Reggie Bush, Tim Tebow and Mark Richt headline the College Football Hall of Fame Class of 2023, as 18 players and four coaches were selected Monday for induction. Here’s what you need to know:
- Eric Berry, Dwight Freeney, LaMichael James, Derrick Johnson, Luke Kuechly, Jeremy Maclin, Bryant McKinnie, Brian Westbrook and DeAngelo Williams are also part of this class as players who starred in college during this millennium.
- Michael Bishop, Bill Kollar, Terance Mathis, Corey Moore, Michael Stonebreaker and Troy Vincent round out the group of players for this class.
- In addition to Richt, Monte Cater, Paul Johnson and Roy Kramer made the Hall as coaches.
What does the induction of Bush mean?
Bush has made the Hall in his eighth season of eligibility, a fact that should not be overlooked as public sentiment begins to side with him amid the name, image and likeness era of college football. Bush had his 2005 Heisman Trophy vacated in 2010 after USC was hit with NCAA sanctions because Bush was found to have accepted improper benefits.
USC was initially ordered to permanently disassociate with Bush, a ban that was then reduced to 10 years. The Trojans welcomed Bush back in 2020, once that sanction was lifted.
The third bullet point in the Hall’s selection criteria states: “While each nominee’s football achievements in college are of prime consideration, his post football record as a citizen is also weighed. He must have proven himself worthy as a citizen, carrying the ideals of football forward into his relations with his community. Consideration may also be given for academic honors and whether or not the candidate earned a college degree.”
Interestingly enough, the Hall’s press release refers to Bush’s fifth-place finish in the 2004 Heisman voting but does not make any mention of the 2005 Heisman, despite listing multiple other accolades from that season.
When is the induction ceremony?
This year’s class will be inducted on Dec. 5 in Las Vegas at the National Football Foundation Awards dinner, the third straight year the ceremony has been in Sin City after it had become a New York staple.
How hard is it to make the Hall of Fame?
Less than two one-hundredths of a percent (.02%) of all college football players make the Hall of Fame, according to Hall data. The Hall was founded in 1947.
A player becomes eligible 10 full seasons after his final college season, and he must have received a first-team All-America recognition from a selector recognized by the NCAA.
Coaches are eligible three full seasons after retirement, although active coaches are eligible once they turn 75. A coach must have been a head coach for at least 10 seasons, coached at least 100 games and have a .600 career winning percentage.
“We are extremely proud to announce the 2023 College Football Hall of Fame Class,” NFF chairman Archie Manning said in a release. “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.”
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(Photo: Kirby Lee / USA Today)
