Black College Football Hall of Fame - Class of 2024 Finalists

 

Class of 2024 Finalists

11/30/2023

At a glance:

• 28 Finalists have been selected from over 200 nominees.
• The Class of 2024 Inductees will be announced on December 14th, 2023.
• Inductees will be honored during the Black College Football Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on June 8th, 2024, in Atlanta, Georgia.

ATLANTA, GA (November 30th, 2023) – The Black College Football Hall of Fame announced today the 28 Finalists for induction into the Class of 2024. The list includes 23 players and five coaches.

“We would like to congratulate the Class of 2024 Finalists”, said Doug Williams, Super Bowl XXII MVP, Chairman and Co-Founder of the Hall of Fame. “Each of these men represents the absolute best of Black College Football.”

The Finalists were selected from a field of over 200 nominees by a 10-member Selection Committee composed of prominent journalists, commentators, historians, former NFL General Managers and football executives.

“Thank you to the selection committee for their dedication and hard work in selecting this year’s Finalists,” said Committee Chairman Charlie Neal. “The job of the selection committee is not easy, but the passion for preserving the history of Black College Football shows in this year’s group of Finalists.”

The Class of 2024 will be announced on December 14th, 2023. They will be recognized for the first time at the Allstate HBCU Legacy Bowl in New Orleans on February 24th, 2024 and honored during the 15th Annual Black College Football Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Saturday, June 8th, 2024 in Atlanta, Georgia. For more information, please visit www.BlackCollegeFootballHOF.org

PLAYER FINALISTS (23 Players)

• Julius Adams (DE, Texas Southern University, 1967-1970)
• Joe “747” Adams (QB, Tennessee State University, 1977-1980)
• George Atkinson (S, Morris Brown, 1965-1968)
• Antoine Bethea, (DB, Howard University, 2002-2005)
• Dwaine Board (DE, North Carolina A&T State University, 1975-1978)
• Larry Brooks (DT, Virginia State University, 1969-1972)
• Vince Buck (DB, Central State University, 1986-1989)
• Waymond Bryant (LB, Tennessee State University, 1970-1973)
• Kevin Dent (S, Jackson State University, 1985-1988)
• Henry Dyer (RB, Grambling State University, 1963-1965)
• Vernon Holland (OL, Tennessee State University, 1967-1970)
• Richard Huntley (RB, Winston-Salem State University, 1992-1995)
• Ezra Johnson (DL, Morris Brown University, 1973-1976)
• Rashean Mathis (DB, Bethune-Cookman University, 1999-2002)
• Jacquay Nunnally (WR, Florida A&M University, 1997-2000)
• Lemar Parrish (RB, Lincoln University, 1966-1969)
• Tyrone Poole (DB, Fort Valley State University, 1991-1994)
• Anthony Pleasant (DE, Tennessee State University, 1987-1990)
• Jake Reed (WR, Grambling State University, 1987-1990)
• Eddie Robinson, Jr. (LB, Alabama State University, 1988-1991)
• Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (DB, Tennessee State University, 2004-2007)
• John Thierry (DE, Alcorn State University, 1991-1994)
• Jay “Sky” Walker (QB, Howard University 1991-1994)

COACH FINALISTS (5 Coaches)

• Rod Broadway (Head Football Coach, North Carolina Central University, North Carolina A&T, Grambling State University, 2003-2017)
• Rudy Hubbard (Head Football Coach, Florida A&M University, 1974-1985)
• Eddie Hurt (Head Football Coach, Morgan State University, 1929-1959)
• Fred “Pop” Long (Head Football Coach, Wiley College 1921- 1965)
• Doug Porter (Head Football Coach, Mississippi Valley State University 1961-1965, Howard University 1974-1985, Fort Valley State University 1987-1996)

ABOUT THE BLACK COLLEGE FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME

The Black College Football Hall of Fame was founded in 2009 by African-American pioneers, quarterbacks James Harris and Doug Williams to preserve the history and honor the greatest football players, coaches and contributors from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). There have been over 100 Inductees since inception, including Mel Blount, James Harris, Willie Lanier, Art Shell and Doug Williams, who serve as Trustees.

The Black College Football Hall of Fame (BCFHOF) soon will have a permanent home at the Pro Football Hall of Fame (PFHOF) to tell the story of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).

www.BlackCollegeFootballHOF.org
www.Twitter.com/BCFHOF

www.Facebook.com/BCFHOF

ABOUT THE ALLSTATE HBCU LEGACY BOWL

The Allstate HBCU Legacy Bowl, presented by the Black College Football Hall of Fame is a postseason all-star game that showcases the top 100 NFL draft-eligible football players from Historically Black Colleges and Universities. The game will be played on the Saturday, February 24, 2024, in New Orleans, Louisiana at Tulane University, and broadcast live on NFL Network. More than a football game, the week-long celebration of Black culture and history will provide invaluable exposure for HBCU students. HBCU Legacy Bowl Founding Partners include Allstate, the National Football League, adidas, Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes and his 15 and the Mahomies Foundation, Coca-Cola, Coors Light, The New Orleans Saints, The State of Louisiana, Riddell, The Sugar Bowl, Zebra Technologies, and the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Follow the HBCU Legacy Bowl on social media via @HBCULegacyBowl or visit www.HBCULegacyBowl.com for more information.

Fans of the modern era love Phil Dawson – Hey, Terry!

 

Published: Nov. 24, 2023, 5:20 a.m.

 

By Terry Pluto, cleveland.com

 

Hey, Terry: The Browns did a masterful job bringing out Chubb and Jim Donovan for the Pittsburgh game. The crowd was the loudest I’ve heard in many years. Can you think of any other ex-players or Cleveland icons who could fire up the home crowd at a possible playoff game? – Tim O’Hara.

 

Hey, Tim: Bernie Kosar? Brian Sipe? Both? Fans of the modern era love Joshua Cribbs and Phil Dawson. The Donovan/Chubb combination is unique. Jimmy is coming back from leukemia. Chubb has had two knee operations in the last three months. That’s a special moment.

 

 

Aaron Kampman enjoyed 'tremendous ride' in Green Bay

 

Pass rusher went from unheralded arrival to Packers Hall of Famer

Nov 13, 2023 at 05:10 PM

 

Mike Spofford

packers.com editor

GREEN BAY – If Aaron Kampman arrived in Green Bay in 2002 somewhat overlooked as a fifth-round draft pick, he learned pretty quickly it wouldn't be easy to change that perception.

 

"Funny story, early in my career when we set out the third-down pass rush depth chart, I remember that I thought I'd be the second, maybe third team," Kampman recalled. "I actually wasn't even on the depth chart to start things out. So that gave me a little indication about where I was starting."

 

He's finishing, though, in the Packers Hall of Fame, as Kampman and fellow pass rusher Clay Matthews will be the next two inductees in August 2024.

A small-town kid from Aplington-Parkersburg High School in Iowa who played college football for his home-state Hawkeyes, Kampman went on to earn two second-team All-Pro selections and two Pro Bowl honors during eight years with the Packers.

 

He's always shared credit with the teammates and coaches around him, but Kampman's own drive and work ethic played probably the biggest role in his success. His small-town, humble upbringing was the genesis of that, which is what he plans to talk about during his induction ceremony next summer.

 

"The work ethic there was instilled in me at a young age," he said, speaking with the media Monday. "That was something that exemplified itself all the way through my career, and I wanted to be the best.

 

"Being a 10-year-old, I had a dream I wanted to play in the NFL, and that was something I was very fortunate to be able to do. It was a tremendous ride."

 

It didn't start out like gangbusters, as Kampman had to persevere, steadily but surely working his way into a full-time starting role. Three years into his career, he had a total of seven sacks.

 

Then Jim Bates arrived as the Packers' new defensive coordinator in 2005, and the change benefited Kampman as an every-down defensive end.

 

"We started to play a little different defense at that time, which allowed me to get a little wider and start to rush a little bit differently," he said. "That's when I think I had more opportunities to get on the field, and to rush and show some of that ability."

 

Kampman nearly doubled his career sack total that year with 6½, and then when Bob Sanders arrived as defensive coordinator along with head coach Mike McCarthy in 2006, his career really took off.

 

He posted 15½ sacks in '06 and 12 more in '07, earning his All-Pro and Pro Bowl accolades those seasons. The 15½ sacks remain the third-highest single-season total in team history (since sacks became an official NFL statistic in 1982), and his 113 tackles that year still stand as a franchise record for a defensive lineman.

He added 9½ more sacks in 2008, capping a five-year run in which he started 89 of a possible 90 regular-season games, missing only the '07 finale when starters were resting for the playoffs.

 

A knee injury ended his season early in 2009 and, as it turned out, his time in Green Bay, which concluded with 54 total sacks, good for fifth on the franchise's all-time list. He finished his career with two injury-riddled seasons in Jacksonville.

 

He couldn't have asked for a better fit than coming to the NFL's smallest market, though, and for that he's forever thankful. He and his wife, Linde, became very involved in a number of community and charitable endeavors as three of their four children were born in Green Bay.

 

"It was a great time in our lives," said Kampman, who now runs a leadership development company called Align that he started seven years ago. He's also coached football at Solon High School in Iowa for roughly the past decade.

 

"When I was coming out of Iowa, I had three draft visits to the New York Jets, to San Diego and to Green Bay, and my wife and I, we've both reminisced about what life may have looked like if we would've ended up on one of the coasts. We're very blessed and fortunate that Green Bay was the spot for us."

 

Aaron Kampman named to Packers Hall of Fame

 

LB Clay Matthews (2009-2018) and DE Aaron Kampman (2002-2009) will be inducted into the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame in August 2024 (WBAY)

 

By WBAY news staff

 

Published: Nov. 13, 2023 at 10:01 AM EST | Updated: 3 hours ago

 

GREEN BAY, Wis. (WBAY) - Former linebacker Clay Matthews and former defensive end Aaron Kampman are being inducted into the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame.

The Hall of Fame made the announcement Monday morning. They’ll be formally enshrined at the 53rd Hall of Fame Induction Banquet on Thursday, August 29.

Matthews was a first-round pick for the Packers in the 2009 NFL Draft. He played for the Packers for 10 seasons, 2009-2018, and started 137 of the 143 games he played in. He left the NFL after playing for the Los Angeles Rams for one season in 2019.

According to the team, Packers Hall of Fame, he holds the team records for most sacks in a rookie season, with 10, and most career sacks since 1982, with 83.5. His six Pro Bowl selections as a Packer have him tied with Pro Football Hall of Famer Reggie White for second-most in the franchise for a defensive player. He also holds the team record for most sacks in post-season games since 1982, with 11 sacks, and ranks him #6 in NFL playoff history, too.

Kampman also started his career with the Packers and played for eight seasons in Green Bay. He was a 5th-round pick in the 2002 NFL Draft and made 104 starts in 112 games.

In 2006, his breakout year, he made 15.5 sacks, ranking him #2 in the NFL that season and #3 in Packers history. He also made 113 tackles that year, a record for a Packers defensive lineman. His 37 sacks from 2006 to 2008 ranked him #3 in the NFL at that time, and he was a Pro Bowl selection in 2006 and 2007.

Kampman played two more seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars before finishing his NFL career.

The Hall of Fame Induction Banquet will be held in the Lambeau Field Atrium starting with a cash bar at 4 p.m. and the dinner and program at 5:30. Details for getting tickets will be released soon, the Hall of Fame said.

Copyright 2023 WBAY. All rights reserved.

 

T.J. Hockenson set an NFL record in the first half vs. Saints

 

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - NOVEMBER 12: T.J. Hockenson #87 of the Minnesota Vikings scores a touchdown against the New Orleans Saints during the second quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium on November 12, 2023 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Adam Bettcher/Getty Images)

 

Chris Spooner 

November 13, 2023 10:23 am CT

Minnesota Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson has been an integral piece of the Vikings offense all season, and that was no different on Sunday against the Saints. In fact, he was even more a piece of the offense on Sunday than usual.

Hockenson became the first tight end in NFL history to have 10 or more receptions, 125 or more yards, and a touchdown in a single half with his first-half against the Saints.

https://x.com/VikingsPR/status/1723797244753703368?s=20

It’s fair to say that Hockenson was everywhere on Sunday, and that he and new quarterback Josh Dobbs were able to build a significant rapport with each other over the week. Unfortunately, the success they had in the first half was not able to carry over to the second.

Despite the record-setting first half for Hockenson, he was held to only one reception for six yards in the second half. Still, both he and Dobbs would tell you that getting the win is more important than individual stats.

We’ll see what the record-setting tight end has in store for us next week when the Vikings face off against the Denver Broncos on Sunday Night Football.

PFF: Tyler Linderbaum 1st among all Centers in NFL pass blocking

 

twitter.com/PFF_Ravens/status/1722275063104524302?s=20

Ravens Eye View: How Tyler Linderbaum Keeps Getting Better

 

Nov 07, 2023 at 03:29 PM

 

Ryan Mink

Editorial Director

Baltimore Ravens running back Keaton Mitchell (34) runs with the ball during an NFL football game between the Baltimore Ravens and the Seattle Seahawks, Sunday, Nov. 5, 2023 in Baltimore.

 

When you win 37-3, there's a lot to like from the film.

 

The Ravens' dominance of the Seattle Seahawks in Week 9 was evident on both sides of the ball and upon further inspection.

 

Here's what stood out:

 

With all due respect to the Ravens' defensive mastery, undrafted rookie running back Keaton Mitchell's breakout was the best story of the game. Mitchell hadn't had a carry yet this season (just one reception), but he showed why he will add another dynamic to this offense in the second half of the season.

 

Mitchell's calling card is his speed, and his top speed of 20.99 mph on his 40-yard touchdown was the fastest recorded of any Ravens ball carrier this season.

 

But it wasn't just speed that Mitchell used to do his damage. He showed a bit of everything on just nine carries, indicating that this wasn't just a flash-in-the-pan performance.

 

On some runs, it was excellent change of direction and lateral quickness. On others, it was Mitchell's excellent vertical burst through small holes. When there wasn't much of a hole to start with, Mitchell showed excellent vision and patience.

 

Mitchell went undrafted out of East Carolina because of concerns about his 5-foot-8, 191-pound size. That's why his contact balance and power with a ridiculous eight forced missed tackles was possibly the most impressive part of his game. Mitchell picked up 108 yards over expected, the most of any running back in the league since 2020, per Next Gen Stats.

The man leading the way on Mitchell's 60-yard gallop in the fourth quarter was none other than center Tyler Linderbaum, who put two blocks on Seahawks linebacker Jordyn Brooks on the play.

https://twitter.com/Ravens/status/1721631210236006898?s=20

Linderbaum's run blocking was superb again as the Ravens piled up 298 yards on the ground. But his biggest improvement this season, which was on display against the Seahawks, has been in his pass protection.

https://twitter.com/ColeJacksonFB/status/1721591927894610297?s=20

https://x.com/ColeJacksonFB/status/1721595752181346413?s=20

Top 5 offensive players in Baltimore Ravens history

 

Baltimore has been defined by its defenses, but a handful of offensive stars stick out.

KYLE MADSON

21 HOURS AGO (november 6, 2023)

The Baltimore Ravens for most of this century have been synonymous with defense. In fact, a quick list of the top 10 players in Ravens history might feature seven or eight players from the defensive side. But what if we eliminated those dominant units from the conversation and focused strictly on offense? 

Digging into the offensive history of the Ravens is a little bleak in comparison to the other side of the ball. However, a handful of stars on offense stand out as a cut above the rest. With respect to some Ravens greats like Jamal Lewis, Todd Heap and others who didn't make the list, here are the top-five offensive players in Ravens history:

5. QB Joe Flacco

Flacco earned his spot here with is remarkable 2012 playoff run where the Ravens went 4-0 and the QB tossed 11 touchdowns with zero interceptions en route to a Super Bowl win and a Super Bowl MVP honor. In 11 years with Baltimore, Flacco started all 163 games he played. He threw for 38,245 yards with 212 touchdowns and 136 interceptions. There haven't been many great QBs in Ravens history, but Flacco is by far the best of them. 

4. K Justin Tucker

Okay, technically Tucker is a special teams player, but for our purposes he lands under the offensive umbrella. There are more arguments to be made than not that Tucker is the best kicker of all-time, and that's good enough to get a spot on a team's top-five offensive players list. He's the Ravens' all-time leading scorer by a wide margin and by the time the 33-year-old is done he might set an untouchable scoring record. Tucker is also the most accurate kicker in NFL history at 90.2 percent overall. He's also hit a whopping 95.5 percent of his field goals inside of 50 yards. 

3. QB Lamar Jackson

There's a strong chance Jackson winds up atop this list by the time his career is finished. Health will be a factor, but he's 52-18 in his first 70 starts and in six years he already has an MVP award, an All-Pro nod and a pair of trips to the Pro Bowl. He has 110 touchdowns and just 41 interceptions in his first 79 games, along with a pair of 1,000-yard rushing seasons and 29 rushing touchdowns. There aren't many dual-threat QBs better than Jackson in NFL history. In 2023 the Ravens' QB is off to a tremendous start that could put him in line to rapidly climb the franchise's all-time list over the next several years. 

2. G Marshal Yanda

Mitchell Layton-USA TODAY Sports

It's hard to hit a bigger home run than the Ravens did when they selected Yanda in the third round of the 2007 draft out of Iowa. He went on to start 166 of the 177 games he played in Baltimore and dominated wherever he played on the offensive front. Yanda was an eight-time Pro Bowler, two-time First-Team All-Pro and a five-time Second-Team All-Pro who was also voted as a member of the Hall of Fame's All-Decade team for the 2010s. On top of all that, he was an integral piece of Baltimore's Super Bowl run in 2012 when he didn't miss an offensive snap in four playoff games.

1. LT Jonathan Ogden

Any lists of all-time great left tackles has to have Ogden at or near the top. He was a dominant run blocker who spent his entire 12-year career eliminating pass rushers from existence. The Pro Football Hall of Famer's resume is immaculate with 11 Pro Bowls in 12 years, along with four First-Team All-Pro and five Second-Team All-Pro nods. Ogden was as dominant as a left tackle comes, and there aren't many teams where he wouldn't be the No. 1 offensive player in that franchise's history. 

 

Mike Vrabel continues to dominate NFL head coaches in key area

 

SAM PHALEN
46 MINUTES AGO (october 31, 2023)

 

NASHVILLE -- If you want to know what makes Mike Vrabel such a good head coach, you need not look further than how his Tennessee Titans do coming off the bye week.

With a 28-23 victory over the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, Vrabel improved to 6-0 as the Titans head coach in games after the bye week. When you give the players extra rest and Vrabel extra time to prepare, the Titans are a wagon.

        

https://x.com/Sam_Phalen/status/1718992835540611365?s=20 

But it's not just Vrabel's undefeated record off the bye that is so impressive. It's the dominant fashion in which Tennessee has won so many of these games. Accompanying that 6-0 record is a 6-0 record against the spread and a shocking point differential. Vrabel's Titans have more than doubled the scoring output of their opponents (179-83).

Once again dating back to the start of 2018, the Titans are averaging 22.5 points per game in weeks with regular rest. There is a significant jump to averaging 29.8 point per game off the bye.

Here's a look at the game directly after the bye in every season since 2018 (Vrabel's first year):

11/05/2018 - W 28-14 @ Dallas

11/24/2019 - W 42-20 vs. Jacksonville

10/13/2020 - W 42-16 vs. Buffalo

12/12/2021 - W 20-0 vs. Jacksonville

10/23/2022 - W 19-10 vs. Indianapolis

10/29/2023 - W 28-23 vs. Atlanta

So what exactly does Vrabel and the Titans organization do so well when given extra time to prepare?

"We just try to focus on getting better. I think we focus on improving and doing things that are going to help us win," Vrabel said when I asked him earlier this week. "I think for me as the head coach here, it's frustrating sometimes like yesterday, when we were really, really close to putting teams away...We make it a little closer than what it should be. But that's this league sometimes. All the credit to the players for going out there, performing and being ready to go."

Not the most insightful answer from the head coach, but who can blame him? Whatever Vrabel and the Titans have going on in their approach to the bye week is working. That might be best kept close to the vest.

But it's undeniable at this point. This is more than a coincidence or trend. You could even take things one step further and point to the Titans' 4-1 record in games following Thursday Night Football. Mike Vrabel and his coaching staff do a better job than other staffs of getting prepared and approaching weeks with extra rest. 

That could bode well for the Titans against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 10 after playing in Pittsburgh on Thursday night.

TJ Hockenson 1st in YAC per game among TES, 2023

 

https://x.com/locktominny/status/1717586007607189797?s=42&t=tko7UhQEepLbYIfIbXuyow

Vikings vs. 49ers Week 7 Rehash

Oct 24, 2023 at 06:30 PM

 

Craig Peters

Senior Editor

 

 

   

The Vikings prevailed 22-17 against the 49ers Monday in an impressive team performance.

 

Several players hit milestones, including Kirk Cousins, who passed for 378 yards, recording his 50th career game with at least 300 yards through the air. He's the fifth QB to do so in his first 12 NFL seasons and 15th with at least 50 games all-time.

 

T.J. Hockenson led Minnesota with 11 receptions, blowing past a record for fastest tight end to record 100 receptions with a team. Hockenson entered the game with 96 through his first 16 regular-season games. The previous record was 20 games.

Jordan Addison recorded his first 100-yard game, making his Monday Night Football debut with style and substance, with 20- and 60-yard touchdown catches. He became just the fifth rookie since 1970 with at least 400 receiving yards and six receiving touchdowns through his first seven games.

 

Danielle Hunter recorded his 80th career sack, passing former teammate Everson Griffen for seventh in franchise history.

 

Camryn Bynum snagged two interceptions for the first time in one game and teamed up on a tackle with Harrison Smith of Christian McCaffrey. Smith forced a fumble by the running back that was recovered by Dean Lowry.

Up next is a renewal of the Border Battle between the Vikings (3-4) and Packers (2-4) at noon (CT) Sunday.