(Pictured: Former Penn State offensive guard and 2013 William V. Campbell Trophy winner John Urschel, now a member of the Baltimore Ravens, recently had his latest math paper, “A Cascadic Multigrid Algorithm for Computing the Fiedler Vector of Graph Laplacians,” published in the Journal of Computational Mathematics.)
Hall of Famer and Penn Legend Chuck Bednarik Passes Away
Chuck “Concrete Charlie” Bednarik, a 1969 College Football Hall of Fame inductee from the University of Pennsylvania, passed away March 21. He was 89 years old.
Born May 1, 1925, in Bethlehem, Pa., Bednarik attended Liberty High School, where he began his football journey. A formidable force at 6-foot-2 and 235 pounds, Bednarik led the football team to an undefeated season as a junior. Following his graduation, he entered the United States Army Air Forces, and he served as a B-24 waist-gunner with the Eighth Air Force.
By the time Bednarik entered Penn in 1945, he was already 20 years old, and he had flown 30 combat missions over Germany as a gunner. Bednarik operated as a 60-minute player at center and linebacker, even in a time where rules allowed for free substitution.
Playing for College Football Hall of Fame coach George Munger, Bednarik led the Quakers football team to a 24-7-1 record during his career. A three-time All-American, he finished seventh in Heisman Trophy voting in 1947 and third in 1948. During his 1948 All-America season, Bednarik was awarded the Maxwell Award, presented to the college player of the year.
Bednarik was the first player drafted in the 1949 NFL Draft, by the Philadelphia Eagles. He played 14 seasons as a center and linebacker for the Eagles from 1949-62. He was a member of two NFL Championship teams in 1949 and 1960 and his career earned him enshrinement into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1967.
After his pro career, Bednarik served as a longtime chairman of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Commission, which oversees boxing and wrestling in the state. Bednarik’s former Eagles number, 60, is one of nine numbers retired by Philadelphia. In 1987, he was inducted into the Eagles Hall of Fame. In 1995, the Maxwell Football Club began awarding the Chuck Bednarik Award, presented annually to the defensive collegiate player of the year.
2013 Campbell Trophy Winner John Urschel has Math Paper Published
Former Penn State offensive guard and 2013 William V. Campbell Trophy winner John Urschel, now a member of the Baltimore Ravens, recently had his latest math paper, “A Cascadic Multigrid Algorithm for Computing the Fiedler Vector of Graph Laplacians,” published in the Journal of Computational Mathematics. He has already had several other research papers published and taught college-level courses while attending Penn State, including Integral Vector Calculus and Trigonometry and Analytic Geometry.
A team captain and a key component to one of the Big Ten’s most productive passing offenses, Urschel claimed Associated Press Third Team All-America honors his senior year. He earned a bachelor’s in mathematics in May 2012, a master’s in mathematics a year later, and he was working on a second master’s degree in math education – all while maintaining a perfect 4.0 GPA. A Big Ten Medal of Honor recipient, Urschel garnered back-to-back First Team Academic All-America honors and was named the winner of the 84th Sullivan Award in 2013, which is presented by the Amateur Athletic Union to America’s top amateur athlete.
Final Rules Changes: Part I
Rogers Redding, the national coordinator of College Football Officiating, provides insights about rules changes and the mindset of college football referees. The CFO is the national professional organization for all football officials who work games at the collegiate level.
The NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel (PROP) has given final approval to rules changes for 2015. The rules committee proposals were discussed here in the most recent column, and of these PROP approved all except one. The change for ineligible receivers downfield was not approved. Below are descriptions of several of the changes.
Crew of Eight Officials: For about thirty years the rules have allowed as many as seven officials on the field. Based on an approved experiment by the Big 12 Conference, which was described in this column last summer, the rules now allow for eight officials. The eighth official, the center judge (with the letter “C” on the uniform), is positioned in the offensive backfield opposite the Referee.
Non-Standard Overbuilt Facemask is Illegal: This is a facemask characterized by greater weight and closer spacing between the bars. Use of the facemask is a safety issue: opponents can easily get their fingers caught in the tight space. The NFL outlawed this facemask a few years ago.
Illegal Equipment: Player is Out for One Play: Up until now, if the officials noticed that a player was wearing illegal equipment, the team was charged one of its three timeouts. The new rule is that the player must leave the game for at least one play and may not return until the equipment is made legal. His team may burn a timeout to keep him from missing a down, but the equipment must be corrected before he is allowed to play.
Pregame Warm-Ups: Teams Guaranteed Access to the Field: By the new rule, the teams are now guaranteed that they may remain on the field for pregame warm-ups until at least 22 minutes before the opening kickoff. The committee was concerned that teams were being forced to leave the field early because of other pregame activities, and thus were having to spend too much time in the locker room before the kickoff. The new rule may be suspended for a given game by prior mutual agreement of the teams.
In the next column we will describe the rest of the changes.
NFF Promotes FootballMatters.org
The NFF would like to highlight the newest stories on FootballMatters.org, a powerful new addition to the organization’s campaign to highlight the good in the game and the lifelong benefits to those who play it. Recent headlines on the site include:
The NFF recently launched the first FootballMatters.org eNewsletter, which will periodically highlight some of the top stories on the site. Click here to sign up to receive the eNewsletter from FootballMatters.org.
The site focuses 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. You can learn more about the site and watch a video featuring NFF Chairman Archie Manning and NFF Board Members Jack Ford, Archie Griffin, Kevin Plank and Rod West by clicking here.
The site is the latest addition to the NFF’s #FootballMatters Campaign, which began in 2013 and provides people from border-to-border and coast-to-coast a voice in highlighting the positive impact that football has had on their lives. 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 TV spots urge people to utilize social media platforms and the hashtag: #ImAFootballPlayer to share their football stories, which become part of the Twitter feed on the NFF website.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME HAPPENINGS
THIS WEEK:
As part of the Atlanta Science Festival from March 21-28, tonight the College Football Hall of Fame and Chick-fil-A Fan Experience will host “Science of Sports Safety,” an interactive evening to highlight local advances in sports science and technology, and to promote concussion awareness and sports safety.
More than a dozen other special groups have scheduled special tours this week.
LAST WEEK:
The College Football Hall of Fame hosted the Atlanta Hawks organization during a special reception on the Playing Field on March 18.
The Atlanta Falcons hosted a March Madness viewing party on the Playing Field for their fantasy football team on March 19.
VISIT THE HALL:
The new College Football Hall of Fame opened its doors Aug. 23, 2014, 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 provides 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. To plan your visit and purchase tickets, visit www.cfbhall.com.
Georgia Southern will welcome NFF Chairman and College Football Hall of Famer Archie Manning (Mississippi) at Hanner Fieldhouse tomorrow (March 24) as part of the university’s Leadership Lecture Series.
NFF Board Member and CEO of BP Capital Management T. Boone Pickens will be among the featured speakers during The Wall Street Journal’s 2015 ECO:nomics executive conference March 25-27 at the Bacara Resort in Santa Barbara, Calif.
The Phillip and Patricia Frost School of Music at the University of Miami (Fla.) announced naming benefactors Dr. Phillip and Patricia Frost have donated $1 million to support and rename its highly effective Frost MusicReach community music program as the Donna E. Shalala MusicReach Program, in honor of the NFF Board Member and outgoing president of the university.
2015 College Football Hall of Fame electee Brian Bosworth (Oklahoma) will speak at Davidson Academy's Stories of Faith event Saturday in Nashville, Tenn. Bosworth’s new movie, “Do You Believe?” opened March 20.
College Football Hall of Famer and 1996 Campbell Trophy winner Danny Wuerffel (Florida) will be honored by the Florida Players Network at its fourth annual Spring Spectacular events during the University of Florida's Orange and Blue Debut game weekend April 10-11.
College Football Hall of Famer and 1982 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Dave Rimington is part of the inaugural University of Nebraska Athletics Hall of Fame Class.
College Football Hall of Famer Woodrow Lowe (Alabama) was profiled by AL.com after his induction into the Senior Bowl Hall of Fame last week.
College Football Hall of Fame coach John Gagliardi will be inducted into the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame at the 51st annual banquet on April 2 at the Denver Marriott City Center.
College Football Hall of Fame coach and 1995 NFF Distinguished American Award recipient Tom Osborne (Nebraska) will be the featured speaker at the Boys and Girls Clubs of Central Wyoming’s 17th annual Awards and Recognition Breakfast on Sept. 1.
College Football Hall of Famer Art Monk (Syracuse) will be honored as this year’s Bobby Mitchell Champion of the Gridiron at the Washington Football Legends Scholarship Gala on Saturday.
College Football Hall of Famer Art Shell (Maryland Eastern Shore) has been elected to the State of South Carolina Football Hall of Fame. Former Clemson safety Brian Dawkins, former South Carolina quarterback Dan Reeves and former Wofford wide receiver and current Carolina Panthers owner Jerry Richardson join him in this year’s class.
The 11th Annual Pat’s Run, honoring 2006 NFF Distinguished American and College Football Hall of Famer Pat Tillman (Arizona State), is scheduled for April 25 in Tempe, Ariz. The event raises scholarship funds for Tillman Scholars who, in Pat’s name, strive to make a significant impact for our country and communities.
College Football Hall of Famer Herschel Walker (Georgia) will be the featured speaker at Shasta College (Calif.)’s 21st Celebrity Dinner-Auction.
2014 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Tyler Lockett (Kansas State) has been named the winner of the 2014 Johnny "Jet" Rodgers National College Football Return Specialist Award.
2014 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Zach Zenner (South Dakota State) has been chosen as one of the recipients of the 14th Division I FCS Athletics Directors Association Scholar-Athletes of the Year.
2003 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Jonathan Vilma will be inducted into the University of Miami Sports Hall of Fame at its 47th Annual Induction Banquet on April 9 at Jungle Island in downtown Miami. Also in the class are former football player and assistant coach Rob Chudzinski and former Hurricane football players Rusty Medearis, Winston Moss, Kevin Patrick and Sean Taylor.
1974 NFF National Scholar-Athlete and current Southern California athletics director Pat Haden and former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, both members of the College Football Playoff Selection Committee, took part in the university’s first Athletic Director Speaker Series.
NFF Program Updates
The NFF Scholar-Athlete of the Day, presented by Fidelity Investments, is a daily segment honoring the 2014 National Scholar-Athlete Award candidates, who also comprise the list of semifinalists for the William V. Campbell Trophy, presented by Fidelity Investments. Today’s honoree is Rob Bowman, an offensive lineman at New Hampshire who graduated in December 2014 with a 3.20 GPA in business administration.
The NFF Central Pennsylvania Chapter held its Scholar-Athlete Banquet on March 22 at the Penn Stater Hotel in State College. Former Penn State guard Jeff Hartings, an NFF National Scholar-Athlete in 1995, was the featured speaker.
The NFF Morris County (N.J.) Chapter will host its Scholar-Athlete Banquet tonight at the Madison Hotel in Morristown. NFF Director Emeritus and former Rutgers athletics director Bob Mulcahy will be the guest speaker.
The NFF Pasadena/San Gabriel (Calif.) Chapter will hold its Scholar-Athlete Banquet tomorrow at the Pasadena Convention Center. John “J.J.” Jackson, a former Southern California wide receiver and 1989 NFF National Scholar-Athlete, will be the emcee.
The NFF Tom Lombardo/St. Louis Chapter will hold its monthly luncheon on Wednesday at Lombardo's Airport Restaurant. St. Louis Rams Defensive Coordinator Gregg Williams will be the guest speaker. The luncheons are an important part of the chapter’s fundraising goals.
The NFF San Fernando Valley (Calif.) Chapter will hold its Scholar-Athlete Banquet on March 30 at the Sportsman’s Lodge in Studio City, Calif.
The NFF Gridiron Club of Dallas Chapter will host its Seventh Annual Awards Banquet on April 6 at the Irving Convention Center at Las Colinas. Former Texas Tech quarterback and 1967 NFF National Scholar-Athlete John Scovell will receive the 2015 Distinguished Texan Award and new SMU head coach Chad Morris will be the guest speaker. The chapter will also distribute more than $10,000 in scholarships.
Dan Lauria, the actor of “Wonder Years” and “Lombardi” fame and who played football at Southern Connecticut State University, will be honored by the NFF Casey-O'Brien/New Haven (Conn.) Chapter on April 10 with the chapter’s Distinguished American Award. The chapter’s Scholar-Athlete Banquet will take place at the Fantasia Banquet Facility in North Haven, Conn.
The NFF Minnesota Chapter will hold the Eighth Annual Minnesota Football Honors on May 3 at the Hilton in Minneapolis. The Minnesota Vikings are once again the presenting sponsor.
New Football Schools
East Tennessee State officially launched its campaign for its new football stadium, which will be built in two phases and ultimately cost approximately $26.6 million. College Football Hall of Fame Coach Phillip Fulmer (Tennessee) addressed the crowd via video at the event…
Scheduling
Temple’s football game at Charlotte originally scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 3, has been changed to Friday, Oct. 2… The Marshall-Southern Miss football game, originally scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 10, has been moved to Friday, Oct. 9… Pittsburgh and Tennessee have agreed to a home-and-home series in 2021 and 2022… BYU and Mississippi State have scheduled a home-and-home series for 2016 and 2017… Idaho and Missouri have agreed to a single game between the two schools on Oct. 21, 2017… Indiana agreed to a three-game series with Ball State in 2018, 2019 and 2020… Navy posted its 2018 non-conference football schedule… The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) and the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) announced their conference champions will meet in the newly created Celebration Bowl postseason game on Dec. 19 at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta… The SEC is adding independents BYU, Army and Notre Dame to the list of Power 5 schools that meet the league’s competition criteria…
People
UMass named Ryan Bamford its new director of athletics… Kim Blum has been named director of athletics at Wisconsin-La Crosse… Matt Green will assume interim athletics director duties at Shorter (Ga.)… Willamette (Ore.) has selected Valerie Cleary to serve as its next director of athletics… Former Wingate (N.C.) football player Dr. Rhett Brown has been named the university’s new president…
Awards and Honors
Former Clemson running back Terry Allen, former Livingstone (N.C.) tight end Ben Coates and former Furman head coach Jimmy Satterfield have been elected to the State of South Carolina Athletics Hall of Fame… Ohio State running back Ezekiel Elliott was announced as a finalist for the AAU Sullivan Award, which honors the most outstanding amateur athlete in the nation… Athletics Directors Mitch Barnhart (Kentucky), Jeff Long (Arkansas), Ian McCaw (Baylor) and Dan Radakovich (Clemson) were named finalists for the 2015 SportsBusiness Journal and SportsBusiness Daily Athletics Director of the Year…
Facilities
Florida State’s Board of Trustees approved issuing up to $85 million in bonds to pay for upgrades to Doak Campbell Stadium, which would include structural repairs, re-painting the stadium, updated skybox suites and a new premium outdoor seating section…
Community Service
LSU head coach Les Miles surprised a 15-year-old LSU fan battling cancer with a phone call and box seats at Tiger Stadium…
Miscellaneous
Texas at San Antonio’s Roadrunner Athletic Fund has unveiled the Student-Athlete Society, an organization with free membership to all former and current UTSA student-athletes to promote a culture of loyalty, enthusiasm and support for UTSA Athletics…
Obituaries
Former Adelphi (N.Y.) football player Robert X. Modica passed away March 14. He was 83… Montana football player Kole Swartz died March 15. He was 18… Former Army and Boston University football player Hank Migliozzi passed away March 15. He was 87… Former Kansas Academic All-America football player Mike Shinn passed away March 16. He was 72… Former Furman football player Gregory Walcott passed away March 20. He was 87…
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Sept. 24, 2015 – Announcement of the 2015 semifinalists for the William V. Campbell Trophy – Irving, Texas
Oct. 29, 2015 – Announcement of the 2015 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class, presented by Fidelity Investments – Irving, Texas
Dec. 7, 2015 – Presentation of the Asa S. Bushnell Cup to the Ivy League Football Players of the Year at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel – New York City
Dec. 8, 2015 – NFF Chapter Awards Luncheon, presented by Under Armour, at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel – New York City
Dec. 8, 2015 – 58th NFF Annual Awards Dinner Press Conference at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel – New York City
Dec. 8, 2015 – 58th NFF Annual Awards Dinner at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel – New York City
Dec. 8, 2015 – 26th presentation of the William V. Campbell Trophy, presented by Fidelity Investments and prominently displayed at the NYAC, to the nation's top football scholar-athlete at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel – New York City
Dec. 8, 2015 – Induction of the 2015 College Football Hall of Fame Class at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel – New York City
Jan. 8, 2016 – Announcement of the 2016 College Football Hall of Fame Class – Scottsdale, Ariz.
Jan. 11, 2016 –College Football Playoff (CFP) National Championship at University of Phoenix Stadium – Glendale, Ariz.
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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.
