The 2019 College Football Hall of Fame class was officially inducted at the 62nd National Football Federation Annual Awards Dinner on Tuesday.
Former Texas quarterback Vince Young (2003-05) headlined the list of 13 former players and two coaches. Young, who led Texas to the national championship in 2005, was one of three runners-up in the Heisman Trophy voting to be inducted, along with Notre Dame receiver Raghib “Rocket” Ismail (1988-90) and Arkansas running back Darren McFadden (2005-07).
Dennis Erickson, who had head-coaching stints at Idaho, Wyoming, Washington State, Oregon State, Arizona State and, most notably, Miami, where he won a pair of national titles, was inducted alongside coach Joe Taylor. Taylor compiled 233 wins in 30 years at Howard, Virginia Union, Hampton and Florida A&M, and he led Hampton to four SBN Black College National Championships.
Of the 12 players inducted, six came from each side of the ball. In addition to Young, Ismail and McFadden, North Carolina State WR Torry Holt (1995-98), Wisconsin OL Joe Thomas (2003-06), Arizona State QB Jake Plummer (1993-96) and Michigan State RB Lorenzo White (1985-87) were also inducted.
The defensive players included Florida State DB Terrell Buckley (1989-91), Oklahoma DB Rickey Dixon (1984-87), John Carroll LB London Fletcher (1995-97), Texas A&M DL Jacob Green (1977-79), USC S Troy Polamalu (1999-02) and Mississippi LB Patrick Willis (2003-06).
Next year’s class will be announced next month, prior to the College Football Playoff National Championship in New Orleans.
The awards dinner also honored former UCLA quarterback and actor Mark Harmon with the 2019 Gold Medal, the NFF’s highest honor, and Oregon quarterback Justin Herbert with the 2019 William V. Campbell Trophy, which honors the best combination of academic success, football performance and leadership.