| Joe Paterno |
NEW YORK, N.Y.; May 9, 2007 ?C Penn State??s Joe Paterno will be joined by 12 former standout players and another coach as members of the National Football Foundation??s College Hall of Fame Class of 2007.
The announcement of the 2007 Class was made here today at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, which will host the 50th Annual Awards Dinner on December 4. The class of 14 will be officially enshrined at the Hall in South Bend, Ind., during ceremonies in the summer of 2008.
Entering his 42nd season as head coach of the Nittany Lions, Paterno was selected for induction into the Hall in 2006, but his induction was delayed for one year after the legendary coach was injured in a sideline collision during the Nov. 4, 2006 game at Wisconsin. He would have joined Florida State??s Bobby Bowden and St. John??s (Minn.) mentor John Gagliardi as the first active coaches to be inducted into the Hall.
Paterno received the Gold Medal, the Foundation??s highest honor, along with Bowden, in a video presentation at the 2006 Hall of Fame Awards Dinner.
Former Central Michigan coach Herb Deromedi will join Paterno as the two coaches to gain induction this year. The 2007 Class was selected from a national ballot of 75 candidates and a pool of hundreds of eligible nominees.
A five-time National Coach of the Year honoree, Paterno ranks second, only to Bowden (366), with 363 career victories among major college coaches. Paterno??s teams have recorded five undefeated seasons, 21 finishes in the AP Top 10 and two National Championships. With a record of 22-10-1, he is the all-time leader among coaches in bowl appearances and victories.
Paterno has coached 73 first ream All-Americans, 15 NFF National Scholar-Athletes, including Paul Posluszny in 2006, more than 300 future NFL players and seven members of the College Football Hall of Fame.
Since 1966, there have been 798 head coaching changes among major college football programs, an average of more than six changes per institution.
Paterno will become the 21st member of the Penn State Football family to gain induction into the Hall, joining four former coaches and 16 players, seven of whom he coached.
2007 College Football Hall of Fame ?C Bowl Subdivision Class
COACHES
JOE PATERNO - Penn State, 1966-present (363-121-3)
HERB DEROMEDI - Central Michigan, 1978-93 (110-55-10)
PLAYERS
TOM BRAHANEY, C ?C Oklahoma, 1970-72
DAVE BROWN*, DB ?C Michigan, 1972-74
JEFF DAVIS, LB ?C Clemson, 1978-81
DOUG FLUTIE, QB - Boston College, 1981-84
JOHNNIE JOHNSON, DB ?C Texas, 1976-79
REX KERN, QB - Ohio State, 1968-70
AHMAD RASHAD, RB /WR ?C Oregon, 1969-71
ANTHONY THOMPSON, RB ?C Indiana, 1986-89
WILSON WHITLEY*, DT ?C Houston, 1973-76
REGGIE WILLIAMS, LB ?C Dartmouth, 1973-75
RICHARD WOOD, LB - Southern California, 1972-74
CHRIS ZORICH, DT - Notre Dame, 1988-90
*Deceased