IRVING, Texas (Dec. 17, 2015) – The National Football Foundation (NFF) & College Hall of Fame remembered today those who passed away in 2015 and played a role in improving the game of college football for future generations.

“It is always important at this time of year to reflect on those who have left us,” said NFF President & CEO Steve Hatchell. “Part of the mission of the National Football Foundation is to shine a light on the good in the game and to preserve its history. We lost some great ones in 2015, and our thoughts and prayers are with their families, friends and universities. We will work hard to ensure that their contributions are not forgotten.”

Bill Arnsparger
Head Football Coach, Athletics Director
LSU, Florida
Dec. 16, 1926 – July 17, 2015

Nick Balich
Fiesta Bowl Past President
University of Arizona
Dec. 19, 1936 – Oct. 15, 2014

* Ron Beagle
1986 College Football Hall of Fame Inductee
U.S. Naval Academy
Feb. 7, 1934 – Sept. 8, 2015

* Chuck Bednarik
1969 College Football Hall of Fame Inductee
University of Pennsylvania
May 1, 1925 – March 21, 2015

* Forrest Behm
1988 College Football Hall of Fame Inductee
University of Nebraska
July 31, 1919 – June 29, 2015

Jim Bradley
Head Football Coach
New Mexico State University
March 8, 1933 – Aug. 12, 2015

* Don Bryant
1998 FWAA Bert McGrane Award Recipient
University of Nebraska
July 25, 1929 – Dec. 5, 2014

Walter Byers
First Executive Director of the NCAA
University of Iowa
March 13, 1922 – May 26, 2015

Robert T. Clark
Executive Director
Maxwell Football Club
Aug. 14, 1935 – April 25, 2015

Charlie Coffey
Head Football Coach
Virginia Tech
June 28, 1934 – Aug. 24, 2015

Ben Collins
Head Football Coach, Athletics Director
University of Texas at El Paso
April 1, 1921 – Nov. 20, 2014

* John David Crow
1976 College Football Hall of Fame Inductee
Texas A&M University
Athletics Director
Louisiana-Monroe, Texas A&M
July 8, 1935 – June 17, 2015

Harper Davidson
Orange Bowl Past President
University of Florida
Sept. 11, 1934 – Oct. 11, 2015

* Bill Enyart
2011 College Football Hall of Fame Inductee
Oregon State University
April 28, 1947 – Feb. 10, 2015

Andy Everest
Athletics Director
University of North Texas
Oct. 27, 1924 – Dec. 21, 2014

* Charlie Flowers
1997 College Football Hall of Fame Inductee
University of Mississippi
June 28, 1937 – Dec. 7, 2014

Chuck Gerber
Television Executive
Adelphi University (N.Y.)
April 9, 1944 – Nov. 6, 2015

* Frank Gifford
1975 College Football Hall of Fame Inductee
University of Southern California
Aug. 16, 1930 – Aug. 9, 2015

* Ray Graves
1990 College Football Hall of Fame Inductee
Head Football Coach, Athletics Director
University of Florida
Dec. 31, 1918 – April 10, 2015

Jack Gregory
Athletics Director
Bowling Green State University
June 8, 1927 – Dec. 4, 2014

* Wayne Harris
2004 College Football Hall of Fame Inductee
University of Arkansas
May 4, 1938 – June 4, 2015

* Father Theodore Hesburgh
1975 NFF Distinguished American Award Recipient
NFF Board Member and College President
University of Notre Dame
May 25, 1917 – Feb. 26, 2015

Tommy Hudspeth
Head Football Coach
BYU, UTEP
Sept. 14, 1931 – June 23, 2015

* Donald Keough
1992 NFF Gold Medal Recipient
NFF Board Member
Creighton University
Sept. 4, 1926 – Feb. 24, 2015

Jim LaRue
Head Football Coach
University of Arizona
Aug. 11, 1925 – March 29, 2015

* Eddie LeBaron
1980 College Football Hall of Fame Inductee
University of the Pacific (Calif.)
Jan. 7, 1930 – April 1, 2015

* Steve Meilinger
2013 College Football Hall of Fame Inductee
University of Kentucky
Dec. 12, 1930 – Sept. 14, 2015

Ray Nagel
Head Football Coach, Athletics Director
Utah, Iowa, Washington State, Hawaii
May 18, 1927 – Jan. 15, 2015

Dick Schromm
President of NFF Sacramento Valley (Calif.) Chapter
University of Central Missouri
Aug. 16, 1933 – April 19, 2015

* Tom Scott
1979 College Football Hall of Fame Inductee
NFF Board Member
University of Virginia
Sept. 3, 1930 – Aug. 31, 2015

* Jim Sochor
1999 College Football Hall of Fame Inductee
Head Football Coach, Athletics Director
University of California-Davis
Feb. 11, 1938 – Nov. 24, 2015

* Jim Swink
1980 College Football Hall of Fame Inductee
Texas Christian University
March 14, 1936 – Dec. 3, 2014

Nelson Townsend
Athletics Director
Maryland Eastern Shore, Delaware State, Florida A&M, Buffalo
May 16, 1941 – Jan. 8, 2015

* Jim Weaver
2009 NFF John L. Toner Award Recipient
Athletics Director
UNLV, Western Michigan, Virginia Tech
March 5, 1945 – July 2, 2015

* James “Froggy” Williams
1965 College Football Hall of Fame Inductee
Rice University
March 18, 1928 – June 23, 2015

Richard Williamson
Head Football Coach
University of Memphis
April 13, 1941 – Sept. 21, 2015

“Asterisk denotes a College Football Hall of Fame inductee or NFF Major Award Honoree”


About The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame
Founded in 1947 with early leadership from General Douglas MacArthur, legendary Army coach Earl "Red" Blaik and immortal journalist Grantland Rice, The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame is a non-profit educational organization that runs programs designed to use the power of amateur football in developing scholarship, citizenship and athletic achievement in young people. With 120 chapters and 12,000 members nationwide, NFF programs include FootballMatters.org, the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta, The William V. Campbell Trophy presented by Fidelity Investments, annual scholarships of more than $1.3 million and a series of initiatives to honor the legends of the past and inspire the leaders of the future. NFF corporate partners include the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, Delta Air Lines, Fidelity Investments, Herff Jones, New York Athletic Club, Pasadena Tournament of Roses, PrimeSport, SKP, the Sports Business Journal and Under Armour. Learn more at www.footballfoundation.org.