director (Gridiron Club of Dallas)
• Tom Burnett, Southland Conference commissioner (Gridiron Club of Dallas)
• Anthony Calvillo, former Utah State and current Montreal Alouettes quarterback (Utah)
• Bob Casciola, past president of the National Football Foundation (Eastern Massachusetts, Delaware Valley, and Valley of the Sun)
• Mike Catalana, sports director, WHAM-TV Rochester, N.Y. (Rochester)
• Gary Cavalli, Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl executive director (Northern California)
• Desmond Clark, former Wake Forest and NFL tight end (Chicago Metro)
• Gen. Richard Clark, United States Air Force (Lombardo/St. Louis)
• Barry Collier, Butler University athletics director (Central Indiana)
• Rosevelt Colvin, former Purdue University and NFL linebacker (Central Indiana)
• Gen. Robert W. Cone, United States Army (New Hampshire)
• Carlton Cooper, Texas A&M – Commerce athletics director (Gridiron Club of Dallas)
• Bill Courtney, subject of Academy Award-winning documentary Undefeated (Memphis)
• Jim Crandell, sports director, KTXL-TV Sacramento, Calif. (Sacramento)
• Buddy Curry, former University of North Carolina and NFL linebacker (Greater Atlanta)
• Kevin Demoff, St. Louis Rams chief operating officer (Lombardo/St. Louis)
• Bill Devaney, former St. Louis Rams general manager (Lombardo/St. Louis)
• Woody Dixon, Jr. , Pac-12 Conference vice president of business affairs (Northern California)
• DeLoss Dodds, University of Texas athletics director (Greater Austin)
• Spike Dykes, former Texas Tech University head coach (Texas Tech)
• Joe Eichhorn, radio voice of Villanova University football (Philadelphia)
• Steve Erhart, AutoZone Liberty Bowl executive director (Memphis)
• Fran Fischer, longtime voice of Penn State University football (Central Pennsylvania)
• Joe Fortunato, former Mississippi State and NFL linebacker (Miss.-Lou. Chapter)
• Fran Ganter, Penn State University director of football operations (Central Pennsylvania)
• Vince Gibson, former head coach at Kansas State, Louisville and Tulane (Allstate Sugar Bowl)
• Frank Girardi, former head coach at Lycoming College [Pa.] (Central Pennsylvania)
• Tim Gleason, Ohio Athletic Conference commissioner (Mike Cleary/Northeastern Ohio)
• La’Roi Glover, former San Diego State and NFL defensive lineman (Lombardo/St. Louis)
• Brandon Gorin, former Purdue University and NFL offensive tackle (Central Indiana)
• Harold Graeter, AutoZone Liberty Bowl associate executive director (Memphis)
• Teddy Greenstein, Chicago Tribune writer and BTN correspondent (Chicago Metro)
• Jim Hanifan, former St. Louis Cardinals and Atlanta Falcons head coach (Lombardo/St. Louis)
• Frank Hauser, former Wesleyan University [Conn.] head coach (Northern Connecticut)
• Pamela Hayden, voice actor on The Simpsons (Los Angeles)
• Kirby Hocutt, Texas Tech University athletics director (Texas Tech)
• Bob Holmes, sports writer at the Boston Globe (Jack Grinold/Eastern Massachusetts)
• Paul Hoolahan, Allstate Sugar Bowl chief executive officer (Allstate Sugar Bowl)
• Rob Huizenga, Saint Xavier University (Ill.) assistant athletics director for sports information (Chicago Metro)
• Bob Hyde, Tennessee Titans vice president of community relations (Middle Tennessee)
• Merv Johnson, University of Oklahoma director of football operations (Oklahoma)
• Jeff Joniak, radio voice of the Chicago Bears (Chicago Metro)
• Allan Kennedy, former Washington State and NFL offensive lineman (Northern California)
• Mike Kern, journalist at the Philadelphia Daily News (Philadelphia)
• Bob Keropian, former NFF regional coordinator (Northern California)
• Bob Kesling, radio voice of University of Tennessee football (East Tennessee)
• Glen Kozlowski, former BYU and Chicago Bears wide receiver (Chicago Metro)
• Jack Laborde, Allstate Sugar Bowl president (Allstate Sugar Bowl)
• David Lawrence, Jayhawk Sports Network radio analyst (Sunflower)
• Bob Lee, former Pacific and NFL quarterback (Northern California)
• Bill LeMonnier, 2011 Tostitos BCS National Championship referee (Chicago Metro)
• Bill Little, University of Texas special assistant for communications (Greater Austin)
• Bill Lynch, former Indiana University head coach (Central Indiana)
• John Lynch, New Hampshire governor (New Hampshire)
• William “Bill” Lynch, Butler University associate AD for development (Central Indiana)
• Carlos Mainord, former college and NFL assistant coach (Texas Tech)
• Mick McCall, Northwestern offensive coordinator (Chicago Metro)
• George McCaskey, Chicago Bears chairman (Chicago Metro)
• Virginia McCaskey, Chicago Bears owner (Chicago Metro)
• Ken McDonald, Famous Idaho Potato Bowl executive director (Southern Idaho)
• Greg McGarity, University of Georgia athletics director (University of Georgia)
• Dave McGinnis, St. Louis Rams assistant head coach (Lombardo/St. Louis)
• Jim McGuffin, University of Illinois assistant director of athletics development (Chicago Metro)
• John McVay, former San Francisco 49ers vice president and general manager (Sacramento)
• Ed Mestieri, former Colby College [Maine] head coach (State of Maine)
• Jon Meterparel, radio voice of Boston College football (Jack Grinold/Eastern Massachusetts)
• Tim Millis, NFL Referees Association executive director (Gridiron Club of Dallas)
• Fred Mitchell, author and Chicago Tribune columnist (Chicago Metro)
• Mike Morosky, University of California – Davis assistant coach (Northern California)
• Jen Mueller, ROOT sports reporter (Seattle-King County)
• Bob Mulcahy, former NFF Board Member and John Toner Award honoree (Morris County, N.J.)
• Scott Murray, longtime Dallas sportscaster (Gridiron Club of Dallas)
• Bob Neal, Comcast Sports Network broadcaster (East Tennessee)
• Bob Neyland, son of College Football Hall of Fame coach Robert R. Neyland (East Tennessee)
• Bart Oates, former Purdue and NFL offensive lineman (Morris County)
• Jim Phillips, Northwestern University athletics director (Chicago Metro)
• Larry Porter, Arizona State running backs coach (Memphis)
• Mike Prior, former Illinois State and NFL defensive back (Central Indiana)
• Ricky Ray, former Sacramento State and Canadian Football League quarterback (Sacramento)
• Dave Revsine, BTN lead studio host (Chicago Metro)
• Dr. Archie Roberts, 2011 NFF Distinguished American honoree (Western Massachusetts)
• Ken Rodriguez, FOX 5 Atlanta sports anchor (Greater Atlanta)
• Randy Ross, SMU director of football operations (Gridiron Club of Dallas)
• Marie Rudolph, Military Bowl presented by Northrop Grumman co-founder (National Capital)
• Paul Rudy, KUSI-TV San Diego sports director (Walter J. Zable/San Diego)
• Steve Savard, radio voice of the St. Louis Rams (Lombardo/St. Louis)
• Caroline Schrenker, Chicago Bears director of community relations (Chicago Metro)
• Dr. Field Scovell, Texas Tech team physician (Texas Tech)
• Carver Shannon, former Southern Illinois and NFL defensive back (Los Angeles)
• Tony Softli, former St. Louis Rams vice president for player personnel (Lombardo/St. Louis)
• Bob Simms, former NFF board member (Fairfield County)
• Phil Simms, CBS NFL lead analyst (University of Georgia)
• Matt Simeone, Chicago Bears youth football and alumni relations director (Chicago Metro)
• Steve Spagnuolo, New Orleans Saints defensive coordinator (Lombardo/St. Louis)
• Tony Sparano, New York Jets offensive coordinator (Gene Casey/New Haven)
• Tom Starr, TicketCity Bowl president and CEO (Gridiron Club of Dallas)
• Tim Stratton, former Purdue tight end and first Mack Award honoree (Chicago Metro)
• Bill Sylvester, former Butler University head coach (Central Indiana)
• Craig Terrill, former Purdue and NFL defensive tackle (Joe Tiller/Northwest Indiana)
• Mike Terrizzi, former Purdue and NFL quarterback (Northern California)
• Mike Thomas, University of Illinois athletics director (Chicago Metro)
• Pete Thompson, WMGM-TV Atlantic City, N.J., sports director (South Jersey)
• Mel Tjeerdsma, former head coach at Northwest Missouri State and Austin College (Gridiron Club of Dallas)
• Joe Tiller, former head coach at Wyoming and Purdue (Joe Tiller/Northwest Indiana)
• Donna Turner, Northern Illinois University associate athletics director for communications (Chicago Metro)
• Craig Wells, Texas Tech associate athletics director for operations (Texas Tech)
• Rob Wigod, CIF Southern Section commissioner (Pasadena and San Gabriel Valley)
• David Wolk, Castleton State College [Vt.] president (Vermont)
• Amy Yakola, ACC associate commissioner for public relations/marketing (Corrigan/Faircloth)