(Pictured: NFF Board Member and Under Armour CEO Kevin Plank has been nominated for the 2014 Sports Executive of the Year. The winners of the award, chosen by SportsBusiness Journal and SportsBusiness Daily, will be announced in a ceremony on May 21 at the New York Marriott Marquis.)
Big Ten Conference Celebrates 100th Anniversary of Big Ten Medal of Honor
The Big Ten announced a 100-day campaign to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Big Ten Medal of Honor, which became the first honor in the history of intercollegiate athletics to recognize academic and athletic excellence. Established in 1915, the conference’s most exclusive award has been bestowed on 1,349 of the nation’s brightest student-athletes during the past 99 years, including an impressive list of 346 football players, 21 College Football Hall of Famers and 42 NFF National Scholar-Athletes.
Out of the more than 8,200 student-athletes who currently compete each year on the teams from the 12 Big Ten institutions, only 24 elite individuals, one male and one female from each institution, receive a coveted Big Ten Medal of Honor, which places equal importance on academics and athletics. The honorees have translated their campus experience as student-athletes into success in all walks of life including medicine, science, politics, business, education, philanthropy and sports.
The 21 College Football Hall of Fame inductees who have received the honor include Pat Fitzgerald (Northwestern, 1997), Bob Griese (Purdue, 1967) and Oklahoma head coach Bud Wilkinson (Minnesota, 1937). The 42 NFF National Scholar-Athletes on the list include New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees (Purdue, 2001), International Space Station flight engineer Mike Hopkins (Illinois, 1992) and 2013 William V. Campbell Trophy winner John Urschel (Penn State, 2013). Former Ohio State linebacker Randy Gradishar, who claimed the Big Ten Medal of Honor in 1974, holds the distinction of being one of only 25 individuals in history to earn both an NFF National Scholar-Athlete Award and induction into the College Football Hall of Fame.
Click here for the full list of College Football Hall of Famers and NFF National Scholar-Athletes who have won the Big Ten Medal of Honor.
Georgia Recognized for Excellence in Promoting the Scholar-Athlete Ideal
As part of the National Football Foundation Faculty Salutes Initiative, sponsored by Fidelity Investments®, the NFF will present Georgia Faculty Athletics Representative David Shipley with a commemorative plaque and the school with $5,000. Georgia and Shipley are being recognized for their efforts in fostering excellence among the student-athletes as exemplified by 2013 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Aaron Murray. The presentation will take place during a reception as part of Georgia’s “Faculty Appreciation Day” tomorrow, which is scheduled for 5:00 p.m. ET at the Butts-Mehre Heritage Hall in Athens, Ga.
“David Shipley has been a critical liaison between academics and athletics at Georgia,” said NFF President & CEO Steve Hatchell. “We are proud to join with Fidelity Investments in highlighting his role in ensuring that the student-athletes at Georgia have an educational experience that prepares them for success long after their playing days in Athens.”
In 2011, the NFF announced, in partnership with Fidelity Investments, a leading provider of not-for-profit workplace retirement savings plans in higher education, that it was expanding its NFF National Scholar-Athlete Awards Program to recognize the contributions of the faculty athletics representatives at each of the 16 schools with a member of the annual NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class. As part of the initiative, the NFF is presenting each of the faculty representatives with a commemorative plaque and $5,000 from Fidelity Investments to support the academic support services for student-athletes at each school.
2014 College Football Hall of Fame Voting Continues
Voting continues for the 2014 College Football Hall of Fame Class. This year’s ballot includes 75 players and six coaches from the Football Bowl Subdivision and 87 players and 26 coaches from the divisional ranks.
The ballot has been mailed to the more than 12,000 NFF members and current Hall of Famers whose votes will be tabulated and submitted to the NFF’s Honors Court, which deliberates and selects the class. Chaired by Gene Corrigan, a former ACC Commissioner and NCAA president, the 17-member NFF Honors Court includes an elite and geographically diverse pool of athletics directors, conference commissioners, Hall of Famers and members of the media. Member ballots are due March 31.
The 2014 College Football Hall of Fame Class will be announced in May from Irving, Texas, and they will be inducted at the 57th NFF Annual Awards Dinner Dec. 9, 2014 at the landmark Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City.
Click here for a full list of the 2014 College Football Hall of Fame candidates. If you would like to become a member and receive a voting sheet for this year’s ballot, please contact NFF Director of Membership Ron Dilatush at rdilatush@footballfoundation.com.
NFF “Football Matters to Me” Campaign
The NFF campaign, Football Matters to Me, continues, providing people from border-to-border and coast-to-coast a voice in highlighting the positive impact that football has had on their lives by utilizing social media platforms and #ImAFootballPlayer. The campaign encourages participation via a series of national television spots with high-profile former players who subsequently achieved remarkable success later in life. The first video features NFF Board Member and Chairman and CEO of GE Jeff Immelt, and it can be watched by clicking here.
Individuals can get involved in the effort by simply posting their football stories and explaining how the sport’s life lessons have helped them off the field. Whether it’s a Tweet, a few sentences on a Facebook page or a video link, individuals can tell their football stories, and by using #ImAFootballPlayer, their testimonials will become part of the Twitter feed on the NFF homepage (www.footballfoundation.org).
College Football Hall of Fame Names Five Vice Presidents
The new College Football Hall of Fame, scheduled to open in Atlanta this fall, completed its executive team by hiring five vice presidents. Mark Petersen was hired as vice president of finance and administration, Marcus Margerum as vice president of marketing and communications, Matt Lynch as vice president of fan experience, Shawn Teske as vice president of operations and infrastructure and Mike Bilbow as vice president of content and production. The National Football Foundation welcomes them to the team.
Follow Progress on the College Football Hall of Fame Construction
Fans can check in on the progress of the new College Football Hall of Fame being built in Atlanta via a live camera at the construction site by clicking here. Fans can also watch a time lapse video of the Hall’s progress by clicking here.
NFF Chairman and College Football Hall of Famer Archie Manning (Mississippi) spoke at the 50th annual Billings (Mont.) Chamber of Commerce/Visitors Bureau Salespersons' Breakfast March 20.
NFF Board Members and College Football Hall of Famers Troy Aikman (UCLA) and Roger Staubach (Navy) are attending the Children’s Cancer Fund’s 26th Annual Luncheon on April 4 at the Hilton Anatole Hotel in Dallas, Texas.
NFF Board Member and Under Armour CEO Kevin Plank has been nominated for the 2014 Sports Executive of the Year. The winners of the award, chosen by SportsBusiness Journal and SportsBusiness Daily, will be announced in a ceremony on May 21 at the New York Marriott Marquis.
NFF Board Member and Dallas Cowboys Owner, President and General Manager Jerry Jones will be honored as a lifetime member of the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans in April.
Fortune ranked NFF Board Member and Apple CEO Tim Cook among the world's 50 greatest leaders.
NFF Board Member and Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delany will be among the prominent speakers at the 2014 FBA Annual Meetings and Trade Show on April 22-24 in Las Vegas. Other speakers include ESPN CEO John Skipper and NCAA Senior Vice President Mark Lewis. Delaney takes a big picture view of college sports in a recent article on ESPN.com.
The Associated Press wrote about comments by NFF Board Member and Big 12 Commissioner Bob Bowlsby on possible changes in college athletics during the next decade, including his insights on recruiting, admissions, enforcement, practice times and the length of seasons.
College Football Hall of Famer Chris Gilbert (Texas) was elected to the Southwest Conference Hall of Fame. Former football players Jacob Green (Texas A&M), Chuck Hixson (SMU) and David Klingler (Houston) are also among the 2014 inductees who will be inducted on April 7 at the Royal Sonesta Hotel in Houston.
College Football Hall of Famer Doug English (Texas) was the featured speaker at the Marble Falls (Texas) Athletic Booster Club meeting March 17, touting the importance of fan support and coaches.
College Football Hall of Fame player Steve Spurrier (Florida) has reached the $1 million mark in donations to South Carolina during the past decade as he enters his 10th year as the Gamecock’s head coach.
College Football Hall of Famer Darrell Green (Texas A&M-Kingsville) will host a fundraising gala at the University of Mary Washington May 22 in Fredericksburg, Va.
The Big Ten Blog on ESPN.com is pitting the best football coaches in Big Ten history against one another in a tournament bracket. The field includes College Football Hall of Fame coaches Barry Alvarez, Bernie Bierman, Duffy Daugherty, Hayden Fry, Woody Hayes, Tom Osborne, Joe Paterno, Bo Schembechler, Amos Alonzo Stagg, Fielding Yost and Bob Zuppke and 2014 College Football Hall of Fame candidate Jim Tressel.
Illinois offensive lineman Teddy Karras, whose great uncle was College Football Hall of Famer Alex Karras (Iowa), is adding to the family legacy as the seventh member to suit up for a Big Ten football team.
2013 William V. Campbell Trophy winner John Urschel (Penn State) penned his latest entry for AP, detailing what he’s been doing since the NFL Combine.
2006 William V. Campbell Trophy winner Brian Leonard (Rutgers) is hosting the 5th Annual Rally at the Alley on Friday at 300 New York in New York City. The event raises awareness and funds for children suffering from cancer.
2009 William V. Campbell Trophy winner Tim Tebow (Florida) hosted the annual Tim Tebow Foundation Celebrity Gala and Golf Classic at the TPC Sawgrass Stadium Course in Florida. Participants included 1996 William V. Campbell Trophy winner and College Football Hall of Famer Danny Wuerffel (Florida), College Football Hall of Famer Emmitt Smith (Florida), Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer, Florida head coach Will Muschamp, and many other celebrities. Proceeds from the event benefited the five major outreach initiatives of the Tim Tebow Foundation.
Sports Illustrated went behind the scenes with 2013 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Derek Carr (Fresno State) as he prepared for his Pro Day.
2010 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Greg McElroy (Alabama) has joined the new SEC Network as a college football analyst.
2006 Outstanding Contribution to Amateur Football Award recipient Lee Corso (as part of ESPN’s College GameDay) is the 2014 recipient of the FBA Annual Recognition Award, which goes to an individual who has demonstrated support of postseason college football. He will be honored at a dinner on April 23 in Las Vegas.
NFF Program Updates
The NFF Scholar-Athlete of the Day, presented by Fidelity Investments, is a daily segment honoring the 2013 National Scholar-Athlete candidates. Today’s honoree is Doyle Bode, a wide receiver at Fort Lewis (Colo.) who maintains a 3.67 GPA in exercise science & sports administration.
For more information on the 2013 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Alumni Association, click here.
Each year, the NFF invites universities, colleges and conferences from across the country to provide support for the NFF programs through its Institutional Academic Membership Program. The Institutional Academic Membership 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. The program is open to all football-playing institutions at every level of college football, and it reached new levels of support in 2013. Email Ron Dilatush at rdilatush@footballfoundation.com to learn how your school can get involved. Click here for the 2013 members.
The NFF San Fernando Valley (Calif.) Chapter will hold its Scholar-Athlete Banquet tonight at the Sportsmen’s Lodge in Studio City, Calif.
Television broadcaster and former Southern California football player Petros Papadakis will be the keynote speaker for the NFF Pasadena (Calif.) Chapter’s 44th Annual Scholar-Athlete Awards Banquet on Tuesday at the Brookside Golf Club in Pasadena. The event will honor 43 scholar-athletes and award $16,000 in scholarships.
The NFF Tom Lombardo/St. Louis Chapter will host its March luncheon on Wednesday at Lombardo's Airport Restaurant. This month’s guest speaker is the St. Louis Rams’ newly hired defensive coordinator Gregg Williams.
The NFF Walter J. Zable/San Diego Chapter will host its Scholar-Athlete Banquet on Friday at the Scottish Rite Center in San Diego. Former UC Davis and San Diego Chargers kicker Rolf Benirschke will receive the Distinguished American Award.
The NFF Southern Arizona Chapter will hold its Scholar-Athlete Banquet on Sunday at the University of Arizona Grand Ballroom in Tucson, Ariz. College Football Hall of Famer Ricky Hunley (Arizona) is expected to attend.
The NFF Wisconsin Chapter Scholar-Athlete Luncheon will take place April 12 prior to the Wisconsin spring game in Madison. The scholar-athletes will be introduced at the game.
The NFF Gridiron Club of Dallas Chapter will host its Scholar-Athlete Banquet on April 14 at 6 p.m. at the Marriott Quorum in Addison, Texas. Former Texas Athletics Director and 2006 Jon L. Toner Award recipient DeLoss Dodds will receive the Distinguished Texan Award. Several Hall of Famers are expected to attend, including Chad Hennings (Air Force) and D.D. Lewis (Mississippi State).
The NFF Brian Piccolo/Ft. Lauderdale Chapter’s Scholar-Athlete Banquet is on April 16 at the Fort Lauderdale Marriott Coral Springs. The guest speaker will be Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly.
The NFF Touchdown Club of Houston Chapter will host the University of Texas Luncheon with new Longhorn head coach Charlie Strong at the JW Marriott in Houston on April 23.
The NFF Southern Idaho Chapter will hold its Annual Scholar-Athlete Banquet in Boise April 26. Boise State Coach Brian Harsin, Idaho State Coach Mike Kramer and College of Idaho Coach Mike Moroski are expected to attend.
The NFF Tom Lombardo/St. Louis Chapter will host its April luncheon on April 30 at Lombardo's Airport Restaurant. The guest speaker will be Missouri head coach Gary Pinkel.
The NFF Minnesota Chapter will host its annual Minnesota Football Honors Awards Event, presented by the Minnesota Vikings, on May 4 at the Hilton Minneapolis. Noted sportscaster Michele Tafoya will receive the chapter’s 2014 Sid Hartman Media Award
The NFF Emo DiNitto/Rhode Island Chapter will hold its 27th Annual Awards Dinner on May 5 at the Crowne Plaza in Warwick, R.I. NFF Board Member and President of IMG Worldwide Global Sports and Entertainment George Pyne will receive the chapter’s Distinguished American Award.
New Football Schools
Kennesaw State held football tryouts on March 22, the first official on-field event since the school announced it was adding football. The Owls will begin play in 2015… West Florida hired the first two assistant coaches in its program’s history…
Scheduling
Baylor added a 2019 game against the University of the Incarnate Word… TCU will play Stephen F. Austin in 2015…
People
Ball State head coach Pete Lembo received a contract extension through 2018… North Texas announced a contract extension for head coach Dan McCarney through 2018… Vincent Mudd was elected president of the 2014 National University Holiday Bowl and San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl… Kutztown University (Pa.) announced the hiring of Jim Clements as its new head football coach...
Awards and Honors
The Colonial Athletic Association released its 2013 Academic all-conference team… Mississippi will pay tribute to Ben Williams and James Reed, the school’s first two African-American football players, with the naming of the entrance of the Olivia and Archie Manning Athletics Performance Center in their honor…
Marketing
Learfield Sports will now represent the multimedia rights and corporate partnerships for Texas State Athletics…
Media
The Army Athletic Association and its multimedia rights holder, Learfield Sports’ Army Sports Properties, announced a five-year radio partnership with Albany, N.Y.-based Pamal Broadcasting…
Donations
Northern Illinois introduced a new Huskie Athletic Fund for 2014…
Community Service
Members of the Mississippi football took a mission trip to Haiti over spring break… The Syracuse football team partnered March 22 with the Syracuse City School District Building Men Program to prepare lunches for the Oxford Homeless Shelter for Men…
Miscellaneous
The Orange Bowl will host its annual health & wellness fair on April 5 at Sun Life Stadium… Arkansas announced plans to use new helmets designed to reduce concussion risk…
Obituaries
Former Nichols College (Mass.) athletics director and head coach and charter member of the NFF Central Mass. Chapter Michael Vendetti passed away March 20. He was 82… Former Tulsa offensive lineman Ted Connolly passed away Feb. 24. He was 82… Former Defiance (Ohio) football player Joe Furko passed away March 13. He was 72… Former Philander Smith (Ark.) football coach Virgil Hodges died March 13. He was 77… Former North Texas football player and longtime high school football coach E. Kirk Drew passed away March 14. He was 84… Former West Texas A&M football player and longtime high school football coach J.D. Covington passed away March 18. He was 85…
The National Football Foundation relies, in part, on the support of individuals to fulfill our mission of "Building Leaders Through Football." The NFF accepts gifts in a variety of forms. In addition to one-time cash gifts, which can be put to use immediately, pledges also allow donors to make more substantial commitments over a longer period of time in support of our programs. Stock and other property which can be easily liquidated are also options when considering a gift. By making a gift of appreciated stock or property, one may reduce or avoid capital gains. Gifts to the National Football Foundation are tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law. Join us! For more information about how you can support the NFF, call 972-556-1000 or click here.
Mid-May, 2014 – Announcement of the 2014 College Football Hall of Fame Class – Irving, Texas
Sept. 25, 2014 – Announcement of the 2014 semifinalists for the William V. Campbell Trophy – Irving, Texas
Oct. 30, 2014 – Announcement of the 2014 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class, presented by Fidelity Investments – Irving, Texas
Dec. 9, 2014 – NFF Chapter Awards Luncheon, presented by Under Armour, at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel – New York City
Dec. 9, 2014 – 57th NFF Annual Awards Dinner at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel – New York City
Dec. 9, 2014 – 25th presentation of the William V. Campbell Trophy, hosted by the NYAC, to the nation's top scholar-athlete at the Waldorf Astoria – New York City
Jan. 12, 2015 – Inaugural College Football Playoff Championship at AT&T Stadium – Arlington, Texas
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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.
