(Pictured: The new SEC Network finalized its 2014 football commentating line-up, adding College Football Hall of Famer Andre Ware (Houston) and 1998 Campbell Trophy winner Matt Stinchcomb (Georgia) as college football analysts when it launches Aug. 14.)
Colleges and Universities Continue Adding Football Teams in 2014
The NFF highlighted that seven new college football teams will take the field for the first time this season, increasing the number of schools across all NCAA divisions and the NAIA offering football to 767, an all-time high.
The rationale for adding football varies at each institution, and all of the decision makers who helped develop a plan for launching a program explain that an in-depth study played a critical role in finding the right level of play and the proper financial balance. Small colleges may cite increasing enrollment and addressing gender imbalances while larger universities might highlight the role of football in raising the institution’s profile and its ability to attract research grants. All mention creating a more vibrant on-campus community and connecting with alumni.
The seven programs launching football in 2014 include Arizona Christian University, The College of Idaho, George Fox University (Ore.), Limestone College (S.C.), Missouri Baptist University, Paine College (Ga.) and Southeastern University (Fla.). Click here to learn more about the new schools that have added football.
Voters Announced for the FWAA-NFF College Football Poll
The Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) and the National Football Foundation (NFF) announced the names of some of the most respected minds in college football who will participate in the “FWAA-NFF Grantland Rice Super 16 Poll,” a ranking of the top 16 teams in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision that will be released each week beginning Sept. 15.
Long-time partners since the formation of the two organizations in the 1940s, the FWAA and NFF voters will rank the top 16 teams in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision. The poll will be announced on Mondays during the 2014 season. The first poll will take place Sept. 15, culminating with a final release on Dec. 7, the day after the conference championship games. The votes of each member will be made public each week during the season. Click here to see the complete list of the 2014 voters.
Allstate Sugar Bowl to Host 10th Annual NFF National Hall of Fame Salute
The NFF announced that the Allstate Sugar Bowl will host the 10th Annual NFF National Hall of Fame Salute. The event will honor the 2014 College Football Hall of Fame Class on the field during the pregame festivities of the 81st edition of the Allstate Sugar Bowl Football Classic, which will take place Jan. 1, 2015 and serve as one of the semifinal games in the new College Football Playoff postseason format. The event will mark the fourth time that the Allstate Sugar Bowl has hosted the NFF National Hall of Fame Salute.
The game is set to kickoff at 7:30 p.m. CT on Jan. 1, 2015 in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, and the game will be televised on ESPN. This year’s game is the 81st edition of the Allstate Sugar Bowl Football Classic, and the first time the game will serve as a semifinal game in the College Football Playoff.
Countdown to the 25th Campbell Trophy: Robert Zatechka - 1994
In recognition of the 25th Anniversary of the William V. Campbell Trophy, which will be awarded Dec. 9 to the absolute best scholar-athlete in the country for his academic success, football performance and exemplary community leadership, the NFF will highlight one of the previous winners each week until the 57th NFF Annual Awards Dinner at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City.
This past week’s honoree was Nebraska offensive tackle Robert Zatechka, who received the Campbell Trophy in 1994. A standout four-year starter at offensive tackle, Zatechka anchored a Nebraska offensive line for four years that produced an overall record of 42-6-1 from 1991-94 and captained the 1994 Cornhuskers to an undefeated national championship season. With a 4.0 in biological science, Zatechka was a four-time Academic All-Big Eight Conference honoree, a two-time First Team GTE Academic All-American, a 1994 NCAA Top Eight Award selection and the 1994-95 Big Eight Male Athlete of the Year. After three years in the NFL, he continued his medical training and currently serves as a physician at Nebraska Orthopedic Hospital. Click here for more on Zatechka.
The NFF Links with SBJ to Promote IMG Intercollegiate Athletics Forum
The National Football Foundation (NFF) announced that it will continue its partnership with Sports Business Daily/Global/Journal of the Street & Smith’s Sports Group to promote the 13th Annual IMG Intercollegiate Athletics Forum, which will take place Dec. 10-11 in New York City at the New York Marriott Marquis at Times Square.
The IMG Intercollegiate Athletics Forum draws more than 300 of the top people from the collegiate sports, including NCAA leadership, university presidents, conference commissioners, athletics directors, media partners and corporate sponsors.
The 2014 IMG Intercollegiate Athletics Forum, now in its 13th year, will be held from Dec. 10-11 at the New York Marriott Marquis at Times Square during “College Football Week” in New York City. The 2014 Forum will follow the 57th NFF Annual Awards Dinner at the Waldorf-Astoria on Tuesday, Dec. 9. Additional program details and registration information for the 2014 Forum can be found, when available, online at www.IntercollegiateAthleticsForum.com.
NFF at Football Bowl Subdivision Media Days
NFF COO Matthew Sign addressed the media at the Big 12 and SEC Media Days, updating them on the NFF’s initiatives. FOX Sports continues to provide live coverage of the Big 12 Media Days. NFF President & CEO Steve Hatchell will address the media at the American Athletic Conference Media Day on July 29 at the Hyatt Regency Newport in Newport, R.I.
Save the Date – Sept. 4 – for the Third Annual Bloomberg Sports Business Summit
The NFF is partnering with Bloomberg for the third-consecutive year to offer a special discounted rate to attend the Bloomberg Sports Business Summit, which will take place this year on Sept. 4, 2014 in New York City.
National Football Foundation members are eligible to join the Summit at a significantly reduced rate by registering now for the discounted rate of $725 (Reg. rate $1,800) by entering the code NFF at http://www.bloomberglink.com/events/sports-2014/.
The Bloomberg Sports Business Summit stands as the premier annual event for the industry’s biggest dealmakers. Bloomberg will again gather commissioners, owners and players to discuss the business of sports and the money behind the game. The event will take place Thursday, Sept. 4, 2014 from 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. ET (Eastern Time) in the Altman Building at 135 W 18th Street in New York City. Learn more by clicking here or contacting Ryan Gavaghan at 609-279-7023 or rgavaghan@bloomberg.net.
2014 Institutional Academic Membership Program is Open
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 and conferences at every level of college football, and it reached new levels of support in 2013.
Email Ron Dilatush at rdilatush@footballfoundation.com to learn about the benefits and how your school can become a 2014 Institutional Academic Member. Institutions that have signed up this week include founder member Fairleigh Dickinson (N.J.) and executive member Hobart (N.Y.). Click here for the 2014 members.
NFF “Football Matters” Campaign
The NFF campaign, Football Matters, continues to provide 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. Scheduled to open Aug. 23, the new College Football Hall of Fame will be a 94,256-square-foot attraction located in the heart of Atlanta’s sports, entertainment and tourism district. Adjacent to the Georgia World Congress Center and Centennial Olympic Park, the new Hall will provide visitors with a highly-immersive, interactive and engaging experience using a blend of historic college football artifacts and state-of-the-art, interactive multimedia exhibits.
NFF Chairman and College Football Hall of Famer Archie Manning (Ole Miss) has been chosen to receive the Rube Award from the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame for his lifetime of contributions to sports in the state. The presentation will be made Friday at the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame induction banquet at the Jackson Hilton.
The New York Daily News spent four days at the Manning Passing Academy with NFF Chairman and College Football Hall of Famer Archie Manning (Ole Miss), 1997 Campbell Trophy winner Peyton Manning (Tennessee) and 2003 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Eli Manning (Ole Miss), providing a great behind-the-scenes look at the famous Louisiana camp.
NFF Board Member, Oklahoma Athletics Director and 2013 NFF John L. Toner Award recipient Joe Castiglione was named chair of the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Committee for the 2015-16 academic year.
NFF Board Member, 2004 NFF Gold Medal recipient and namesake of the Campbell Trophy, William V. Campbell, reflected on his long association with Apple in an exclusive interview with Fortune as he steps down from the company’s Board of Directors.
The new SEC Network finalized its 2014 football commentating line-up, adding College Football Hall of Famer Andre Ware (Houston) and 1998 Campbell Trophy winner Matt Stinchcomb (Georgia) as college football analysts when it launches Aug. 14. FWAA-NFF Grantland Rice Super 16 Poll voter Tony Barnhart was also added to the network’s roster. Already announced SEC Network analysts include 2009 Campbell Trophy winner Tim Tebow (Florida) and 2010 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Greg McElroy (Alabama).
ESPN announced a slate of four SEC Storied documentaries that will help kick off the new SEC Network, which will feature College Football Hall of Famers Bo Jackson (Auburn), Emmitt Smith (Florida) and Steve Spurrier (Florida), among other notable celebrities.
Sixty-three college football coaches from five conferences will be at ESPN from July 21-31, including Northwestern’s Pat Fitzgerald (Hall of Fame player from Northwestern), Texas Tech’s Kliff Kingsbury (2002 NFF National Scholar-Athlete) and South Carolina’s Steve Spurrier (Hall of Fame player from Florida).
College Football Hall of Fame coach Phillip Fulmer (Tennessee), along with former Texas head coach Mack Brown, was named to the Broyles Award selection committee that annually selects the top assistant college football coach in the country.
The Texas Sports Hall of Fame in Waco, Texas, will host a screening on Aug. 8 for The Big Shootout, a documentary of the 1969 Arkansas-Texas game, which was coined “The Game of the Century.” The game featured College Football Hall of Fame coaches Frank Broyles and Darrell Royal and College Football Hall of Fame player Chuck Dicus (Arkansas). The event will begin with an introduction by filmmaker and producer Mike Looney, and conclude with a Q&A with former players. Tickets are available for purchase online. A single ticket will cost $20, a pair will be $35 or take advantage of our Special Offer and purchase a pair of tickets and your own copy of the DVD for $50!
1997 Campbell Trophy winner Peyton Manning (Tennessee) was honored his third ESPY for Best NFL Player and also accepted the award for Best Record-Breaking Performance.
A new annual award added to the 2014 ESPYS, The Pat Tillman Award for Service, was given to Josh Sweeney, a Purple Heart recipient and a member of the U.S. Paralympic Sled Hockey Team that won the gold medal at the 2014 Paralympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia. The award honors an individual with a strong connection to sports that has served others in a way that echoes the legacy of the late Pat Tillman, the 2006 NFF Distinguished American and a College Football Hall of Fame inductee from Arizona State.
The Big 12 Conference will host “The State of College Athletics Forum,” the first in a series of forums dedicated to the issues facing college athletics, on Aug. 6, at 4 p.m. ET, at the New York Hilton Midtown Hotel. Among the participants are NFF Board Member and Big 12 Commissioner Bob Bowlsby and 1981 NFF National Scholar-Athlete and current West Virginia Athletics Director Oliver Luck.
2008 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Darryl Richard (Georgia Tech) has been hired as assistant director of business operations for the Clemson Athletic Department.
2004 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Rocky Myers was elected to the Wesley College (Del.) Athletic Hall of Fame. Also selected were former football players James Doran, Jeremy Jordan, Jimmy Kostack and Michael Simpson.
1994 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Derrick Brooks (Florida State) will stage a one-day football camp on Friday at Gulf High School in New Port Richey, Fla. for children of all skill levels in grades one-eight.
NFF Program Updates
Since 1959, the National Football Foundation has annually recognized the best and the brightest college players, presenting them with prestigious NFF National Scholar-Athlete Awards. The NFF Scholar-Athlete Alumni Association adds to this collective voice, providing a powerful vehicle for past honorees to remain in the vanguard of the NFF’s present efforts. For a list of the members of the 2013 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Alumni Association, click here. Solicitation for 2014-15 membership will be sent to all former National Scholar-Athletes in July. For more information on the program or to enroll early, please email Hillary Jeffries at hjeffries@footballfoundation.com.
The NFF Nassau County and Suffolk County Chapters in New York hosted a 7-on-7 tournament this year. The MSG Network (the Fox regional) carried the event. Click here to watch a replay.
The NFF Chicago Metro Chapter’s Fred Mitchell Award, named in honor of the former Wittenberg (Ohio) kicker and given to the top college kicker in the nation at all divisions of play, is now on display in an exhibit highlighting Mitchell’s career at the Chicago Sports Museum.
Mitchell Turley from Westfield High School in Indiana was named the State of Indiana Scholar-Athlete of the Year for 2013-14 by the NFF Joe Tiller/Northwest Indiana Chapter. The presentation of the trophy and scholarship check took place July 17 as part of the Indiana Football Coaches Association’s North-South All-Star Game Banquet.
The NFF Bill Dooley/Triangle (N.C.) Chapter will hold its Pigskin Preview on Thursday at the Embassy Suites in Cary, N.C., featuring North Carolina State coach Dave Doeren, North Carolina coach Larry Fedora, Duke coach David Cutcliffe, East Carolina coach Ruffin McNeill and North Carolina Central coach Jerry Mack.
The NFF State of Maine Chapter is sponsoring its eighth annual “Kick-Off Luncheon” on July 31 at the Howard Johnson Conference Center in Portland, Maine. The event will feature the head football coaches of the six football playing colleges in Maine: Dave Caputi of Bowdoin, Jack Cosgrove of Maine, Mark Harriman of Bates, Chris McKenney of Maine Maritime, Jon Michaeles of Colby and Gabby Price of Husson.
The Nebraska Football Hall of Fame, sponsored by the NFF Nebraska Chapter, has selected former Nebraska players Russ Hochstein, Carl Johnson, Mike Mandelko and Barrett Ruud and former Nebraska-Kearney player Justin Coleman to the 2014 class. College Football Hall of Famer Tom Osborne will be presented with the 2014 President’s Award.
New Football Schools
The University of Maryland Eastern Shore is trying to restore football to the university after a more than 30-year absence. Click here to view a video on the history and importance of football at the university…
Scheduling
Alabama and Southern California will open the 2016 season in the Cowboys Classic at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas… Michigan and Oklahoma agreed to a home-and-home series in 2025 and 2026… Virginia Tech and West Virginia will open the 2017 season at FedExField… Tennessee and West Virginia will face off on Sept. 1, 2018 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C… Penn State announced future home football games with Georgia State and Kent State and a new date for the 2017 game with Pittsburgh… Houston and Vanderbilt announced a non-conference home-and-home football series in 2015 and 2021… Tulsa and Louisiana-Lafayette agreed to a home-and-home series in 2017 and 2019…
People
ESPN’s Rece Davis will serve as emcee for the 2014 Big Ten Kickoff Luncheon on July 29 at the Hilton Chicago…Tennessee announced Jeff Jarnigan as the new public address announcer at Neyland Stadium, replacing Bobby Denton who filled the role for 48 years…
Brain and Concussion Research
The University of Michigan Athletic Department has partnered with the Depression Center and School of Public Health on a grant from the NCAA that will develop and evaluate a program for supporting mental health initiatives for student-athletes…
Bowl Games
The San Francisco Bowl Game Association will host the seventh annual Bay Area College Football Media Day on July 30 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif…
Awards and Honors
Former football players Flozell Adams and Buck Nystrom were elected to the Michigan State University Athletics Hall of Fame… Former football players Edward G. Cooke and Charlie Wysocki were elected to the University of Maryland Athletics Hall of Fame… Former football players James Butler and Luke Manget were elected to the Georgia Tech Sports Hall of Fame… Former assistant coach Dr. Patrick Spurgeon and former player Nay Young were elected to the Georgia Southern Athletics Hall of Fame… Former football players Josh Hoke and Tyler Thigpen were elected to Coastal Carolina’s George F. "Buddy" Sasser Athletics Hall of Fame… National Association of Collegiate Women Athletics Administrators (NACWAA) announced its 2014 Administrator of the Year Award recipients… The nominees for the 2014 AFCA Good Works Team have been announced, which includes Baylor quarterback Bryce Petty, a former NFF Gridiron Club of Dallas Chapter scholar-athlete… Former football players Kurt Jonker and Jon Harris were elected to the Augustana College (S.D.) Athletic Hall of Fame…
Media
The Big Ten announced the first three weeks of its 2014 football televisions schedule… The Southland Conference Television Network and ESPN3 will feature 15 exclusive broadcasts of all 11 Southland football teams in 2014… Appalachian State’s contest against Michigan on Aug. 30 will be broadcast on ESPN2… Temple’s game against Navy on Sept. 6 will be broadcast on ESPN3… The Big South Conference announced its 2014 football schedule on ESPN3… Conference USA announced an agreement with Sinclair Broadcast Group to produce and distribute 100 events each of the next two years… The Big South Conference has entered into an agreement with the Sinclair Broadcast Group to air the Big South on the new American Sports Network (ASN)…
ESPNU will televise more than 35 hours from college football conference media days to kick off the 2014 season… ESPN and the SEC launched a new www.SECsports.com and www.SECNetwork.com… ESPN and Comcast Cable have reached an agreement to carry the SEC Network… ESPN reached an agreement to carry the SEC Network on independent cable operators LUS Fiber, Wilkes Telephone and PTC Communications… Sun Belt Conference football media day will feature “Sun Belt Social Suite” and coverage on ESPN3… The Sun Belt Conference and ESPN announced a content expansion that will result in the exclusive distribution of up to an additional 50 Sun Belt events on ESPN3… Navy football media day will be carried live by Campus Insiders on Saturday, Aug. 2 at 10 a.m. ET… Buffalo announced a new radio partnership with ESPN 1520 AM to broadcast football games… The Southland Conference has partnered with DVSport to provide the league with HD football instant replay in 2014…
Marketing and Uniforms
UCLA and adidas unveiled a new TECHFIT football alternate uniform for the 2014 season… Arkansas has trademarked its “Hog Call”… Dayton revealed a new athletics logo and identity…
Facilities
Clemson approved a $25 million suite renovation to Memorial Stadium… Williams College (Mass.) is undergoing a $22 million modernization of Weston Field… Yale launched a new website celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Yale Bowl, www.YaleBowl100.com…
Community Service
The University of Michigan football team and Heisman Trophy winner Cam Newton (Auburn) will be among those featured in sports-themed wishes granted during ESPN’s ninth annual SportsCenter “My Wish” series, which began yesterday…
Miscellaneous
Click here to read a great feature story by former Navy football player Rocky Checca, who is now flying CASEVAC missions in Iraq…
Obituaries
Former Tennessee player and Iowa State and Texas A&M head coach Jim Myers passed away July 17. He was 92… Former Fresno State football player Jean Lamoure Jr. passed away July 9. He was 91… Former University of San Francisco and Colorado State-Pueblo quarterback and high school coach Jim Nelson died July 11. He was 63… Former Guilford College (N.C.) small-college all-American halfback and high school football coach Samuel Venuto passed away July 12. He was 87… Former Texas All-American linebacker Jeff Leiding died July 13. He was 52… Former Troy football player, head coach and athletics director Tom Jones passed away July 15. He was 90… Eldridge “Toby” Gumbs, one of Hofstra University’s first black football players, passed away July 16. He was 79… Former Wittenberg (Ohio) football player and head coach Ron Murphy passed away July 17… Former South Carolina All-American James Seawright died July 18. He was 52… Former Oregon guard Vic Atiyeh passed away July 20. He was 91… Former Illinois offensive lineman Shawn Afryl died July 21. He was 22…
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.
Aug. 23, 2014 – The new College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta opens its doors to fans.
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
Dec. 9, 2014 – Induction of the 2014 College Football Hall of Fame Class at the Waldorf Astoria – New York City
Jan. 1, 2015 – 10th Annual NFF National Hall of Fame Salute at the Allstate Sugar Bowl – New Orleans
Jan. 9, 2015 – Announcement of the 2015 College Football Hall of Fame Class – Dallas, Texas
Jan. 10, 2015 – FCS National Championship Game at Toyota Stadium – Frisco, Texas
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.
