IRVING, Texas (Dec. 4, 2015) – The National Football Foundation (NFF) & College Hall of Fame highlighted today that its fabled 58^th NFF Annual Awards Dinner, which will take place Dec. 8 at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City, promises to be one of the most memorable in history.

A star-studded College Football Hall of Fame Class headlines the event, and 12 of the game’s current stars will collect $223,000 in postgraduate scholarships as members of the 2015 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class, presented by Fidelity Investments. The 12 student-athletes will also vie to be the recipient of the coveted William V. Campbell Trophy, presented by Fidelity Investments, which will be awarded that night for the 26^th time to the nation’s top football scholar-athlete. Because the main ballroom has been sold out for months and a record crowd of 1,600 is expected, an overflow room has been opened in the East Foyer to accommodate the unprecedented demand. 

“Many people have come together to support this year’s Annual Awards Dinner, and their efforts promise to make the event a celebration for the ages. We thank them all,” said NFF President & CEO Steve Hatchell. “As a bridge between the regular season and the bowl season, the NFF Dinner provides a unique setting where we briefly set aside intense rivalries to join together to celebrate our sport. If you’re passionate about college football, there will be no better place to be on Dec. 8.”

Since 1958, when U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower took a break from the election trail to accept the NFF Gold Medal at the inaugural event, the NFF Annual Awards Dinner has proven to be one of our nation’s most magnetic affairs, attracting giants of industry and leaders from all walks of life to the Waldorf Astoria’s Grand Ballroom. The 2015 banquet marks the 58th edition, and the event has become the one night of the year that brings together all entities of college football, even bitter foes, to celebrate the game.

“The National Football Foundation represents everything right about our great sport, and this night simply features the best and brightest of college football,” said NFF Chairman Archie Manning. “The accomplishments of our 2015 honorees make us all proud while providing us the ultimate vehicle for inspiring future generations to follow in their footsteps.”

The 58^th NFF Annual Awards Dinner

With more than 75 current collegiate head coaches and more than 40 returning members of the College Football Hall of Fame in attendance, the night will feature several well-known football luminaries:

• Emcee: Mike Tirico, ESPN sports broadcaster and Monday Night Football play-by-play commentator
• Welcome: Steve Hatchell, NFF President & CEO
• National Anthem and God Bless America: Daniel Rodriguez
• Invocation: Father Thomas Valenti, Columbia University Athletics Chaplain
• Introduction of College Coaches: Jerry Jones, NFF Board Member and Dallas Cowboys Owner, President and General Manager
• NFF Gold Medal Presenter: Jack Ford, NFF Board Member and TV personality
• NFF Gold Medal Recipient: Dr. Condoleezza Rice, 66th U.S. Secretary of State and current Stanford University Professor and member of College Football Playoff Selection Committee
• NFF Distinguished American Award Presenter: Roger Staubach, NFF Board Member and 1981 College Football Hall of Fame inductee from Navy
• NFF Distinguished American Award Co-Recipient: Rear Adm. Bill Byrne, Commander of U.S. Naval Forces in Korea and former Navy quarterback
• NFF Distinguished American Award Co-Recipient: Capt. Jared Tew, U.S. Air Force Pilot and former Air Force fullback
• NFF Distinguished American Award Co-Recipient: Maj. Graham White, U.S. Army Ranger and former Army punter.
• Introduction of the 2015 Hall of Fame players: Archie Griffin, NFF Board Member and 1986 College Football Hall of Fame inductee from Ohio State
• Introduction of the 2015 Hall of Fame coaches: Grant Teaff, NFF Board Member, AFCA Executive Director and College Football Hall of Fame Coach
• Response on behalf of the 2015 Hall of Fame Class: Bill Snyder, Kansas State head coach
• Official Hall of Fame Ring Ceremony: Archie Manning, NFF Chairman and 1989 College Football Hall of Fame inductee from Mississippi
• Bestowal of the 2015 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Awards, presented by Fidelity Investments: Kathleen  Murphy, NFF Vice Chairwoman and President of Personal Investing at Fidelity Investments
• Awarding of the 26th William V. Campbell Trophy, presented by Fidelity Investments: Jon F. Hanson, NFF Chairman Emeritus
• NFF Legacy Award Recipient: Donnie Duncan, former Big 12 Senior Associate Commissioner for Football
• NFF Legacy Award Recipient: Mike Slive, NFF Board Member and former SEC Commissioner
• NFF John L. Toner Award Recipient: Mark Hollis, Michigan State Director of Athletics
• NFF Chris Schenkel Award Recipient: Jim Hawthorne, Voice of the LSU Tigers
• NFF Outstanding Contribution to Amateur Football Award Recipients: Charlie Gogolak (Princeton) and Pete Gogolak (Cornell), placekicking revolutionaries

2015 College Football Hall of Fame Class

The induction of the 2015 College Football Hall of Fame Class serves as the highlight of the evening and provides the ultimate stage for the legends of yesteryear to take their rightful place among the immortals of the game. And this year’s class stands among the greatest of all-time, encompassing 15 First-Team All-Americans, two coaches, five unanimous First-Team All-Americans, five consensus First-Team All-Americans, five multi-year First-Team All-Americans, nine conference player of the year honorees, three NFF National Scholar-Athletes and winners of the Butkus Award, Doak Walker Award, Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award, Heisman Trophy, Maxwell Award and Walter Camp Player of the Year Award.

The 2015 College Football Hall of Fame Class includes: 

• Trev Alberts, LB – Nebraska (1990-93)
• Brian Bosworth, LB – Oklahoma (1984-86)
• Bob Breunig, LB – Arizona State (1972-74)
• Sean Brewer, DL – Millsaps (Miss.) (1989-92)
• Ruben Brown, OT – Pittsburgh (1991-94)
• Wes Chandler, SE – Florida (1974-77)
• Thom Gatewood, SE – Notre Dame (1969-71)
• Dick Jauron, RB – Yale (1970-72)
• Clinton Jones, HB – Michigan State (1964-66)
• Lincoln Kennedy, OT – Washington (1989-92)
• Rob Lytle (deceased), RB – Michigan (1974-76)
• Michael Payton, QB – Marshall (1989-92)
• Art Still, DE – Kentucky (1974-77)
• Zach Thomas, LB – Texas Tech (1992-95)
• Ricky Williams, RB – Texas (1995-98)
• Coach Bill Snyder – Kansas State (1989-2005, 2009-Present)
• Coach Jim Tressel – Youngstown State (1986-2000) and Ohio State (2001-10)

2015 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class, presented by Fidelity Investments

The 12 members of the 2015 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class begin their sojourn to New York City with “A Night on the Town,” also sponsored by Fidelity Investments, including a trip to Radio City Music Hall for the Christmas Spectacular show and a visit to Rockefeller Center to see the famed Christmas Tree. The 12 honorees, who will each vie as a finalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy, boast an astounding composite 3.76 grade point average, and 11-of-the-12 serve as their team captain. Other class accolades (based on 2014 accomplishments) include four All-Americans, seven All-Conference picks, six Academic All-Americans, two members of National Championship teams and one Rhodes Scholarship finalist. Each Scholar-Athlete receives an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship with the Campbell Trophy honoree claiming a grand total of $25,000.

Members of the 2015 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class include:

• E.K. Binns, OG – Navy
• Jacoby Boren, C – Ohio State
• Jake Brendel, C – UCLA
• Taveze Calhoun, DB – Mississippi State
• Derek Crittenden, DE – Montana
• Ty Darlington, C – Oklahoma
• Jordan Dobrich, LB – Nevada
• Spencer Drango, OT – Baylor
• Blake Frohnapfel, QB – Massachusetts
• Jordan Italiano, S – Kent State
• Hank Spencer, LB – Mount Union (Ohio)
• Jason Vander Laan, QB – Ferris State (Mich.)

NFF Awards Press Conference

The morning press conference will give media and fans a chance to hear from the NFF Major Award winners, the 2015 College Football Hall of Fame Class and the 2015 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class, presented by Fidelity Investments. The press conference will also include the announcement of the 2015 recipient of the Wuerffel Trophy, the national award that honors the college football player who best exhibits exemplary community service. ESPN3 will carry the entire press conference live, beginning at 9 a.m. ET.

• Press Conference Moderator: Chris Cotter, ESPN studio host of College Football Live
• Comments on the NFF: Steve Hatchell, NFF President & CEO
• Comments on the 2015 class and the Scholar-Athlete program: Kathleen Murphy, NFF Vice Chairwoman and Fidelity Investments President of Personal Investing
• Announcement of the 2015 Wuerffel Trophy winner: Danny Wuerffel, 1996 Campbell Trophy winner and 2013 College Football Hall of Fame inductee from Florida

The NFF Chapter Awards Luncheon, presented by Under Armour

The NFF Chapter Awards Luncheon will take place at 11:30 a.m. ET in the Vanderbilt Room of the Waldorf. The NFF will honor the five NFF National High School Scholar-Athletes and the five winners of the 2015 Chapter Leadership Awards at the event.

• Emcee: Dick Vermeil, former UCLA and Super Bowl-winning NFL head coach
• NFF Welcome: Archie Manning, NFF Chairman and 1989 College Football Hall of Fame inductee from Mississippi
• Presentation of the Chapter Leadership Awards: Nick Carparelli, Under Armour Senior Director of College Sports
• Presentation of the NFF National High School Scholar-Athlete Awards: Amy Yakola, ACC Senior Associate Commissioner
• NFF National High School Scholar-Athlete Zachary Allen – from New Canaan High School in New Canaan, Conn., and the Ralph Desantis/Fairfield County Chapter in the Northeast Region. (Currently attending Boston College.)
• NFF National High School Scholar-Athlete Kenneth Brinson Jr. – from Marist School in Atlanta and the Touchdown Club of Atlanta Chapter in the South Region. (Currently attending the United States Military Academy.)
• NFF National High School Scholar-Athlete William Hefley III – from Pulaski Academy in Little Rock, Ark., and the NFF Arkansas Chapter in the Midwest Region. (Currently attending the University of Tulsa)
• NFF National High School Scholar-Athlete Jelani Roberts – from The Gilman School in Baltimore and the Greater Baltimore Chapter in the East Region. (Currently attending Northwestern University)
• NFF National High School Scholar-Athlete Josh Rosen – from St. John Bosco High School in Bellflower, Calif., and the Los Angeles Chapter in the West Region. (Currently attending UCLA)
• South Region NFF Chapter Leadership Award recipient Mark Ball, Texas Tech Chapter
• East Region NFF Chapter Leadership Award recipient Marc Hudak, New York City Chapter
• Northeast Region NFF Chapter Leadership Award recipient Richard Lewis, Joseph Mewhiney/Central Massachusetts Chapter
• Midwest Region NFF Chapter Leadership Award recipient Gerry McGuire, Sunflower (Kan.) Chapter
• West Region NFF Chapter Leadership Award recipient Tom Taradash, Valley of the Sun (Ariz.) Chapter

Ivy League Asa S. Bushnell Cup Announcement, presented by the Pasadena Tournament of Roses

On the day before the event, the NFF will partner with the Ivy League to co-host a Noon ET presentation of the Asa S. Bushnell Cup, which honors the Ivy League Football Players of the Year. The event will take place at the Waldorf Astoria as part of the festivities leading up to the NFF Annual Awards Dinner and will be carried live on The Ivy League® Digital Network.

• Emcee: George Pyne, NFF Board Member, former All-Ivy League offensive tackle at Brown and a charter inductee into the NFF Leadership Hall of Fame
• NFF Welcome: Murry Bowden, NFF Vice Chairman and 2003 College Football Hall of Fame inductee from Dartmouth
• Welcome Address: Mike Matthiessen, 2015 Pasadena Tournament of Roses President
• Comments on the Ivy League football season and announcement of the 2015 Bushnell Cup winners: Robin Harris, Ivy League Executive Director

William V. Campbell Trophy Reception at the New York Athletic Club

The New York Athletic Club will host a special reception the day after the Annual Awards Dinner in honor of the 2015 Campbell Trophy recipient. The NYAC became the official home of the Campbell Trophy in 2013, and the award is prominently displayed in the NYAC Hall of Fame.

• Emcee: Jack Ford, NFF Board Member, TV personality and former Yale football player
• Recognition of the 2015 Campbell Trophy recipient: Bill Campbell, NFF Board Member and trophy namesake
• Welcome Address: Dominic Bruzzese, NYAC President
• NFF Welcome: Clay Bennett, NFF Vice Chairman and Chairman of the Oklahoma City Thunder
• Recognition of the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Award endowed by the NYAC: Blake Frohnapfel, 2015 NFF National Scholar-Athlete from Massachusetts
• Comments from the 2015 Campbell Trophy recipient.

NFF National Scholar-Athletes at the 2015 IMG Intercollegiate Athletics Forum

The NFF has partnered with the SportsBusiness Journal in helping promote the IMG Intercollegiate Athletics Forum, which takes place Dec. 9-10 in New York. This year, the NFF will again send four members of the 2015 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class to speak at the forum as part of a panel discussing their life-changing experiences as high performing student-athletes.

• Panel Moderator: Jay Williams, ESPN analyst
• Participating NFF National Scholar-Athletes: Jacoby Boren (Ohio State), Taveze Calhoun (Mississippi State), Spencer Drango (Baylor) and Jordan Italiano (Kent State)

Sponsors

Sponsors involved with the day’s events include:

• Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl
• Delta Air Lines
• Fidelity Investments
• Herff Jones
• iSix
• New York Athletic Club
• The Pasadena Tournament of Roses
• PrimeSport
• Spielman Koenigsberg & Parker, LLP
• SportsBusiness Journal
• Sports Systems
• Under Armour
• UPS

FootballMatters.org
Check out FootballMatters.org, the NFF’s new home for storytelling that promotes the power of amateur football. Features focus on the stories that evoke the qualities of leadership, sportsmanship, competitive zeal, character building and the drive for academic excellence that exemplifies many of the young men who play football and the families who support them. #FootballMatters

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.