Peyton Manning and NFL Network's Marshall Faulk headline this year's inductees to the College Football Hall of Fame. Ten players and three coaches are among the 2017 induction class that was announced on Monday.
Other 2017 inductees include New Mexico LB Brian Urlacher, USC QB Matt Leinart, Notre Dame LB Bob Crable, Michigan State WR Kirk Gibson, Texas OL Bob McKay, Texas A&M LB Dat Nguyen, Georgia Southern RB Adrian Peterson and Boston College DL Mike Ruth. Steve Spurrier was inducted as a coach, becoming just the fourth Hall of Famer inducted as both a player and coach. Former Clemson coach Danny Ford and Mount Union's Larry Kehres were inducted as coaches, as well.
Faulk, an NFL Network analyst, was a three-time All-American and Heisman Trophy finalist at San Diego State. He averaged 1,530 yards per season over three years, and broke an NCAA freshman record with seven touchdowns in a single game. Faulk was a first-round pick (No. 2 overall) of the Indianapolis Colts in 1994. He was an eight-time Pro Bowl selection over a 12-year career with the Colts and Rams.
Manning played at Tennessee from 1994-1997, earning the starting job midway through his freshman season. He led the Volunteers to an SEC title game win over Auburn as a senior and earned consensus All-America honors. For his career, Manning passed for 11,201 yards with 89 touchdowns, and his No. 16 jersey was retired at UT in 2005. He went on to be the No. 1 pick of the 1998 NFL Draft by the Indianapolis Colts and had a storybook pro career of 18 years. He won a pair of Super Bowls, one with the Colts and another with the Denver Broncos, won the league MVP award five times, and is the NFL's all-time passing yardage leader (71,940). Manning's father, former New Orleans Saints and Ole Miss QB Archie Manning, was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1989.
"We are extremely proud to announce the 2017 College Football Hall of Fame Class," said the elder Manning, who is the National Football Foundation chairman. "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."
Gibson played for the Spartans from 1975-1978, and left the school as its all-time leader in receptions (112), receiving yards (2,347) and receiving touchdowns (24). He went on to a decorated 17-year career in pro baseball and won the National League MVP Award in 1988.
The 2017 inductees were chosen from a field of 75 FBS players and six FBS coaches, plus dozens more from the FCS divisions. Active players are ineligible for the College Football Hall Of Fame, so Manning wasn't on the ballot until this year. The 2017 class will be formally inducted at the 60th NFF Annual Awards Dinner on Dec. 5 in New York.
NFL Executive Vice President of Football Operations Troy Vincent, who played at Wisconsin from 1988-1991, was on this year's ballot.
*Follow Chase Goodbread on Twitter **@ChaseGoodbread*.
