Group Fetes College Gridiron Stars on Field and Off

By NICHOLAS LOPEZ

Players of college football’s past, present and future were celebrated as the National Football Foundation announced its 2013 College Hall of Fame class and National Scholar-Athlete class on Tuesday at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in Manhattan.

The inductees included players such as Tommie Frazier, Jerry Gray, Steve Meilinger, Don Trull, Ted Brown and Percy Snow. Two coaches, Wayne Hardin and Bill McCartney, were also inducted.

“For me, my journey, like most guys here, was really in a small town, having the opportunity to play the game that I love,” said Orlando Pace, an Ohio State player from 1994 to 1996. “Football is the ultimate team sport and I wouldn’t be standing before you today if it wasn’t for the teammates that I grinded with and that we played so hard, our blood, sweat and tears.”

Charlotte, Gordon, sister of deceased Rod Shoate who spoke on behalf of the 1972-1974 Oklahoma linebacker who grew up with nine siblings and would play with balled-up socks in the front yard growing up.

“If he were here, he would be truly humbled,” said Gordon. “I know that he would truly be so thankful that people remember him and all of the wonderful things that he is being remembered for. “

Former Florida quarterback Danny Wuerffel, compared the ceremony to a birthday party and said that football had a hand in initiating boys into manhood through life lessons.

“The sport of football is one of the few ways that we really do instill some of these principles into young men that we need,” said Wuerffel. “That life is tough, it’s not about you, you’re not that important, you’re not in control.”

Wayne Hardin, who coached both Temple University and The United States Naval Academy, was also inducted.

“I did not start out coaching to get in the Hall of Fame, but now that I’m here, I’m not going to give it back,” joked Hardin.

“Fame can come in a moment, but greatness comes with longevity,” said Bill McCartney, former head coach at the University of Colorado who guided the Buffaloes to their first national title. “You may be able to do it once, but can you do it again? Everything rises and falls on leadership – every home, every business and every sports team. It’s a direct reflection of the leadership.”

Present player, Max Bullough, a third-generation college football player, who helped lead the Michigan State Spartans to 2010 title said: “Being a third-generation athlete, that question gets asked a lot, to me, a lot of people think it’s pressure, it’s stressful, but to me, it’s an opportunity to carry on my dad, my grandpa’s, my uncle’s footsteps and for me to do my own thing, to write my own story and I think I did that this week.”

Penn State offensive guard John Urschel , a standout scholar as well as top gridiron player, is a published researcher, who has a 4.1 GPA in math, teaches college level math courses, and is working on a second masters degree. He fits the profile the organization leaders especially want to honor.

“We started this organization,” said National Football Foundation CEO Steven Hatchell, “through leadership through football and people who do really well in this sport who play the game, were scholars who gone on to become wonderful leaders in this country.”