(Pictured above: 2003 College Football Hall of Fame inductee Jim Dombrowski (Virginia) has been elected to the National Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame for 2013)
Mal Moore Passes Away
Mal Moore, the highly influential director of athletics at Alabama and the 2012 recipient of the NFF John L. Toner Award for his superior abilities as an administrator, passed away March 30. He was 73.
"Mal's leadership of Alabama athletics was impeccable, and he was a wonderful friend of the National Football Foundation," said NFF President and CEO Steve Hatchell. "The Crimson Tide's success during his tenure transcended all aspects of university life, and his leadership had a powerful impact on the entire community. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends. He will be greatly missed, and we are extremely grateful for his contributions."
A true fixture in Crimson Tide history, Moore resided in Tuscaloosa for the better part of five decades. He was part of ten Crimson Tide national football championships, or four more than even Hall of Fame coach Bear Bryant, who was head coach from 1958-82, and more than anyone associated with the program.
For the last 14 years, Moore directed Crimson Tide athletics and its 21 sports and $101 million budget. His legacy includes three national football titles in a four-year period from 2009-2012 under Nick Saban, a Moore coaching hire, and a solid financial and administrative footing.
For more on Moore’s life and dedication to Alabama athletics, click here.
Check out the Construction Site for the new College Football Hall of Fame
Visitors to Atlanta are encouraged to check out the progress on the construction of the new College Football Hall of Fame, located steps from the Georgia Dome and the site of the upcoming NCAA Division I Final Four Basketball Tournament on April 6-8.
Continual construction began Jan. 28 on the 94,256 square foot facility after Atlanta Hall Management, the nonprofit corporation established to build and operate the Hall, announced that they had secured the full $66.5 million to complete the project in December. Scheduled to open in the fall of 2014, the new Hall will provide fans a one-of-a-kind interactive experience with a full slate of events and exhibits that will make the destination a centerpiece for all of college football.
Situated on the former “Green” parking lot of the Georgia World Congress, the site is on the corner of Marietta Street and Foundry Street across from Centennial Olympic Park. Nearby attractions include the CNN Center, the World of Coca-Cola, the Georgia Aquarium, the Philips Arena and the future National Center for Civil and Human Rights. For more information, please visit http://cfbhall.com/.
The National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) and the College Football Hall of Fame announced a partnership that will kick off in Atlanta, in conjunction with the NACDA/Raycom Sports Final Four reception.
2003 College Football Hall of Fame inductee Jim Dombrowski (Virginia) has been elected to the National Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame for 2013.
“The Big Shootout: The Life and Times of 1969," a documentary film about the famous national championship game between Texas and Arkansas, will be screened April 13 during the Dallas Film Festival. The film provides a glimpse into one of the most tumultuous periods in America’s history, and it includes interviews with Beano Cook, players, politicians, White House administrators, professor, protesters, and Hall of Fame coaches Darrell Royal and Frank Broyles. The screening will take place at 3:30 p.m. CT in the Texas Theater.
Southern California received a $5 million donation from the Otis Booth Foundation for the athletic department’s community service program. The gift will create the “Matt Barkley Community Service Coordinator,” a full-time staff position named for 2012 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Matt Barkley to honor his philanthropic efforts.
NFF Board member George Pyne and Pac-12 Conference Commissioner Larry Scott are among the speakers at the IMG World Congress of Sports on April 3 in Naples, Fla.
2012 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Sean Renfree (Duke) received praise as an NFL Draft prospect in the San Francisco Chronicle as part of a story about 49ers Coach Jim Harbaugh's attempt to recruit him while at Stanford.
Hall of Fame quarterback Doug Flutie (Boston College) will be the guest speaker at Florida Tech’s Inside the Huddle Banquet on April 17 as the Panthers prepare for their inaugural season this fall.
The NFF Scholar-Athlete of the Day, presented by Fidelity Investments, is a daily segment honoring the 2012 National Scholar-Athlete candidates. Today’s honoree is Cody Davis, a safety at Texas Tech who has a 3.70 GPA in management information systems.
John Wooldridge, who led Ohio State in rushing yards in 1985, has been named the new president of the NFF Columbus (OH) Chapter, following in the footsteps of his outstanding predecessor Bill Wells.
The Pasadena/San Gabriel Valley [Calif.] Chapter staged its scholar-athlete banquet March 26 at the Brookside Country Club… The Walter J. Zable/San Diego Chapter held its annual banquet on March 29…
The NFF Sacramento Valley Chapter will honor 36 high school student-athletes tonight at the Sacramento Elks Club in south Sacramento. Former Oregon State player Skip Vanderbundt will provide the keynote speech…
The Western Massachusetts Chapter will honor former chapter president Alex Rotsko April 7… The Schuylkill Chapter will honor 14 seniors at its 52nd Scholar-Athlete Banquet April 7 at Hillcrest Hall in Minersville, Pa.… The Tampa (Fla.) Chapter will host its 17th Annual Scholar-Athlete Banquet April 10… The Gene Casey/New Haven [Conn.] Chapter will honor Jim Bell, a former Harvard All-Ivy defensive end and executive producer of NBC Universal’s Olympic Game coverage, with its Distinguished American Award at its 53rd Anniversary Dinner on April 12… The East Tennessee Chapter will honor Texas coach Mack Brown with its General Robert Neyland Award and college football personality Lee Corso with the Lindsey Nelson Award at its scholar-athlete banquet April 20 prior to the Tennessee spring game… The Wisconsin Chapter will hold its 20th annual scholar-athlete banquet April 20 prior to the Badgers’ spring game… Hall of Famer LaVell Edwards (BYU), Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham, BYU head coach Bronco Mendenhall, Utah State head coach Matt Wells, Weber State head coach Jody Sears and Southern Utah head coach Ed Lamb will attend the Utah Chapter’s Student-Athlete Banquet April 23…
Hall of Famers Bobby Bell (Minnesota), Jim Christopherson (Concordia [Minn.]), Mike Favor (North Dakota State), John Gagliardi (Carroll (Mont.), St. John’s (Minn.)), Randall McDaniel (Arizona State), John Randle (Texas A&M-Kingsville), Jeff Siemon (Stanford), Gene Washington (Michigan State) and Paul Wiggin (Stanford) will attend the Minnesota Chapter’s Scholar-Athlete Banquet April 28 at the University of St. Thomas. Former Gopher wide receiver Conner Cosgrove will be presented with the Courage Award, after his 2010 leukemia diagnosis ended his football career at Minnesota. The 1963 St. John’s football team will be awarded the Murray Warmath Legendary Team Award after going 10-0 and winning the NAIA national championship… The NFF Southeastern Connecticut Chapter will honor 16 scholar-athletes April 28…
Liberty Mutual Division II Coach of the Year Peter Rossomondo (Univ. of New Haven (Conn.)) will deliver the keynote speech at the DeSantis/McDougall Fairfield (Conn.) County Chapter Banquet April 28… Appalachian State head coach Scott Satterfield will give the keynote speech at the NFF Corrigan-Faircloth Chapter’s 22nd Annual Scholar-Athlete Banquet April 30 at Old Town Baptist Church in Winston-Salem, N.C. The top student-athlete award will be given in memory of Bradley Faircloth.
New Football Schools Update
Houston Baptist released its inaugural football schedule, featuring four home games and one matchup at BBVA Compass Stadium. The Huskies will play their first game Sept. 14 at Wayland Baptist in Plainview, Texas.
Scheduling
Cincinnati will play Michigan at Michigan Stadium on Sept. 9, 2017… NC State and Old Dominion have scheduled a 2014-15 home-and-home football series… Army announced kickoff times for the 2013 season and moved the opener against Morgan State to Friday, Aug. 30, at 7 p.m… The Chick-fil-A Bowl will be played Tues., Dec. 31 at 8 p.m. ET in the Georgia Dome… Louisiana-Lafayette scheduled home-and home series with Boise State and Louisiana Tech, as well as home games against Akron and Southern, beginning in the 2014 season… Boise State also added a home-and-home series with Connecticut for the 2014 and 2018 seasons… Kansas State has added Central Arkansas to their 2017 football schedule… Mississippi State has added UT Martin to their 2014 football schedule.
People
Former Illinois offensive lineman and current Illinois State Trooper Brian Scott helped lift a vehicle off of a crash victim, saving his life… Notre Dame Director of Athletics Jack Swarbrick will deliver the keynote address at the 2013 SVG College Sports Summit on May 29 in Atlanta… Tennessee coach Butch Jones will speak to the Bradley Sunrise (Tenn.) Rotary group at June 7 charity event… Florida head coach Will Muschamp will be the keynote speaker for the 2013 Bronko Nagurski Award Banquet on Dec. 9.
Community Service
The Miami football team is hosting its third annual UM Marrow Donor Drive April 10 at the WellCanes Farmer’s Market on campus… Rutgers will give fans the option to make a five dollar donation to the Hurricane Sandy New Jersey Relief Fund at its Scarlet-White spring game on April 27. The team will also wear special jerseys and helmets during the spring game to help raise money for disaster relief.
Facilities
Fresno State broke ground on the $6 million Meyers Family Sports Medicine Center that will serve as a “student-athlete village,” joining athletes and staff in one location.
Awards and Honors
Georgia quarterback Aaron Murray was honored at the Peach of an Athlete Role Model banquet in Atlanta on March 26… The State of South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame announced its 2012 class, headlined by former Clemson quarterback Homer Jordan and former Citadel running back Travis Jervey.
Conference Realignment
Tulsa and East Carolina will join the BIG EAST in all sports for the 2014 season… The Sun Belt Conference announced the addition of Appalachian State and Georgia Southern in all sports, and Idaho and New Mexico State as football-only members beginning in 2014… Western Kentucky will join Conference USA effective July 1, 2014.
Miscellaneous
XOS Digital announced the installment of XOS Digital’s Remote Camera System, Thunder Capture, in the U.S. Military Academy football and soccer facilities… The 7th Annual National Summit of Sports Concussion will take place May 10 in Atlanta… Fordham University has created the Fordham Athletics Leadership Academy to help Ram athletes become leaders in competition and in life… San Jose State, the Spartan Foundation and the Mariucci Family Foundation announced a partnership for the “Spartan Bocce Battle, presented by the Mariucci Family Foundation,” an initiative to support the academic and athletic pursuits of SJSU student-athletes… TCU unveiled a bronze horned frog statue outside Amon G. Carter Stadium.
Obituaries
Mal Moore passed away March 30 at the age of 73… Former Ohio State quarterback and 1955 Rose Bowl MVP Dave Leggett died March 26. He was 79… Tom Duncan, a defensive end at Colorado from 1965-69, passed away Feb. 14.
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May 2, 2013 – Announcement of 2013 Hampshire Honor Society members – Dallas, Texas
May 7, 2013 – Announcement of 2013 Football Bowl Subdivision Inductees into the College Football Hall of Fame – NASDAQ MarketSite, New York City
May 16, 2013 – Announcement of 2013 Divisional Inductees into the College Football Hall of Fame – Dallas, Texas
Oct. 3, 2013 – Announcement of 2013 Campbell Trophy Semifinalists – Dallas, Texas
Oct. 31, 2013 – Announcement of 2013 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class, presented by Fidelity Investments – Dallas, Texas
Dec. 10, 2013 – 56th NFF Annual Awards Dinner – Waldorf=Astoria Hotel, New York City
Dec. 10, 2013 – 24th Presentation of Campbell Trophy, endowed by HealthSouth, to the nation's top scholar-athlete at the Waldorf=Astoria – New York, N.Y.
Jan. 2, 2014 – National Hall of Fame Salute at the Allstate Sugar Bowl - New Orleans, La.
Jan. 7, 2014 – MacArthur Bowl Presentation to the BCS National Champion – Newport Beach, Calif.
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The 56th NFF Annual Awards Dinner will be held Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2013, at New York City's Waldorf=Astoria. For more ticket information, please contact NFF Director of External Relations Will Rudd at 1-800-486-1865 or via email at wrudd@footballfoundation.com.
Notes
The NFF would like to thank NFF correspondent Bo Carter for his contributions to this report.
NFF Chalktalk items are welcome, and should be submitted to news@footballfoundation.com.
