(Pictured: 1999 College Football Hall of Fame inductee Randy Trautman passed away Feb. 28. He was 53 years old.)
NFF Chapter Network Set to Distribute More Than $1 Million in Scholarships in 2014
Spanning more than 4,800 high schools and 500,000 student-athletes, The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame (NFF) announced that its Chapter Network will distribute more than $1 million in scholarships during its 2014 banquet season, selecting 3,300 student-athletes for recognition as the best and the brightest for their combined achievements on the gridiron, in the classroom and as leaders in the community.
The NFF Chapter Network, spread across 120 outposts in 48 states, serves as the backbone of a nationwide effort to encourage academic excellence, leadership and sportsmanship among young football players. Each year the chapters collectively stage more than 1,000 events, including all-star games, coaching clinics, college nights, leadership conferences and more than 100 scholarship banquets.
Annually drawing more than 33,000 people and serving as the centerpiece of the chapter’s efforts, the NFF banquets stand as an important milestone for the honorees as they claim a portion of more than $1 million in scholarships to advance their educations. The all-time amount raised and disbursed by the chapters will exceed $18 million this year. Coupled with the cumulative amount of $10.4 million awarded by the national office, the all-time amount distributed by the NFF will eclipse $29 million in 2014.
Click here to see the 2013-14 banquet schedule and a list of expected notable attendees.
Hall of Famer and Boise State Legend Randy Trautman Passes Away
Randy Trautman, a 1999 College Football Hall of Fame inductee from Boise State, passed away Feb. 28. He was 53 years old.
Trautman was born May 27, 1960 in Caldwell, Idaho, where he was standout heavyweight wrestler at Caldwell High. Originally accepted to Boise State on a wrestling scholarship, he walked on to the football team as a defensive tackle, becoming a dominant force at the position. A leader on the field, he led the Broncos to an impressive 37-11 record during his four seasons in Boise. He earned Division I-AA All-American status in 1980 and 1981 from both the American Football Coaches Association and the Associated Press, and he was named the 1981 Big Sky Conference Defensive Player of the Year.
Trautman finished his Bronco career with 266 tackles, including 29 for loss. He was a ninth-round draft pick by the Washington Redskins in 1982, and he played four seasons for the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League. In 1999, he became the first and only Bronco inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.
College Football Hall of Fame Ballot Advisory
Tomorrow, the National Football Foundation will release the names of the 75 players and six coaches from the Football Bowl Subdivision and the 87 players and 26 coaches from the divisional ranks who will appear on the ballot for induction into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2014. Ballots will be mailed to NFF Members the week of March 10, and members will have until March 31 to cast their votes. The inductees will be announced in May.
Proven Plan to Reduce Joint Pain Crafted by Former NFF National Scholar-Athlete
Dr. Richard Diana, a 1981 NFF National Scholar-Athlete from Yale, has penned a groundbreaking book, “Healthy Joints for Life” that offers individuals a proven plan to reduce joint pain and inflammation with the goal of avoiding surgery.
Diana, a running back for College Football Hall of Fame Coach Carmen Cozza at Yale and then for Pro Football Hall of Fame Coach Don Shula with the Miami Dolphins, attended Yale School of Medicine after his playing days. He then combined his unique knowledge of sports and medicine to become one of the nation’s leading orthopedic surgeons.
His experiences and research have led him to develop a scientifically backed program that uses diet, exercise and the supplements to reduce inflammation and increase mobility for those suffering joint pain without surgery, which he now details in his book for everyone, not just elite athletes.
Diana, a clinical instructor at the Yale School of Medicine and attending surgeon at Yale-New Haven Hospital, lays out the plan in the new book. The eight-week regimen has received powerful testimonials from a wide-range of people, including College Football Hall of Famer Kellen Winslow (Missouri), former Yale and NFL player Calvin Hill and Emmy Award-winning MLB broadcaster and World Series champion with the New York Mets Ron Darling.
The book can be ordered on Amazon.com or at Harlequin.com.
NFF Central Pennsylvania Chapter to Honor 45 High School Seniors From 18 Counties
Forty-five high school football seniors from Central Pennsylvania will be honored for their athletics, academics and community service at the 17th annual Student-Athlete Scholarship Banquet sponsored by the Central Pennsylvania Chapter of the National Football Foundation and College Football Hall of Fame on Sunday, March 23.
At least 33 of the student-athletes will be awarded a special $1,000 college scholarship for their outstanding achievements. Scholarship winners will be judged on three basic criteria: academics; football ability, performance and attitude; and leadership and citizenship. The scholarship money can only be used by the student-athletes to help with their educations at the college or university of their choice.
Penn State head football coach James Franklin will be the featured speaker at the banquet, which will be held at the Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel on the University campus, starting at 1:30 p.m., with doors opening at 12:00 p.m. ET for a silent auction. 2013 William V. Campbell Trophy winner John Urschel (Penn State) will also be honored at the event.
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).
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) will be the keynote speaker at Middle Tennessee Christian School’s Legacy of Light Gala on April 17.
College Football Hall of Famer and NFF Board Member Roger Staubach (Navy) was profiled by Forbes on his rise from quarterback to real estate mogul.
NFF Board Member Mike Slive announced he will return as SEC commissioner in 2014-15.
The NCAA posted a YouTube video tribute to NFF Board Member George Pyne, honoring him as a 2014 NCAA Silver Anniversary Award recipient. The honor recognizes distinguished individuals on the 25th anniversary of the conclusion of their college athletics careers. Pyne, a 2013 NFF Leadership Hall of Fame inductee and an All-Ivy League offensive tackle at Brown, has gone on to become of one the most influential people in the sports business world as the president of IMG Sports & Entertainment.
NFF Board Member and College Football Hall of Famer Archie Griffin (Ohio State) hosted his Fourth Celebrity Golf Classic March 3-4 at The Concession Golf Club in Bradenton, Fla, in support of The Boys and Girls Clubs of Sarasota County. College Football Hall of Famer Eddie George (Ohio State) and 1994 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Derrick Brooks (Florida State) were among the event’s participants.
NFF Board Member and Big 12 Conference commissioner Bob Bowlsby will be featured at Kansas State University's Landon Lecture on April 2. President of ESPN Inc. and co-chairman of Disney Media Networks John Skipper, former Texas Athletics Director and 2014 NFF Gridiron Club of Dallas Distinguished Texan DeLoss Dodds and Kansas State President Kirk Schulz will also participate.
Sports Illustrated published a story on College Football Hall of Fame coach Phillip Fulmer (Tennessee) and his impact on the rebirth of football at East Tennessee State.
College Football Hall of Famer Joe Greene (North Texas) was honored with a Lifetime Acehievement Award by the Fritz Pollard Alliance.
College Football Hall of Famer Capt. Jim Houston Sr. (Ohio State) was inducted into the OSU Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps Alumni Society’s Hall of Fame.
College Football Hall of Famers Willie Totten (Mississippi Valley State) and coach Marino Casem (Alabama State, Alcorn State, Southern) were officially inducted into the Black College Football Hall of Fame on March 1.
Texas Athletics profiled College Football Hall of Famer Doug English and his induction into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame.
The Sport Business Journal featured 2006 NFF Outstanding Contribution to Amateur Football recipient and legendary CBS Sports announcer Verne Lundquist, profiling him in their "Champions: Pioneers & Innovators in Sports Business" series.
NFF Board Member and College Football Hall of Famer Troy Aikman (UCLA) appeared KDFW-FOX 4 to encourage people to participate in community service projects organized by the United Way of Metropolitan Dallas.
College Football Hall of Fame coach Gene Stallings (Texas A&M, Alabama) spoke at East Texas Baptist University’s annual Sam B. Hall Jr. Lecture series on Feb. 25.
2009 NFF Outstanding Contribution to Amateur Football Award recipient and NFF Historian Dan Jenkins sat down with Texas Monthly to discuss his new book, “His Ownself: A Semi-Memoir,” which comes out later this month.
2006 William V. Campbell Trophy winner Brian Leonard (Rutgers) is hosting the 5th Annual Rally at the Alley on March 28 at 300 New York in New York City. The event raises awareness and funds for children suffering from cancer.
2013 NFF National Scholar-Athletes Derek Carr (Fresno State) and Aaron Murray (Georgia) are scheduled to participate in Gruden’s QB Camp on ESPN this year.
2013 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Gabe Ikard (Oklahoma) was featured in an article in the Chicago Sun-Times on how the Chicago Bears could draft him.
2013 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Spencer Long (Nebraska) was chosen as a 2014 Wayne Duke Postgraduate Award recipient by the Indianapolis Big Ten Community Partnership. The award is an annual scholarship recognizing one male and one female Big Ten senior student-athlete pursuing a postgraduate degree for achievements in academics, athletics, extracurricular activities and leadership. Long also took the time to answer a few questions from the Omaha World-Herald.
The New York Post published the first in a series following 2013 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Jeff Mathews (Cornell) as he goes through the NFL Draft process.
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 James Normand, the center at Tennessee Tech who graduated in three years with a 3.46 GPA in accounting.
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 Mike Cleary/Northeast Ohio Chapter hosted its 26th Annual Scholar-Athlete Awards Banquet on March 4 at the LaCentre Banquet Facility in Westlake, Ohio. College Football Hall of Famer Greg Pruitt (Oklahoma) received the Dino Lucarelli Lifetime Achievement Award and radio color analyst for the Cleveland Browns Doug Dieken was awarded the Distinguished American Award. 2013 William V. Campbell Trophy semifinalists Kurt Hess (Youngstown State) and Zachary Kisley (Oberlin [Ohio]) were among the chapter’s college scholar-athlete honorees.
The NFF Springfield (Ohio) Chapter will host its Scholar-Athlete Banquet tonight at Casey’s Restaurant in Springfield, Ohio.
The NFF Middle Tennessee Chapter will host its Scholar-Athlete Banquet tonight at the Music City Sheraton in Nashville, Tenn.
The NFF Essex County (N.J.) Chapter will hold its Scholar-Athlete Banquet tonight at Mayfair Farms in West Orange, N.J.
The NFF Delaware Valley (N.J.) Chapter will host its 52nd annual George Wah Memorial Scholar/Leader/Athlete Dinner on Sunday at the Princeton Hyatt in Princeton, N.J. Former Miami (Fla.) and NFL linebacker Jessie Armstead will receive the chapter’s Robert F. Casciola Distinguished American Award.
The NFF Toledo (Ohio) Chapter will host its Scholar-Athlete Banquet on March 10 at the Seagate Center in Toledo, Ohio. Michigan head coach Brady Hoke will be the guest speaker along with former Michigan and current Miami Dolphins safety Jordan Kovacs. The chapter will honor 38 scholar-athletes and distribute $20,000 in scholarships.
UC Davis head coach Bob Biggs will deliver the keynote speech at the NFF Sacramento Valley Chapter dinner March 13.
The NFF Jack Grinold/Eastern Massachusetts Chapter will hold its coaches clinic on March 15 and will see the highest attendance ever with 353 registrants. The event is at Boston College and will incorporate BC's first spring practice in pads this year. Boston College coach Steve Addazio has been a great proponent for the clinic.
Television broadcaster and former Southern Californian football player Petros Papadakis will be the keynote speaker for the NFF Pasadena (Calif.) Chapter’s 44th Annual Scholar-Athlete Awards Banquet on March 25 at the Brookside Golf Club in Pasadena. The event will honor 43 scholar-athletes and give out $16,000 in scholarships.
The NFF Tom Lombardo/St. Louis Chapter will host its March luncheon on March 26 at Lombardo's Airport Restaurant. This month’s guest speaker is the St. Louis Rams’ newly hired defensive coordinator, Gregg Williams.
The NFF Wisconsin Chapter Scholar-Athlete Luncheon will take place April 12th prior to the Wisconsin spring game in Madison. The scholars will be introduced at the game.
The NFF Brian Piccolo/Ft. Lauderdale Chapter’s Scholar-Athlete Banquet is on April 16. 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 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 Athletics named Henssler Financial the presenting sponsor of OWLS Champions Initiative, a program which fosters academic and athletic excellence…
Scheduling
Florida and Florida State have extended their series through 2018… East Carolina will play Florida in 2015… The Mid-American Conference released its 2014 football schedule… The Sun Belt Conference released its 2014 football schedule… Baylor’s 2014 road game at Buffalo has been moved to Friday, Sept. 12, to accommodate a national telecast on ESPN… Arizona announced two scheduling changes for its 2014 slate, moving its Aug. 30 opener against UNLV to Aug. 29 and its UTSA game Sept. 6 to Sept. 4…
People
The Dallas Morning News ran a great feature story on Benjamin Kelly, who became the first black intercollegiate football player in Texas and received consecutive all-conference honors playing for Angelo State (then known as San Angelo College) from 1953-54…
The Allstate Sugar Bowl named Dennis Waldron president for 2014-15… Widener (Pa.) named Mike Kelly as head football coach… Fordham Athletics Director David Roach received a contract extension through 2019…
Media
Dish Network reached a deal to add the Longhorn Network and the upcoming SEC Network to its channel lineup… Dr. Sandra Chapman, the founder and chief director of the Center for BrainHealth at The University of Texas at Dallas, will now be a regular contributor to The Huffington Post. Her columns will address national brain-related issues and encourage individuals to take charge of their brain health with actionable tips rooted in expert neuroscience…
Marketing
Learfield Sports announced today that it will represent the Temple University Owls for the next 10 years…
Awards
Marty Holly of the College of Idaho was named NAIA Athletics Director of the Year… Texas A&M’s longtime athletic media relations director Alan Cannon will be inducted into the CoSIDA Hall of Fame at the annual convention in June… The Pioneer Football League named a record 592 student-athletes to the league’s Academic Honor Roll for the Fall 2013 semester…
Donations and Sponsorships
The Jack Vanier family made a gift of $60 million to Kansas State Athletics, the largest private donation in school history. The gift provides $40 million to benefit students, faculty, programs and facilities and $20 million for upgrade to Bill Snyder Family Stadium… UCLA Athletics announced a donation of $1,000,000 from alumnus David Dollinger that will be used to create “The David B. Dollinger Endowed Excellence Fund”… Tulsa announced the establishment of the Glenn Dobbs Fund for Football Excellence to address the most important needs of the football program… Webster Bank became the official bank of Yale Athletics…
Rules and Referees
The NCAA will allow every FBS conference to implement eight-man officiating crews if they so choose…
Facilities
Utah State announced that the USU Board of Trustees has formally approved proposed renovation plans for Romney Stadium… Tulane’s Yulman Stadium is on schedule to be ready for the Green Wave’s home opener Sept. 6 against Georgia Tech…
Community Service
As part of the Read Across America program, members of the Stanford football team visited six Bay Area elementary schools and read to hundreds of local children…
Miscellaneous
Miami (Fla.) will unveil new uniforms in 2014… Baylor's new McLane Stadium will host pregame “sail-gating,” with on-the-water tailgating spaces available… The Kansas State football program will hold a coaching clinic at Bill Snyder Family Stadium and the Vanier Football Complex April 11-12… Feb. 27, 2014, was proclaimed as “Coach O'Leary and UCF Knights Football Day” in the city of Winter Park, Fla…
Obituaries
Former Temple, Long Beach State and Northeastern athletics director and former NFF Director of Development Dave O'Brien passed away on March 1. He was 57…
Former North Carolina-Pembroke team captain Ned Sampson passed away Feb. 18. He was 84… Former Furman team captain Sonny Horton passed away Feb. 21. He was 84… Former Wyoming football player Walter Whiteside Jr. passed away Feb. 24. He was 83… Former Villanova offensive lineman Vincent Carlesimo died Feb. 24. He was 96… Former Mississippi football player Henry Laws died Feb. 25. He was 81… Former Clemson and Newberry (S.C.) football player Bryce Lever passed away Feb. 25. He was 90… Former Miami (Fla.) defensive back JoJo Nicolas died Feb. 26. He was 24… Former Michigan football player and Delaware assistant coach Irv “Whiz” Wisniewski passed away Feb. 26. He was 89…
Former “Voice of the Longhorns” Wally Pryor, who served as Texas’ public address announcer for almost 40 years, passed away March 1. He was 86… Former Oklahoma lineman J.W. Cole died March 1. He was 86… Longtime Nebraska-Kearney team physician Doc Stevenson passed away March 2. He was 87… Former Saint John’s (Minn.) football player Stephen Glady, a member of the 1963 and 1965 NCAA Division III championship teams, passed away March 2. He was 69… Longtime Louisiana high school football coach Don Shows, who won eight state championships, passed away March 3. He was 75… Former Alabama and Penn State president Joab Thomas passed away March 3. He was 81…
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.
March 6, 2014 – Release of the 2014 College Football Hall of Fame ballot – Irving, Texas
Mid-May – 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.
