Monday's Chalktalk

News and Notes From Around College Football for Dec. 22, 2008

College Football Hall of Famer News

College Hall of Famer and TCU football legend Sam Baugh (dubbed "Slingin' Sammy" by the media) died Dec. 17 in Rotan, Texas. He was 94 years old.

A member of the inaugural College Football Hall of Fame Class in 1951 and a two-time All-American, Baugh led Texas Christian to victories in the Sugar and Cotton Bowls. The Sugar Bowl victory over LSU culminated in the 1935 National Championship for the Horned Frogs. He finished fourth in the 1936 Heisman balloting. TCU retired his No. 45 in 1993, and the Cotton Bowl inducted him into their Hall of Fame in 1999.

The TCU football legend later became a football coach, including a stint Hardin-Simmons, before focusing his attention on his 20,000-acre Double Mountain Ranch in Rotan, Texas. He is survived by three sons and a daughter, 11 grandchildren, and 12 great- grandchildren. TCU will wear a special "45" sticker on its helmets in Tuesday's San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl to honor the Hall of Famer's retired Horned Frogs' number.

2008 Hall of Fame inductee Pat Fitzgerald, head coach at Northwestern will be a guest on this week's NCAA Football radio and internet audio broadcasts. Fitzgerald's Wildcats will play Missouri in Alamo Bowl.

2006 College Hall of Fame Thomas Everett (Baylor) inductee was a special guest on "Southwest Sports Talk" live syndicated television show throughout Texas last week. The inaugural Jim Thorpe Award recipient (1986) also recently paid a visit to the NFF Headquarters in Irving, Texas.

2006 NFF Gold Medal winner and Hall of Fame Coach Joe Paterno of Penn State had his contract extended through 2011... NFF College Hall of Fame coach Vince Dooley has won the second Bud Selig Leadership Award for his national contribution to athletics, integrity and leadership...

Tostitos Fiesta Bowl to Honor 2008 College Football Hall of Fame Class

The Tostitos Fiesta Bowl will celebrate the 2008 College Football Hall of Fame Class during pregame ceremonies on Jan. 5, when No. 10 Ohio State faces No. 3 Texas in Glendale, Ariz. Highlights include the traditional on-field recognition prior to kickoff and participation in the 38th annual Fort McDowell Yavapai National Fiesta Bowl Parade on Jan. 3, 2009. The 2008 class members include: Coaches John Cooper and Lou Holtz, who captured a national championship at the Fiesta Bowl with Notre Dame in 1988; Troy Aikman, UCLA; Billy Cannon, LSU; Jim Dombrowski, Virginia; Pat Fitzgerald, Northwestern; Wilber Marshall, Florida; Rueben Mayes, Washington State; Randall McDaniel, Arizona State; Don McPherson, Syracuse; Jay Novacek, Wyoming; Dave Parks, Texas Tech; Ron Simmons, Florida State; Thurman Thomas, Oklahoma State; and Arnold Tucker, Army.

Voting Concludes Today for Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year Award

Online voting ends today, Dec. 22, for the Liberty Mutual National Coach of the Year Award (four NCAA divisions). Fans can still vote at www.CoachoftheYear.com. On the site fans can review bios and testimonials supporting each of the 25 finalists before they make their selection.

The finalists - 10 from the Football Bowl Subdivision and five each from the Football Championship Subdivision, Division II and Division III - are now in the running for an award that includes $50,000 towards civic and charitable activities, $20,000 in scholarship donations for their schools' alumni associations, and permanent recognition in the College Football Hall of Fame.

The announcement of the Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year will be carried live on ESPN at halftime of the Dec. 31 Music City Bowl in Nashville, Tenn., between Boston College and Vanderbilt.

NFF National Scholar-Athlete News

California center Alex Mack, the winner of the 2008 Draddy Trophy, presented by HealthSouth, will be profiled on national television during the Brut Sun Bowl on Wednesday, Dec. 31 as the Red Lobster Scholar-Athlete of the Year. The 2 p.m. (EST) CBS broadcast of the game pits Oregon State against Pittsburgh.

NFF National Scholar-Athlete Louie Sakoda of Utah was named first team Associated Press All-America...Fellow 2008 NFF National Scholar- Athlete QB Greg Micheli of Mount Union has captured the Gagliardi Trophy as the outstanding NCAA Division III player. Micheli led Mount Union to the NCAA Division III national title last Saturday and also was named CoSIDA ESPN the Magazine College Division Academic All-America of the Year... Micheli and Sakoda also will receive the prestigious 2009 NCAA Today's Top VIII Award for performance, leadership and scholarship...

Other NFF National Scholar-Athletes earning First Team ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America honors as selected by CoSIDA include Andrew Berry (two-time honoree) of Harvard, Brian Freeman (two-time honoree on the divisional lists) of Carnegie Mellon, Ryan McDonald (two-time honoree) of Illinois, Brian Robiskie (two-time honoree) of Ohio State, and Mount Union's Micheli (a two-time honoree on the divisional lists) and Utah's Sakoda...

NFF National Scholar-Athletes in bowl games: Draddy winner Alex Mack, California (vs. Miami in Emerald Bowl); Chase Daniel, Missouri (vs. Northwestern in Alamo Bowl); Graham Harrell, Texas Tech (vs. Mississippi in Cotton Bowl); Quin Harris, Louisiana Tech (vs. Northern Illinois in Independence Bowl); Darryl Richard, Georgia Tech (vs. LSU in Chick-fil-a Bowl); Brian Robiskie, Ohio State (vs. Texas in Tostitos Fiesta Bowl); and Louie Sakoda, Utah (vs. Alabama in Allstate Sugar Bowl). Colorado State's Jeff Horinek led his squad to a New Mexico Bowl win over Fresno State.

2002 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Jon Stinchcomb, brother of 1998 NFF Draddy Award recipient Matt Stinchcomb - both starred at Georgia - has been chosen as the New Orleans Saints Walter Payton Man of the Year Award for his volunteerism at schools and hospitals, setting up free clinics for area children, and spearheading efforts to give away 245 bicycles to New Orleans area youths during the holidays.

2002 Draddy Award winner Brandon Roberts (Washington U. of St. Louis) has completed his medical degree from Case Western Reserve (OH) in May 2008 and is working as a resident physician in anesthesiology at Barnes Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, Mo.

NFF's Play It Smart Program News

RB Andre Lumpkin of Athens (Ga.) Clarke Central High School has been named the Play It Smart National Student-Athlete of the Month for November, selected from the more than 10,000 participants nationwide in the program. Lumpkin, an emerging leader in his community, is an aspiring infectious disease specialist. Clarke Central's academic coach, Forrest Paulson, nominated Lumpkin for the award based on his many accomplishments on and off the field.

For the weekly College Football Insiders newsletter, Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) announcements and more information on the NFF and college football, please visit www.footballfoundation.com.

Two-Minute Drill

Texas-San Antonio received final approval to start a football program and will play in the Football Championship Sub-division... Iraq combat hero Army Lt. Col. Greg Gadson will be featured speaker at the Armed Forces Bell Helicopter Bowl at the kickoff luncheon on Dec. 30... LSU is promoting "Paint Atlanta Purple" when the Tigers meet Georgia Tech in the Chick-fil-A Bowl and is assisting alumni in purchasing tickets and giving them to military families and youngsters... The Donald J. Schnader family is providing the lead $4 million gift to build a new stadium at St. Norbert (Wis.) to replace the existing, 70-year-old football facility.

Rutgers is making its fourth consecutive bowl appearance for the first time in school history... North Carolina has sold out its ticket allotment for the Meineke Car Care Bowl... The 73rd annual AT&T Cotton Bowl is an official sellout with an all-time- high expanded seating capacity of 88,125... Southern Miss secured their 15th consecutive .500-plus record when the Golden Eagles beat Troy in the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl... Members of the 1958 Buffalo Bulls squad will be honored during the International Bowl on Jan 3.

Texas Tech head coach Mike Leach has added the George Munger Award from the Maxwell Football Club and the Woody Hayes Award from the Touchdown Club of Columbus (Ohio) to his national honors in '08. He also is a finalist for the American Heart Association Paul "Bear" Bryant Coach of the Year Award... Other finalists for the Bryant Award are Kyle Whittingham, Utah; Mack Brown, Texas; Turner Gill, Buffalo; Houston Nutt, Mississippi; Chris Petersen, Boise State; Nick Saban, Alabama; and Bob Stoops, Oklahoma.

Buffalo mentor Turner Gill had his pact at UB renewed until 2013... Dave Christensen has become head coach at Wyoming... Illinois State named Brock Spack head coach... Brady Hoke will take over at San Diego State, and Stan Parrish will replace Hoke at Ball State. Parrish was the '08 offensive coordinator for the Cardinals... Duke head coach David Cutcliffe had his contract extended through the 2015 season... North Alabama head coach Mark Hudspeth (66-21 in seven seasons) is leaving the Division II power to become passing game coordinator at Mississippi State...North Dakota extended the contract of head coach Chris Mussman for two seasons through 2012... FootballScoop.com named TCU's Dick Bumpas its 2008 Defensive Line Coach of the Year... Andy Ludwig is leaving Utah to assume his same duties - offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach - at Kansas State... Kalani Sitake is the new defensive coordinator at Utah... Iowa State named Paul Rhoads head coach... Northwestern State named Bradley Dale Peveto head coach. Ron English has secured the head job at Eastern Michigan.

Tulsa OL Wilson Holloway won the the FedEx Orange Bowl FWAA Courage Award... Michael Crabtree, Texas Tech claimed the Paul Warfield Award as the nation's top receiver, becoming a back-to-back winner of both the Fred Biletnikoff and Paul Warfield Awards... Florida QB and 2007 Heisman Trophy recipient Tim Tebow nailed down the fourth annual 2008 Danny Wuerffel Trophy for performance and leadership, and he claimed the CoSIDA ESPN the Magazine Academic All-America Player of the Year honors... The Sporting News chose 2008 tri- Players of the Year in Oklahoma QB Sam Bradford, Texas Tech QB Graham Harrell and Texas QB Colt McCoy... TSN also honored Oregon State RB Jacquizz Rodgers as National Freshman of the Year... James Madison head coach Mickey Matthews earned the NCAA FCS 2008 Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award... The FCS awarded the Buck Buchanan Trophy for top defensive player in the subdivision to Eastern Washington DE Greg Peach... The NCAA FCS Walter Payton Trophy for offensive player of the year went to QB Armanti Edwards of Appalachian State.

Wake Forest QB Riley Skinner set a bowl record for passing percentage (minimum 10 attempts) by going 11-for-11 for 166 yards in the Demon Deacons' inaugural EagleBank Bowl win over Navy last Saturday... Honorary captains for last week's inaugural EagleBank Bowl in Washington, D.C,, were NFF College Hall of Fame RB Napoleon McCallum of Navy and NBA Washington Wizards' standout Darius Songaila for Wake Forest.

ESPN's family of networks will feature 29 bowl games, including 25 games carried in high definition on ABC HD, ESPN HD and ESPN2 HD... NCAA Football is airing "The Quest For No. 1 Postseason Special" in 86 television markets from Dec. 20-30 (please check local listings) and online at www.NCAAFootball.com... The Mtn. increased its home viewership of football telecasts by 78 percent from 2007 to '08... WXMI-TV in Grand Rapids, Mich., has received special permission from the NFL Network to carry Texas Bowl, pitting Rice against Western Michigan on Dec. 30... NCAA Football also has inaugurated a YouTube Channel for extended worldwide coverage.

In the Dec. 19 FCS title game, Richmond (Va.) beat Montana 24-7, claiming the Spiders' first national championship in school history. In the Dec. 20 Divsion III title game, Mount Union (Ohio) topped Wisconsin-Whitewater 31-26, giving the Purple Raiders their 10th Stagg Bowl title, all during the past 16 seasons. In the NAIA Championship, Sioux Falls (S.D.) defeated No. 1 Carroll College (Mont.) 23-7 in the 53rd NAIA Football National Championship game Dec. 20. Last week, Minnesota-Duluth defeated Northwest Missouri State 21-14 to take the NCAA Division II crown and wrap up a perfect 15-0 season.

Bob Polen, 62, retired sports information director and alumni director at West Virginia, died in Columbus, Ohio... Chuck Pickard, 78, a sports editor of several North Texas area daily papers and a writer for the Pensacola (Fla.) News- Journal, and The Sporting News, died last week in Tyler, Texas.

Correction from Dec. 15 Chalktalk: Ole Miss made its third appearance in the AT&T Cotton Bowl in 2004 as 2003 NFF National Scholar-Athlete and future Super Bowl MVP quarterback Eli Manning passed the Rebels over Oklahoma State.

Key NFF Dates

Jan. 5, 2009: National Hall of Fame Salute at the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl - Glendale, Ariz.
Jan. 9, 2009: Presentation of MacArthur Trophy to BCS champion - Miami, Fla.

2009 BCS Schedule

Jan. 1: Rose Bowl presented by Citi - Pasadena, Calif., ABC
Jan. 1: FedEx Orange Bowl - Miami Gardens, Fla., Fox
Jan. 2: Allstate Sugar Bowl - New Orleans, La., Fox
Jan. 5: Tostitos Fiesta Bowl - Glendale, Ariz., Fox
Jan. 8: FedEx BCS National Championship - Miami Gardens, Fla., Fox