NFF Announces A Star-Studded 2023 College Football Hall of Fame Class

The National Football Foundation (NFF) & College Hall of Fame revealed the 2023 College Football Hall of Fame Class during "Championship Drive Presented by Mercedes-Benz" on ESPN.
 

 
PLAYERS: 

• Eric Berry – DB, Tennessee (2007-09)
• Michael Bishop – QB, Kansas State (1997-98)
• Reggie Bush – RB, Southern California (2003-05)
• Dwight Freeney – DE, Syracuse (1998-2001)
• Robert Gallery – OT, Iowa (2000-03)
• LaMichael James – RB, Oregon (2009-11)
• Derrick Johnson – LB, Texas (2001-04)
• Bill Kollar – DT, Montana State (1971-73)
• Luke Kuechly – LB, Boston College (2009-11)
• Jeremy Maclin – WR/KR, Missouri (2007-08)
• Terance Mathis – WR, New Mexico (1985-87, 1989)
• Bryant McKinnie – OT, Miami [FL] (2000-01)
• Corey Moore – DL, Virginia Tech (1997-99)
• Michael Stonebreaker – LB, Notre Dame (1986, 1988, 1990)
• Tim Tebow – QB, Florida (2006-09)
• Troy Vincent – DB, Wisconsin (1988-91)
• Brian Westbrook – RB, Villanova (1997-98, 2000-01)
• DeAngelo Williams – RB, Memphis (2002-05)

 
COACHES: 

• Monte Cater – 275-117-2 (70.1%); Lakeland [WI] (1981-86), Shepherd [WV] (1987-2017)
• Paul Johnson – 189-99-0 (65.6%); Georgia Southern (1997-2001), Navy (2002-07), Georgia Tech (2008-18)
• Roy Kramer – 83-32-2 (71.8%); Central Michigan (1967-77)
• Mark Richt – 171-64-0 (72.8%); Georgia (2001-15), Miami [FL] (2016-18)

 
The 18 First Team All-America players and four standout coaches in the 2023 Class were selected from the national ballot of 80 players and nine coaches from the Football Bowl Subdivision and 96 players and 33 coaches from the divisional ranks.
 
"We are extremely proud to announce the 2023 College Football Hall of Fame Class," said Archie Manning, NFF Chairman and a 1989 College Football Hall of Famer from Mississippi. "Each of these men has established himself among the absolute best to have ever played or coached the game, and we look forward to immortalizing their incredible accomplishments."
 
The 2023 College Football Hall of Fame Class will officially be inducted during the 65th NFF Annual Awards Dinner Presented by Las Vegas on Dec. 5, 2023, at the ARIA Resort & Casino Las Vegas.
 
The inductees will also be recognized at their respective collegiate institutions with NFF Hall of Fame On-Campus Salutes, presented by Fidelity Investments, during the fall. Their accomplishments will be forever immortalized at the Chick-fil-A College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta, and each inductee will receive a custom ring created by Jostens, the official and exclusive supplier of NFF rings.
 
The announcement of the 2023 College Football Hall of Fame Class was made today during "Championship Drive Presented by Mercedes-Benz" leading up to tonight's College Football Playoff National Championship.
 
"We want to thank ESPN for the opportunity to announce the 2023 College Football Hall of Fame Class during today's lead up to the College Football Playoff National Championship," said NFF President & CEO Steve Hatchell. "Today's announcement shines a light on the accomplishments of some of college football's greatest legends."
 

 
PLAYERS: 

• 1 Heisman Trophy winner (Tebow) 
• 1 NFF William V. Campbell Trophy® recipient (Tebow) 
• 10 unanimous First Team All-Americans (Berry (2), Bush, Freeney, Gallery, James, Johnson, Kuechly, McKinnie, Moore, Stonebreaker) 
• 8 consensus First Team All-Americans (Bishop, Bush, Johnson, Kuechly, Maclin, Mathis, Stonebreaker, Tebow) 
• 10 multi-year First Team All-Americans (Berry (2), Bush (2), James (2), Johnson (2), Kuechly (2), Maclin (2), McKinnie (2), Moore (2), Stonebreaker (2), Westbrook (3)) 
• 11 winners of college football major awards (Berry – Thorpe; Bishop – Davey O'Brien; Bush – Doak Walker, Walter Camp; Gallery – Outland; James – Doak Walker; Johnson – Butkus, Nagurski; Kuechly – Butkus, Lombardi, Nagurski; McKinnie – Outland; Moore – Lombardi, Nagurski; Tebow – Campbell, Davey O'Brien, Heisman, Maxwell (2); Westbrook – Walter Payton)
• 4 members of national championship teams (Bush (2), McKinnie, Stonebreaker, Tebow (2)) 
• 13 conference players of the year (Berry, Bush (2), Freeney, Gallery, Johnson, Kollar, Kuechly, McKinnie, Moore (2), Tebow (3), Vincent, Westbrook (2), Williams (3)) 
• 9 members of conference championship teams (Bush (3), Freeney, Gallery, James (3), Kollar, McKinnie (2), Moore, Tebow (2), Westbrook (2)) 
• 12 players who still hold school records (Berry, Bishop, Bush, Freeney, James, Johnson, Kuechly, Maclin, Mathis, Tebow, Westbrook, Williams) 
• 8 played for College Football Hall of Fame coaches (Berry – Phillip Fulmer; Bishop – Bill Snyder; Johnson – Mack Brown; Maclin – Gary Pinkel; Moore – Frank Beamer; Stonebreaker – Lou Holtz; Vincent – Barry Alvarez; Westbrook – Andy Talley) 
• 12 first-round NFL draft picks (Berry, Bush, Freeney, Gallery, Johnson, Kollar, Kuechly, Maclin, McKinnie, Tebow, Vincent, Williams) 
• 10 offensive players (Bishop, Bush, Gallery, James, Maclin, Mathis, McKinnie, Tebow, Westbrook, Williams) 
• 8 defensive players (Berry, Freeney, Johnson, Kollar, Kuechly, Moore, Stonebreaker, Vincent) 
• 5 decades represented: 1970s (1) – Kollar; 1980s (2) – Mathis, Stonebreaker; 1990s (3) – Bishop, Moore, Vincent; 2000s (10) – Berry, Bush, Freeney, Gallery, Johnson, Maclin, McKinnie, Tebow, Westbrook, Williams; 2010s (2) – James, Kuechly 
• 3 schools with their first-ever Hall of Fame player (Montana State – Kollar; Villanova – Westbrook; Memphis – Williams)

 
COACHES: 

• 28 conference championships (Cater – 19, Johnson – 5, Kramer – 2, Richt – 2) 
• 1 coach with the most wins in school history (Cater – Shepherd [WV]) 
• 50 bowl/postseason appearances (Cater – 13, Johnson – 18, Kramer – 1, Richt – 18) 
• 3 national championships (Johnson – 2, Kramer – 1) 
• 51 First Team All-Americans coached (Cater – 24, Johnson – 11, Kramer – 1, Richt – 15) 
• 3 national coaches of the year (Johnson, Kramer, Richt) 
• 21 conference coach of the year honors (Cater – 13, Johnson – 5, Richt – 3) 
• 2 schools with their first-ever Hall of Fame coach or player inductee (Lakeland [WI] – Cater; Shepherd [WV] – Cater)

  
 ABOUT The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame

Founded in 1947 with early leadership from General Douglas MacArthur, legendary Army coach Earl "Red" Blaik and immortal journalist Grantland Rice, The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame is a non-profit educational organization that runs programs designed to use the power of amateur football in developing scholarship, citizenship and athletic achievement in young people. With 120 chapters in 47 states, NFF programs include the selection and induction of members of the College Football Hall of Fame; the Chick-fil-A College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta; Future For Football; The William V. Campbell Trophy®; the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class Presented by Fidelity Investments; the NFF National High School Academic Excellence Award & Hatchell Cup presented by the Original Bob's Steak and Chop House; and a series of initiatives to honor the legends of the past and inspire the leaders of the future. NFF corporate partners include Catapult, Delta Air Lines, Fidelity Investments, Jostens, the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, the New York Athletic Club, the Pasadena Tournament of Roses, the Rose Bowl Legacy Foundation and the Sports Business Journal. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @NFFNetwork and learn more at footballfoundation.org.