Christopher Walsh’s All Things CW ratings column appears in five parts, one a day a week, with the last on the Alabama Crimson Tide. It is …
Take 2
Whatever the sport, whatever the year, Hall of Fame selections are always wonderful, joyful and controversial, and that will never change.
Neither should he. Part of the fun of having a designated group celebrating the best of the best is the debate and discussion about who should be included and why.
However, Monday’s announcement for the Class of 2023 demonstrated a major problem with the selection process for the College Football Hall of Fame, an issue for which there may be no answer as different players and coaches end to their careers at different times.
This process is explained at the end, and it’s not something I talked about before talking about the room. Previously, those issues were that the Alabama Crimson Tide didn’t have enough representation (it ranks 10th in drafts, with less than half Notre Dame’s numbers – remember, the College Football Hall of Fame was at South Bend, Indiana, before moving to Atlanta), and the first-team All-American requirement.
For the latter, my argument is this: if the two best players in the history of college football have played in the same position, and the same years, the second may very well never enter the hall of fame when 1,074 players and 230 coaches will have been inducted. around this time next year.
The College Football Hall of Fame disagrees with this, just as the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame does not have a provision for a group or team to be entered. Therefore, the four Tuscaloosa football players who died in the crash of the Marshall football team flight in 1970 can only be considered individually.
Their names were Joe Hood, Larry Sanders, Robert VanHorn and Freddy Wilson.
My problem with the Class of 2023 comes down to one word, timing.
The most recent Crimson Tide player to enter the Hall was the former All-American center Sylvester Croom Last year. Sure, he became the first black football head coach in the Southeastern Mississippi State Conference, but he was a player under Paul W. “Bear” Bryant.
To say his induction was overdue would be a huge understatement.
EJ Junior was the selection before that, in 2020, and he played for Bryant from 1977 to 1980. Before him was, believe it or not, Derrick Thomasin 2014.
The Hall is so behind the Crimson Tide players that the 1992 national championship team’s only induction was Gene Stallings (2010).
One of two Alabama players named and in last year’s selection process was from this team:
- Antonio LanghamAlabama-Defensive back-1993 Unanimous First Team All-American and Jim Thorpe Award winner…Lead Alabama to four playoff berths, highlighted by 1992 National Championship…Three-time All-SEC selection and leader Crimson Tide all-time career steals (19).
- Chris SamuelsAlabama-Offensive tackle-1999 Unanimous First-Team All-American and Outland Trophy recipient…Two-time All-SEC First-Team selection that led the Tide to a conference title in 1999…Winner of the SEC Jacobs Blocking Trophy who didn’t allow a sack throughout the 1999 season and blocked for 1,000-yard rusher Shaun Alexander.
Fast forward to Monday and follow my reaction to some of the names in this year’s class, especially those who were playing when Nick Saban arrived in Alabama in 2007.
Tim Tebow. Ok, won the Heisman Trophy, came close to winning another, and put Florida on the brink of a dynasty until Alabama ended the Gators’ title hopes in 2009.
Linebacker Luke Kuechly. He was at Boston College until 2011, but the tackle machine was a great college player.
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LaMichael James and Jeremy Maclin.
Uh, already?
Eric Berry.
Seriously?
Don’t get me wrong here, Berry was an exceptional player. Yes, he should be in the College Football Hall of Fame. As a safety, he won the Jim Thorpe Award in 2009 as the nation’s top defensive back, and he absolutely deserved that honor.
The fifth overall selection in Kansas City’s 2010 NFL Draft, Berry played with the Chiefs through 2018, making five Pro Bowl appearances and earning First-Team All-Pro honors three times. After being diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 2014, Berry was named the 2015 NFL Player of the Year.
What we did in the NFL is not supposed to be part of the selection process, but I will even grant that part of his resume. The guy was so good.
Here is my problem. Lane Kiffinin his freshman year at Tennessee, has more Hall of Fame players than Saban at Alabama.
It is not fair.
CFHOF: class of 2023
PLAYERS
- Eric Berry – DB, Tennessee (2007-09)
- Michael Bishop – QB, Kansas State (1997-98)
- Reggie Bush – RB, Southern California (2003-05)
- Dwight Freeney – DE, Syracuse (1998-2001)
- Robert Gallery –OT, Iowa (2000-03)
- LaMichael James – RB, Oregon (2009-11)
- Derrick Johnson – LB, Texas (2001-04)
- Bill Koller – DT, Montana State (1971-73)
- Luc Kuechly –LB, Boston College (2009-11)
- Jeremy Maclin – WR/KR, Mo. (2007-08)
- Terence Mathis – WR, New Mexico (1985-87, 1989)
- Bryant McKinnie – OT, Miami [FL] (2000-01)
- Corey Moore –DL, Virginia Tech (1997-99)
- Michel Brise-Pierre – LB, Notre Dame (1986, 1988, 1990)
- Tim Tebow – QB, Florida (2006-09)
- Troy Vincent – DB, Wis. (1988-91)
- Brian Westbrook – RB, Villanova (1997-98, 2000-01)
- By Angelo Williams – RB, Memphis (2002-05)
COACHES
- Mount Cater – 275-117-2 (70.1%); land of lakes [WI] (1981-86), Shepherd [WV] (1987-2017)
- Paul Johnson – 189-99-0 (65.6 percent); Georgia Southern (1997-2001), Navy (2002-07), Georgia Tech (2008-18)
- Roy Kramer – 83-32-2 (71.8 percent); Michigan Center (1967-77)
- Marc Richt – 171-64-0 (72.8 percent); Georgia (2001-15), Miami [FL] (2016-18)
- First and foremost, a player must have received First Team All-America recognition by an NCAA-recognized selector used to compose its consensus All-America teams.
- A player becomes eligible for consideration by the NFF Court of Honor 10 full seasons after his last year of intercollegiate football played.
- While each college candidate’s football achievements are of paramount importance, their post-football record as a citizen is also weighed. He must have a proven track record as a citizen, carrying the ideals of football in his dealings with his community. Academic honors and whether or not the applicant has completed a university degree may also be taken into account.
- Players must have played their last year of intercollegiate football within the past 50* years. For example, to be eligible for the 2023 ballot, the player must have played their senior year in 1973 or later. Additionally, current professional players and/or coaches are only eligible for retirement.
- A coach becomes eligible three full seasons after retirement or immediately after retirement provided they are at least 70 years old. Active coaches become eligible at age 75. He must have been a football head coach for at least 10 years and coached at least 100 games with a winning percentage of 0.600.
- Nominations may only be submitted by the current Athletic Director, Head Coach, or Director of Sports Information (SID) at a prospective nominee’s college institution. Nominations may also be submitted by the President/Executive Director of a dues-paying chapter of the National Football Foundation.
* Players who do not meet the age 50 rule may still be eligible for consideration by the Football Bowl Division Subdivision and Veterans Affairs Committees. Candidates for the Veterans Committee must still meet the requirements for first-team All-American.
See also:
Take 1: For the first time in the CFP era, Champion did not have to go through Alabama
2023 Alabama Crimson Tide Eligibility Tracker
Keeping Track of Alabama Players Who Have Declared for the 2023 NFL Draft
Alabama Crimson Tide Football Transfer Tracker 2022-23
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