Editor's Note: Terrell Buckley will be officially inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame during the 62nd NFF Annual Awards Dinner on Dec. 10 in New York City.

Terrell Buckley
Florida State University
Defensive Back (1989-91)

• Named a 1991 unanimous First Team All-American and winner of the Thorpe Award.
• Led the nation in interceptions (12) and return yards (238) during senior season.
• Remains Seminoles' all-time leader in career interceptions (21).
• Played for College Football Hall of Fame Coach Bobby Bowden.
• Becomes the seventh Florida State player inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.

In some ways, asking Terrell Buckley about his favorite memory from his time at Florida State is like asking a father to pick his favorite child. There are just so many special moments, across so many different seasons, that it is hard for the Seminoles great to pinpoint just one.

"There's not just one. I love college football. I love Florida State. I love the atmosphere," Buckley said. "Football-wise, practice, basically you line up (against) other NFL players, finding out what separates good players from great players, great players from special players, special players to legendary players. You go through all those phases. I went through all those phases at Florida State.

"Looking at the record book, Deion (Sanders) had just left. Coach (Bobby) Bowden said: 'Deion is the greatest athlete and football player I've ever seen.' So that's a challenge. If you're a competitor and you love talent and you love pushing yourself to the limit, that's the memory and things about Florida State that I love."

It is that "never satisfied" mentality that allowed Buckley to push himself above and beyond some of the Florida State greats who came before him, and it is what has landed him in the College Football Hall of Fame, becoming the seventh FSU player to earn the distinction.

Buckley entered Tallahassee in 1989, one year after Sanders left with 14 career interceptions, second-best in school history. Buckley then set the single-season (12) and career interception mark (21) across the next three years, giving him bragging rights that he still touts in conversation today. Buckley's 501 career interception return yards remain the FBS record.

"He was one of the best college football players to ever play the game," said current FSU head coach Willie Taggart, who grew up a fan of the Garnet and Gold. "He's one of those great Noles. There are a lot of guys that should have their jersey retired. He's one of them. But it just goes back to seeing how much those guys changed the game when they played. They changed the game. I know Deion changed the game. Buck came and changed the game."

Buckley was flanked on each side of the ball by fellow Hall of Famers Charlie Ward and Derrick Brooks, along with being coached by one in Bowden. He became a unanimous First Team All-American in 1991, winning the Jim Thorpe Award and finishing seventh in the Heisman Trophy voting. Florida State went 31-6 during Buckley's time on campus, never finishing lower than fourth in the national polls.

Buckley also played baseball and track at FSU. Drafted No. 5 overall in the 1992 NFL Draft, he spent 14 years in the NFL, including 50 interceptions and a Super Bowl ring with the 2001 Patriots. He returned to FSU in 2007 to earn his bachelor's degree and embark on a coaching career.

Now the cornerbacks coach at Mississippi State, the Pascagoula, Mississippi, native likes the day-to-day bonding activity of coaching. He jokes that, given his credibility from his playing days, he can simply tell this generation of players to Google his highlights and study his technique when they ask him "Why?"

"I love the mentorship of the players, the actual coaching on the field," Buckley said.

He has three daughters: his eldest Sherrell, an FSU graduate and former golfer, the youngest Britney, currently a business major at Mississippi State, and his middle Brianna, a senior at Notre Dame. Between the "ND Dad" shirts, his current Bulldogs gear and his Seminoles roots, Buckley has developed a full wardrobe showing off his college allegiances.