NFF News

NFF board member Joe Castiglione has been named 2008-09 Director of Athletics of the Year by Street & Smith’s Sports Business Journal. OU’s achievement, in the just-finished academic year included a Heisman Trophy winner, the recipient of both the Wooden and Naismith Awards, seven Big 12 Conference Players of the Year, and four team titles. He has been at Oklahoma since 1998 after previously serving as AD at Missouri.

1994 NFF Distinguished American Award recipient and longtime astronaut Charles Bolden of Navy has been nominated to head the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). He has flown four space missions and later returned to the United States Naval Academy in ’94 as deputy commandant. Upon Senate confirmation Bolden, 62, would be the first African-American to serve as NASA Administrator and just the second astronaut to hold the position.

2008 NFF National Scholar-Athlete WR Brian Robiskie (Ohio State) and 2008 Heisman Trophy recipient QB Sam Bradford of Oklahoma were two of the five finalists for the 2009 Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar of the Year Award from Diverse: Issues In Higher Education magazine. The 16-year-old program recognizes the top scholar-athletes from all collegiate sports, and criteria also include leadership, character, community activism, and on-field performance.

NFF Information

SAVE THE DATES: The 2009 NFF Annual Awards Dinner will be held Tuesday, Dec. 8, at New York City's Waldorf=Astoria. For more information, please contact NFF Director of National Events Will Rudd at 800-486-1865 or via email at wrudd@footballfoundation.com.

The College Football Hall of Fame's Enshrinement Festival will be held July 17-18 in downtown South Bend, Ind., gathering together football fans from across the country to honor college football’s gridiron legends. The 2009 class features Lou Holtz, Troy Aikman, and Thurman Thomas among others who are being enshrined in the Hall of Fame. South Bend and the College Football Hall of Fame will play host to a jam-packed weekend of fun-filled events, including the induction of twenty football legends into the College Football Hall of Fame, concerts, fireworks, a grand parade, pep rally, FanFest, and much more. For more information, a complete schedule or tickets visit www.collegefootball.org/enshrinement or contact Kristen Pflipsen at Kristen.Pflipsen@collegefootball.com or 574-235-5717.

Advertising in NFF publications such as the quarterly Footballetter and the prestigious NFF Annual Awards Dinner Program will put your organization in front of key decision makers in football including coaches, players, former players, as well as NFL and college football administrators throughout the year. To inquire about the print advertising opportunities available to your organization, please contact Bret Krift with IMG College at 859-226-4406 or bret.krift@imgworld.com.

Become a fan of the National Football Foundation on Facebook - Upload your game day photos, check out pictures of the NFF Annual Awards Dinner, and chat with other college football fans.

If you are a former NFF National Scholar-Athlete (collegiate) and would like to become a member of the National Scholar-Athlete Alumni Association, please contact NFF Director of Special Projects Hillary Jeffries at 800-486-1865 or via email at hjeffries@footballfoundation.com.

To become an NFF member, please contact NFF Director of Membership Ron Dilatush at 800-486-1865 or via email at rdilatush@footballfoundation.com. Worldwide membership now is at 12,000-plus in 119 chapters.

For more information on the NFF and college football, including announcements from the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) and NCAA Football, please visit www.footballfoundation.com.

NFF Chapter Notes

The NFF Bill Ireland Las Vegas Chapter conducted its 24th annual scholarship dinner at a unique location at Cashman Field to laud 18 high school seniors with scholarships. 2009 College Football Hall of Fame coach (UNLV and USC) John Robinson also received special mention along with coach Steve Kadoich (Chapter Distinguished Career Award) and Mark Brandon (Chapter Distinguished American Award). Special guests at the event included football luminaries Barry Alvarez, College Football Hall of Fame Nominee Randall Cunningham, College Football Hall of Famer LaVell Edwards, Tony Knap and Ron Meyer.


Two-Minute Drill

Scheduling

The 13th annual Motor City Bowl in Detroit officially is set for 1 p.m. (EST) on Saturday, Dec. 26, with a ESPN national telecast… CBS will air the Tennessee at Florida game nationally on Sept. 19 to begin its Southeastern Conference slate of games. Other games released are the Alabama-Auburn tussle on Nov. 27 and the SEC Championship contest in Atlanta on Dec. 5. Remaining clashes will be announced with 6-12-day notice to allow for best possible matchups. CBS also will air doubleheaders on Oct. 10 at 3:30 and 8:00 p.m. (EDT) and on Nov. 14 at noon and 3:30 p.m. (EST)… Michigan will face UMass and Bowling Green during the 2010 season.

Hirings

Missouri State named Kyle Moats athletics director.

Community Service

Syracuse football legends Gary Gait and Kirby Dar Dar joined director of athletics Daryl Gross and football student-athletes in a benefit program last week for the new Elmcrest Children’s Family Support Center… Former Kentucky standout Keenan Burton of the NFL’s St. Louis Rams is hosting a free youth SportsFest for youngsters in the Louisville, Ky., area July 3-4… Former UCLA safety James Washington hosted the “Back to Basics” clinic for 500 kids in Southern California on May 23. UCLA head coach Rick Neuheisel brought the entire UCLA coaching staff and several players to work with the campers… Buffalo head coach Turner Gill returned home to address the Fellowship of Christian Athletes at the Fort Worth Club last Thursday.

Awards and Honors

Troy coach Larry Blakeney was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame on Saturday. He has been with the Trojans for 19 seasons… Former Minnesota coachMurray Warmath (honorary coach) and Minnesota College Football Hall of Famer Bobby Bell (one of five honorary captains) will be honored at the opening of TCF Bank Stadium on Sept. 12 in Minneapolis when the Golden Gophers host Air Force. Other honorary captains are famed UM football alumni Billy Bye, Bud Grant, Bob McNamara, and Sandy Stephens (represented by his brother and former Gophers’ QB Ray Stephens).

Stadium Upgrades

Georgia has announced an expansion of Butts Heritage Hall which includes a new weight training room, athletic training facility, a multi-purpose area and new coach’s offices and meeting rooms… Heavener Football Complex received platinum certification from the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System. It is Florida’s first building to achieve the highest energy-efficiency rating … West Georgia is set to debut its new on-campus stadium on Sept. 5 against Lambuth University.

Miscellaneous

Pacific University (Ore.) will be adding varsity football – possibly as early as 2010… ESPN’s College Football Live is beginning a daily showcase of the best of amateur football – college and high school -- from all 50 United States and the District of Columbia with “College Football Live 50 States Tour” starting today and going until August 7. It will air 43 total episodes of the Live 50 States Tour with some shows including two or more states… Kansas’ football coaching staff will participate in the alumni association’s annual summer tour of nine cities in the Sunflower State and Missouri… Boise State and Learfield Sports have inked a long-term agreement for football broadcasts and marketing and promotion assistance… Wisconsin says that 94 percent of its football season-ticket holders have renewed their seats for the 2009 season… Texas Tech head football coach Mike Leach will be the guest speaker at the 40th annual Nevada Governor’s Dinner on July 17th. The Governor’s Dinner is Wolf Pack Athletics biggest special event of the year… Mississippi State has already sold 32,000 season tickets in anticipation of new coach Dan Mullen… CSS has entered into a five-year deal with ESPN to televise a minimum of six SEC football games. In a separate agreement CSS and CST are expanding Sun Belt Coverage to a total of 47 events, including football, this fall… Michael Saks, Orange Bowl Committee COO, made a hole-in-one at the golf tournament at the Southeastern Conference meetings in Destin, Fla. on May 28. It was Saks’ first hole-in-one and long-time observers said it was the first at the SEC tournament. Saks’ foursome included John Junker, CEO of Fiesta Bowl, Joe Alleva, athletics director at LSU and Tony Barnhart, writer for the Atlanta Journal Constitution.

Obituaries

Former Oklahoma great and 1950 national championship team member Norman McNabb died Wednesday in Atlanta. He was 85… Terry Barr, former Michigan halfback and defensive back, died Thursday after a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease. He was 73… Julius “Julie” Bescos, a member of the 1932 USC national championship team, died Saturday at age 97.

Key NFF Dates for 2009

July 17-18 – College Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Festival - South Bend, Ind.
July 28-Aug. 2: Annual Play It Smart National Conference - Houston, Texas
Tuesday, Dec. 8 – 52nd annual NFF College Hall of Fame Awards Dinner, Waldorf=Astoria, New York.

2010 BCS Schedule

Jan. 1- Rose Bowl presented by Citi, Pasadena, Calif., ABC
Jan. 1 - Allstate Sugar Bowl, FOX
Jan. 4 - Tostitos Fiesta Bowl, FOX
Jan. 5 - FedEx Orange Bowl, FOX
Jan. 7 - Citi BCS National Championship Game, Pasadena, Calif., ABC


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