Irving, TX (SportsNetwork.com) – Former Walter Payton Award winners Archie
Amerson and Michael Payton are among the FCS players eligible for induction
into the 2015 class of the College Football Hall of Fame, announced Wednesday.
Amerson, a running back at Northern Arizona, was the 1996 Payton winner as the
outstanding player in the FCS (then Division I-AA). He finished as the Big Sky
school’s all-time career rushing leader despite playing only two seasons (3,196
yards) and led the Lumberjacks to their first-ever I-AA playoff appearance.
Payton was the quarterback for Marshall when he won the 1992 Payton Award and
led the Thundering Herd to the national championship that season. He was a two-
time Southern Conference Player of the Year and passed for over 10,000 yards in
his career.
There are 162 players and 31 coaches, including 1994 Eddie Robinson Award
winner Jim Tressel from Youngstown State, on the ballot.
The 2015 College Football Hall of Fame class will be revealed on Jan. 9, three
days before the College Football Playoff national championship game in
Arlington, Texas. Induction ceremonies will take place Dec. 8, 2015 in New
York.
Players must have been named a First-Team All American by a major outlet and
have at least 10 years since their final collegiate game to be eligible for
selection. Additionally, they must have played within the last 50 years and be
retired from professional football.
Coaches with at least 10 years and 100 games of experience can be included on
the ballot provided they won at least 60 percent of their games and have been
retired for a minimum of three years, though active coaches over 75 years old
are immediately eligible and there is no waiting period for retired coaches
over 70.
2015 FBS PLAYERS CANDIDATES
Trev Alberts, Nebraska, Linebacker; Eric Bieniemy, Colorado, Running Back;
Brian Bosworth, Oklahoma, Linebacker; Bob Breunig, Arizona State, Linebacker;
Jerome Brown, Miami (Fla.), Defensive Tackle; Ruben Brown, Pittsburgh,
Offensive Tackle; Steve Brown, Oregon State, Linebacker; Brandon Burlsworth,
Arkansas, Offensive Guard; Larry Burton, Purdue, Split End; Keith Byars, Ohio
State, Running Back; Freddie Carr, Texas-El Paso, Linebacker; Mark Carrier,
Southern California, Safety; Wes Chandler, Florida, Split End; Tim Couch,
Kentucky, Quarterback; Tom Cousineau, Ohio State, Linebacker;
Bob Crable, Notre Dame, Linebacker; Paul Crane, Alabama, Center/Linebacker;
Eric Crouch, Nebraska, Quarterback; Randall Cunningham, Nevada-Las Vegas,
Punter; Troy Davis, Iowa State, Tailback; Eric Dickerson, Southern Methodist,
Running Back; John Didion, Oregon State, Center; Mike Dirks, Wyoming, Defensive
Tackle; D.J. Dozier, Penn State, Running Back; Tim Dwight, Iowa, Kick
Returner/Wide Receiver; Jumbo Elliott, Michigan, Offensive Tackle; Tony
Franklin, Texas A&M, Place-kicker;
William Fuller, North Carolina, Defensive Tackle; Moe Gardner, Illinois,
Defensive Tackle; Thom Gatewood, Notre Dame, Split End; Willie Gault,
Tennessee, Wide Receiver; Kirk Gibson, Michigan State, Wide Receiver; Charlie
Gogolak, Princeton, Place-kicker; Jacob Green, Texas A&M, Defensive Lineman;
Byron Hanspard, Texas Tech, Running Back; Al Harris, Arizona State, Defensive
End; Dana Howard, Illinois, Linebacker; Randy Hughes, Oklahoma, Defensive Back;
Bobby Humphrey, Alabama, Running Back; Raghib Ismail, Notre Dame, Wide
Receiver; Dick Jauron, Yale, Running Back; Ernie Jennings, Air Force, Wide
Receiver; Keyshawn Johnson, Southern California, Wide Receiver;
Clinton Jones, Michigan State, Halfback; Lincoln Kennedy, Washington, Offensive
Tackle; Tim Krumrie, Wisconsin, Defensive Tackle; Greg Lewis, Washington.
Running Back; Jess Lewis, Oregon State, Defensive Tackle; Ray Lewis, Miami
(Fla.), Linebacker; Robert Lytle, Michigan, Running Back; Buddy McClinton,
Auburn, Defensive Back; Duncan McColl, Stanford, Defensive End; Bob McKay,
Texas, Offensive Tackle; Cade McNown, UCLA, Quarterback; Mark Messner,
Michigan, Defensive Tackle; Ken Norton Jr., UCLA; Linebacker; Herb Orvis,
Colorado, Defensive End; Jim Otis, Ohio State, Fullback; Paul Palmer, Temple,
Running Back
Antwaan Randle-El, Indiana, Quarterback; Simeon Rice, Illinois, Linebacker; Ron
Rivera, California, Linebacker; Mike Ruth, Boston College, Nose Guard; Rashaan
Salaam, Colorado, Tailback; Warren Sapp, Miami (Fla.), Defensive Tackle; Larry
Seivers, Tennessee, Wide Receiver; Art Still, Kentucky, Defensive End; Zach
Thomas, Texas Tech, Linebacker; Dennis Thurman, Southern California, Defensive
Back; Andre Tippett, Iowa, Defensive End; Jackie Walker, Tennessee, Linebacker;
Lorenzo White, Michigan State, Running Back; Ricky Williams, Texas, Running
Back; Steve Wisniewski, Penn State, Offensive Guard; Scott Woerner, Georgia,
Defensive Back
2015 FBS COACH CANDIDATES
Jim Carlen – West Virginia (1966-69), Texas Tech (1970-74), South Carolina
(1975-1981); Pete Cawthon Sr. – Austin College (Texas) (1923-27), Texas Tech
(1930-40); Danny Ford – Clemson (1978-1989), Arkansas (1993-97); Billy Jack
Murphy – Memphis (1958-71); Darryl Rogers – Cal State-Hayward (1965), Fresno
State (1966-72), San Jose State (1973-75), Michigan State (1976-79), Arizona
State (1980-84); Bill Snyder – Kansas State (1985-05, 2009-present)
2015 DIVISIONAL PLAYER CANDIDATES
Archie Amerson, Northern Arizona, Running Back; Eddie Bell, Idaho State, Wide
Receiver; Rennie Benn, Lehigh, Wide Receiver; John Bothe, Augustana (Ill.),
Center; Carl Boyd, Northern Iowa, Running Back; Sean Brewer, Millsaps (Miss.),
Defensive Lineman; Marlin Briscoe, Nebraska-Omaha, Quarterback; Joe Campbell,
Middle Tennessee State, Running Back; William Campbell, Western State (Colo.),
Defensive Back; Vin Carioscia, Franklin & Marshall (Pa.), Offensive Tackle;
Peter Catan, Eastern Illinois, Defensive End; Bruce Cerone, Emporia State
(Kan.), End; Steve Cockerham, Akron, Linebacker; Bruce Collie, Texas-Arlington,
Offensive Tackle; Tom Collins, Indianapolis (Ind.), Defensive Back; Ray
Condren, Gettysburg (Pa.), Running Back;
Mark Cotney, Cameron (Okla.), Defensive Back; Case deBruijn, Idaho State,
Punter; William Dillon, Virginia Union, Free Safety; Al Dorenkamp, Central
(Iowa), Linebacker; John Dorsey, Connecticut, Linebacker; Karl Douglas, Texas
A&M-Kingsville, Quarterback; Chuck Downey, Stony Brook, Safety; Tom Ehrhardt,
Rhode Island, Quarterback; Curtis Eller, Villanova, Linebacker; Blake Elliott,
Saint Johns (Minn.), Wide Receiver; Richard Erenberg, Colgate, Running Back;
Jim Ferge, North Dakota State, Linebacker/Defensive Tackle; John Fitzgerald,
Central Oklahoma, Offensive Guard; Bernard Ford, Central Florida, Wide
Receiver; Duane Fritz, Chadron State (Neb.), Punter; Rick Fry, Occidental
(Calif.), End; Chris George, Glenville State (W.Va.), Wide Receiver;
Darwin Gonnerman, South Dakota State, Running Back; Don Greco, Western
Illinois, Offensive Guard; Don Griffin, Middle Tennessee State, Safety; Don
Hass, Montana State, Halfback; Ron Hausauer, Jamestown (N.D.), Offensive Guard;
Pat Hauser, Cal State-Northridge, Offensive Tackle; Conway Hayman, Delaware,
Offensive Guard; Bobby Hedrick, Elon, Running Back; Chris Hegg, Truman State
(Mo.) (formerly Northeast Missouri State), Quarterback; Lynn Hieber, Indiana
(Pa.), Quarterback; John Hill, Lehigh, Center; Rene Ingoglia, Massachusetts,
Running Back; Louis Jackson, Cal Poly, Running Back; Terron Jackson, Missouri
Southern State, Offensive Tackle; Ed Kelley, Hampden-Sydney (Va.), Defensive
End; Garry Kuhlman, Delaware, Offensive Tackle;
Steve McAdoo, Middle Tennessee State, Offensive Lineman; Gary McCauley,
Clarion (Pa.), Tight End; Fran McDermott, St. Mary’s (Calif.), Defensive Back;
Bill McGovern, Holy Cross, Defensive Back; Robert Morris, Georgetown, Defensive
End; Kenneth Murawski, Carnegie Mellon (Pa.), Linebacker; Ed O’Brien, Central
Florida, Place-kicker; John Ogles, Austin Peay State, Fullback; Randy Page,
Central Oklahoma, Quarterback; Chris Parker, Marshall, Running Back; Alonzo
Patterson, Wagner, Running Back; Michael Payton, Marshall, Quarterback; Martin
Peterson, Pennsylvania, Offensive Tackle; Charlie Pierce, Central Florida,
Punter/Place-kicker; Dave Pomante, Whitworth (Wash.), Defensive Lineman; Gary
Puetz, Valparaiso, Offensive Tackle; Gerry Quinlivan, Buffalo, Linebacker;
Michael Renna, Delaware, Defensive End; Kirk Roach, Western Carolina, Place-
kicker; Harold Roberts, Austin Peay State, Wide Receiver; Bill Royce, Ashland
(Ohio), Linebacker; Bobby Saiz, Adams State (Colo.), Quarterback; Terry
Schmidt, Ball State, Defensive Back; Larry Schreiber, Tennessee Tech, Running
Back; Steve Schubert, Massachusetts, Wide Receiver; Joe Skladany, Lafayette,
Linebacker; Ed Smith, Bethel (Kan.), Wide Receiver; Tom Stenglein, Colgate,
Wide Receiver; Freddie Thomas, Troy (formerly Troy State), Defensive Back;
Markus Thomas, Eastern Kentucky, Tailback; Billy Thompson, Maryland Eastern
Shore, Defensive Back; Brad Tokar, Westminster (Pa.), Running Back;
Jay Wessler, Illinois College, Running Back; Gary Wichard, LIU-C.W.Post (N.Y.),
Quarterback; Lee White, Weber State, Fullback; Mike Wiggins, Iowa Wesleyan,
Punter; Jerry Woods, Northern Michigan, Defensive Back; John Zanieski, Yale,
Middle Guard
2015 DIVISIONAL COACH CANDIDATES
Bill Bowes – New Hampshire (1972-98); Paul Durham – Linfield (Ore.) (1948-67);
Jim Feix – Western Kentucky (1968-83); Howard Fletcher – Northern Illinois
(1956-68); Ross Fortier – Minnesota Moorhead (formerly Moorhead State)
(1970-92); Morley Fraser – Albion (Mich.) (1954-68); Frank Girardi – Lycoming
(Pa.) (1972-2007); Rudy Hubbard – Florida A&M (1974-85); Art Keller – Carthage
(Wis.) (1952-82); Glenn Killinger – Dickinson (Pa.) (1922), Rensselaer (N.Y.)
(1927-32), Moravian (Pa.) (1933), West Chester (Pa.) (1934-41, 45-59); Larry
Korver – Northwestern College (Iowa) (1967-94); Dick Lowry – Wayne State
(Mich.) (1974-79), Hillsdale (Mich.) (1980-96); James Malosky – Minnesota
Duluth (1958-97); Don Miller – Trinity (Conn.) (1967-98);
Charles Murphy – Middle Tennessee State (1947-68); Jim Ostendarp – Amherst
(Mass.) (1959-91) Forrest Perkins-Wisconsin-Whitewater (1956-84); Bill Ramseyer
– Wilmington (Ohio) (1972-90), Virginia’s College at Wise (1991-2001); Dwight
Reed – Lincoln (Mo.) (1949-71); Pete Schmidt-Albion (Mich.) (1983-96); Clyde
“Buck” Starbeck – Northern Iowa (1936-42, 1945-57); Jim Tressel – Youngstown
State (1986-2000), Ohio State (2001-2010); John Whitehead – Lehigh (1976-86);
Alex Yunevich – Alfred (N.Y.) (1937-41, 1946-76); Allen Zikmund – Nebraska-
Kearney (formerly Kearney State) (1955-71)
