Player Anatomy: C Alex Mack, Cal

By MATT MILLER

Mack is arguably the top center in college football since Nick Mangold (Pro Bowler with the New York Jets); an extremely powerful player whose biggest strength is in-line run blocking. However, he needs to develop his technical skills, but good coaching at the next level should allow him to do so. He was a first-team all-conference performer as a sophomore, junior and a senior. Not all brawn, Mack possesses brains, taking home the 2008 Draddy Trophy, the academic Heisman. He possesses the tools to become a top-line starter in the NFL.

Character / Leadership Ability: He has no known character flaws and was the unquestioned leader of Cal’s offense. He was a mentor to Cal’s younger offensive linemen.

Competitive Nature / Work Ethic: He never stops competing, even when a play is halfway down the field—he plays with a lot of intensity. Mack returned to school because he wanted to get the program back on the right track.

Football Intelligence: He’ll end his career, barring injuring, as a three-year starter. He can be a little slow at times to read and react and will really benefit from being just a full-time football player.

Size: He’s fairly tall for a center, and his arms aren’t especially long. Mack has a bulky build throughout his frame but probably can’t hold much more mass.

Athletic Ability: He’s incredibly athletic and agile for a big, powerful center—He was a former high school wrestler and can actually do splits. He’s also very strong and moves to the second level quickly.

Toughness / Durability: He’s been durable throughout his career and plays with a lot of grit and desire.

Pass Blocking: Mack plays better against the run although he’s sometimes slow to react and some worry about his lack of awareness. He doesn’t move well laterally and can have trouble reacting and neutralizing speed rushers charging the A-gap.

Movement / Space: He’s an attacker at the second level who seeks out opponents instead of letting them come to him. Mack is also a really good cut blocker.

Quickness: Mack has great snap quickness to get the ball off and get into his stance. He doesn’t have much speed, though and kind of lumbers to get to opponents on the second level.

Run Blocking: He’s a mauling run blocker who uses his powerful lower body to push back tackles. He is an incredibly adept cut blocker and a gifted trap blocker. Mack is also a really good finisher.

Strength: Possesses great base strength—he registered a program-record power clean of 374 pounds. He has especially strong legs.

Technique: He tends to get too tall in his stance and needs to keep better balance, especially on the move. His base has to get wider or he could have some trouble facing players stronger than him.

Photo Credit: University of California

NFF: Chalk Talk

News and Notes From Around College Football for Dec. 15, 2008

Cal Center Alex Mack Named 2008 Draddy Trophy Recipient

Center Alex Mack of California captured the 19th annual Draddy Award at the 51st annual NFF Awards Dinner at the Waldorf=Astoria in New York. He earned the 24-inch, 25-pound bronze trophy and a $25,000 postgraduate scholarship. $277,000 was awarded to Mack and the other 14 Draddy Trophy finalists, who each claimed $18,000 scholarships for postgraduate educations.

Mack already has graduated magna cum laude from Cal with a 3.61 GPA and a bachelor's degree in legal studies. The projected first-round NFL Draft pick was a two-time First Team All-Pac-10 selection, two-time Rimington Trophy finalist, and a four-time Academic All-Pac-10 selection. He will lead the Golden Bears against Miami (Fla.) in the 2008 Emerald Bowl on Dec. 27.

NFF Appoints New Board Members

The NFF & College Hall of Fame has added four exceptional individuals, who all played college football before going onto stellar business careers, as members of its national board of directors. Joining 43 other active members of the prestigious board are James A. Haslam II, founder and chairman of the Pilot Corporation; Ronnie Lott, founder HRJ Capital and a College Football Hall of Famer from Southern California; John J. Mack, chairman and chief executive officer of Morgan Stanley; and George Pyne, president IMG Sports & Entertainment.

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 Has Reopened for Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year Award

College football fans can visit www.CoachoftheYear.com from now until December 22 to cast their vote for the 2008 Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year Award. 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.

They were determined by a combination of hundreds of thousands of fan votes at www.CoachoftheYear.com and an objective scoring model endorsed by the College Football Hall of Fame. The scoring model considers such criteria as wins, team penalties, academic achievement by student-athletes, and civic and philanthropic commitments.

After this season, the total Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year charitable and scholarship contributions since 2006 will reach $680,000.

Bowl Notes

A record 68 teams are lined up for 34 FBS postseasons contests, starting Dec. 20 with the inaugural EagleBank Bowl in Washington, D.C. There were 72 bowl-eligible squads for the 68 contracted FBS postseason positions.

Cincinnati is the 43rd different school to play in a BCS contest... Southern California has played in a record seven-consecutive BCS contests... The 2009 Konica Minolta Gator Bowl between Clemson and Nebraska is the first meeting of the two schools since the Tigers edged the Huskers 22-15 in the 1982 Orange Bowl for CU's only national championship.

NCAA/NAIA Championships

FCS (formerly Division I-AA) - Friday, Dec. 19: Montana vs. Richmond in Chattanooga, Tenn. (ESPN2)

Division II - Saturday, Dec. 13: Minnesota- Duluth def. Northwest Missouri State in Florence, Ala.

Division III - Saturday, Dec. 20: Mount Union (Ohio), led by NFF Draddy Trophy finalist Greg Micheli vs. Wisconsin- Whitewater in Salem, Va. (ESPN2)

Russell Athletic NAIA Championship - Saturday, Dec. 20: Carroll (Mont.) vs. Sioux Falls (S.D.) in Rome, Ga. (CBS College Sports Network)

NFF News

The NFF Northern Ohio Chapter has been renamed the Mike Cleary Chapter, in honor of the longtime executive director of the National Association of College Directors of Athletics (NACDA) and lifetime NFF member. The surprise announcement was made at last Tuesday's NFF Chapter Luncheon at the Waldorf=Astoria.

Worldwide membership now is at 12,000-plus in 119 chapters.

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

Coach Lou Holtz appeared on "Regis and Kelly" last Tuesday prior to his induction into the College Football Hall of Fame that evening... Oklahoma has set a modern FBS record (and counting) with 702 points in 13 games this season... Southern California has won or tied a record seven consecutive Pacific-10 Conference football crowns... Harvard won or shared its first back-to-back Ivy League titles since 1982-83... Grambling downed Jackson State 41- 9 for the Southwestern Athletic Conference championship last week in Birmingham, Ala.... Texas Tech's Graham Harrell, 2008 NFF Draddy Trophy finalist, joined head coach Mike Leach in a private White House tour last Saturday and meeting with President George W. Bush... Rutgers' football program was mentioned prominently in Sports Illustrated's year-end issue as one of the leaders and key volunteer groups for Special Olympics... Tulsa football student-athletes visited Tulsa's Sequoyah Elementary School to emphasize staying in school and general academics on the day before the Conference USA championship... Wake Forest athletics' team members participated in a Santa's Helpers toy and gift drive for underserved youngsters... USF student-athletes and administrators gathered over 1,200 pounds of food for local pantries and holiday disbursement... Michigan State hosted a special Team for Toys event to help fill the stockings of area children... The Southern Conference raised over $18,500 for the Komen Foundation Dig for the Cure cancer research fund... The Ball State-Buffalo Marathon MAC Championship contest at Ford Field in Detroit drew a Mid-American Conference all- time-high national rating of 1.7 on the Nielsen scale.

The Rutgers Board of Governors formally approved $102 million to expand the school's stadium to 54,000 and add other amenities... TCU began work on another phase of Amon Carter Stadium expansion and renovation.

Auburn named Gene Chizik as its new head coach... Gary Andersen has taken over as head coach at Utah State... Dave Clawson accepted the top spot at Bowling Green... Dan Mullen has been named head coach at Mississippi State... Doug Marrone has received the new nod at Syracuse... David Yost has become Missouri's new offensive coordinator... Houston head coach Kevin Sumlin has been given a contract extension... Former Tennessee head coach Phillip Fulmer will remain on campus as assistant to the university's president.

National individual award recipients: Heisman - Sam Bradford, Oklahoma; Davey O'Brien - Bradford; Maxwell - Tim Tebow, Florida; Walter Camp National Player of the Year - Colt McCoy, Texas; Bednarik - Rey Maualuga, Southern California; Biletnikoff - Michael Crabtree, Texas Tech; Lou Groza - Graham Gano; Ray Guy - Matt Fodge, Oklahoma State; Outland - Andre Smith, Alabama; Jim Thorpe - Malcolm Jenkins, Ohio State; Doak Walker - Shonn Greene, Iowa; Home Depot Coach - Nick Saban, Alabama; NCFAA Contributions to College Football - Bobby Bowden (2006 NFF co-Gold Medal recipient, 2006 Hall of Fame inductee); Lott - James Laurinaitis, Ohio State; Rimington - A.Q. Shipley, Penn State; Bronko Nagurski and Rotary Lombardi - Brian Orakpo, Texas; Butkus - Aaron Curry, Wake Forest; Johnny Unitas Golden Arm - Graham Harrell, Texas Tech; John Mackey - Chase Coffman, Missouri... The Harlon Hill NCAA Division II Player of the Year Award went to Abilene Christian's Bernard Scott.

2008 Hall of Fame inductee Pat Fitzgerald of Northwestern was named 2008 Coach of the Year by the Columbus (Ohio) Touchdown Club... 2008 NFF Draddy finalist Georgia Tech DT Darryl Richard earned the ACC's 2008 James E. Tatum Award, as top senior student-athlete in football... For the first time in football history, the SEC selected tri-Coaches of the Year - Alabama's Nick Saban, Mississippi's Houston Nutt and Vanderbilt's Bobby Johnson... Navy coach Ken Niumatalolo has been selected as NCAA FBS Independent Teams 2008 Coach of the Year... Oklahoma offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson captured the Frank Broyles Award as top FBS assistant coach in '08... Former New York mayor and presidential candidate Rudy Guiliani has been denoted as the American Football Coaches Association's (AFCA) 2009 Tuss McLaughry Award recipient... The Texas Black Sports Hall of Fame inducted five football standouts: Tony Hill (Stanford), Arthur James (East Texas State), Aaron Wallace (Texas A&M), Richmond Webb (Texas A&M) and Kevin Williams (Miami, Fla.).

Minnesota head coach Tim Brewster and AD Joel Maturi joined Kansas head coach Mark Mangino and AD Lew Perkins in presiding over the opening bell of the NASDAQ Monday in New York. It was part of a special promotion for Insight Enterprises and the Insight Bowl... Georgia Tech is providing free, three-day shipping for athletics' gear and football bowl apparel for holiday gifts and special pricing for Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl souvenirs with the custom Yellow Jackets' logos... Utah's fan demand for online ticket purchases for the Allstate Sugar Bowl was so heavy last week that the server had to be closed down for part of last Friday. Orders were taken by phone and in person... The 2008 Pioneer Las Vegas Bowl has sold out its ticket allotment. College Football Hall of Famer Joe Theismann will be the headline speaker at the bowl's Kickoff Luncheon... Ole Miss is playing in its first AT&T Cotton Bowl since 1956, as the Rebels and Texas Tech meet in the 73rd and final Classic at Dallas' Cotton Bowl Stadium. Pat Summerall and Brian Baldinger will call the game from the booth... Analyst Tim Ryan will call the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl with Matt Vasgerian.

Tom Dillon, 65, voice of Arizona State athletics from 1973-97 and a lead announcer for Sports USA Radio football contests in recent years, died in Phoenix, Ariz.

NFF Delivers Another Night of Magical Football Memories

By NFF Correspondent Bo Carter

The 51st National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame Annual Awards Dinner celebrated many milestones in the collegiate game at the Waldorf=Astoria Tuesday night.

Besides the induction of 13 all-time collegiate stalwarts and head coaches John Cooper and Lou Holtz, the NFF audience of just under 1,600 received rousing renditions of the national anthem and "God Bless America" by "America's Beloved Tenor" Daniel Rodriguez.

2008 inductees included Troy Aikman of UCLA, Dr. Billy Cannon of LSU, Jim Dombrowski of Virginia, Pat Fitzgerald of Northwestern, Wilber Marshall of Florida, Rueben Mayes of Washington State, Randall McDaniel of Arizona State, Don McPherson of Syracuse, Jay Novacek of Wyoming, Dave Parks of Texas Tech, Ron Simmons of Florida State, Thurman Thomas of Oklahoma State; Arnold Tucker of Army, and coaches John Cooper (Tulsa, Arizona State and Ohio State) and Lou Holtz (William & Mary, NC State, Arkansas, Minnesota, Notre Dame, and South Carolina).

Major award winners included U.S. Senator John Glenn, accepting the NFF Gold Medal as an outstanding American who has demonstrated integrity and honesty, achieved significant career success; T. Boone Pickens, who claimed the NFF Distinguished American Award, which is presented on special occasions when a truly deserving individual emerges; Collegiate Licensing Co. and former Tennessee football coach Bill Battle, earned recognition as the recipient of the Outstanding Contribution to Amateur Football Award; and Ohio State's Gene Smith who took home the The John L. Toner Award given annually to a director of athletics who has demonstrated superior administrative abilities. The Outstanding College Football Official Award for 2008 was presented to Thomas Robinson of the Western Athletic and Mountain West Conferences, and Bob Curtis of Idaho and the late Dick Galiette of Yale were recognized as the co-recipients of the NFF Chris Schenkel Broadcaster of the Year Award.

Longtime National Football Foundation allies and retiring commissioners Tom Hansen of the Pacific-10 Conference, Jeffrey Orleans of the Ivy League and Mike Tranghese of the Big East Conference were honored with NFF Legacy Awards for their service to college athletics, especially football.

California center Alex Mack received the coveted 19th Draddy Award, known as the "academic" Heisman for college seniors, among a sterling 15-person field of National Scholar-Athletes. The All-Pacific-10 Conference center and starter for the Emerald Bowl- destined Golden Bears became the first Pac-10 scholar to claim the trophy. He already has graduated with a bachelor's degree and is working towards a Master's degree in business.

"I'm just very thankful to the National Football Foundation for this honor," Mack said, "and I am grateful for schools such as California for allowing us to excel. The university gave me the opportunity to excel on the field and in the classroom as well as offering time for community service."

CBS College Sports Network and several national media outlets offered extensive coverage of the day's events. Some 37 returning NFF College Hall of Fame, seven NFF Gold Medal recipients, six NFF Distinguished American awardees, and six Heisman Trophy Winners returned for the event, which has been a staple of the college football season since the first NFF Awards Dinner at the Astor Hotel on Oct. 25, 1958. Responders for the honorees expressed delight in being able to represent a sport that has given them so much.

"I worked for one of the best directors of athletics in the world in Gene Corrigan at Notre Dame, and it is ADs like this who give you the best chance to perform leadership in football. Rev. (Theodore) Hesburgh once told me that titles come from above, and players determine the leadership abilities of any coach. You have to care for one another and set values and standards."

"Everyone in the audience should look at the 15 people (National Scholar-Athletes) behind me when something negative happens to an individual in college athletics and remember the accomplishments of these young men," added Syracuse quarterback and 2008 Hall of Fame inductees' spokesman Don McPherson. "You leave your own legacy and tradition in football, and you learn what it takes to make a team a team."

"You always recall the people who have the most impact on your lives," said NFF National Scholar- Athlete responder Casey Gerald, who was reared by relatives other than his birth mother and father. "I'm eternally grateful to the game of football. I have lived that game at Yale, and it gives the chance to live your dreams,"

The Foundation's 2008 Gold Medal recipient and famed astronaut/Senator John Glenn noted the benefits of the game.

"Football gives young people the chance to get in shape, be fit and work as a team - tenets that have helped to strengthen America for many years." The national group also acknowledged 20 years of board of directors' service by retiring member John L. Toner and was gearing up for board meetings in New York later this week.

"We want to express out thanks to John Toner for 20 great years of service on the National Football Foundation board," said NFF President & CEO Steve Hatchell. "I also want to commend Bob Mulcahy (Rutgers director of athletics) and the awards committee for some very extensive research and an outstanding group of finalists and honorees for the 2008 Awards Dinner."

Photo Credit: National Football Foundation, Gene Boyars

Cal Center Alex Mack Named 2008 Draddy Trophy Winner

Mack becomes first Pac-10 winner of the NFF's top scholar-athlete award, as $277,000 in scholarships is distributed to the 2008 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class

NEW YORK, December 9, 2008 - Alex Mack, an All-America center from the University of California, became the 19th recipient of the Draddy Trophy, presented by HealthSouth, at The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame's Annual Awards Dinner in New York City tonight.

The Draddy Trophy is one of college football's most sought after and competitive awards, recognizing an individual as the absolute best in the country for his combined academic success, football performance and exemplary community leadership. The award comes with a 24-inch, 25-pound bronze trophy and a $25,000 postgraduate scholarship. A total of $277,000 was awarded to Mack and the other 14 Draddy Trophy finalists, who each claimed $18,000 scholarships for their post-graduate educations.

"We are extremely proud to award this year's Draddy Trophy to Alex," said NFF Chairman Archie Manning, whose son Peyton claimed the 1997 Draddy Trophy. "He represents the best of the best in collegiate academics and athletics and epitomizes the leadership qualities learned playing our great sport."

Having already graduated magna cum laude with a 3.61 GPA and a bachelor's degree in legal studies, the 2008 Pac-10 Scholar-Athlete of the Year for football is a four-time Academic All-Pac-10 selection currently pursuing a master's in education. In an article by Eric Gilmore of CalBears.com, several of Mack's teammates concurred that it has come to be expected to see the two-time ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District pick "walking around with a book all the time," and acknowledge that Mack "puts in the time to succeed" when it comes to school and football.

Equally impressive, the projected first round NFL Draft pick is a two-time All-Pac-10 pick, one of only three players to be named a unanimous 2007 First Team All-Conference selection en route to earning the Morris Trophy as the conference's top offensive lineman. Named a First Team All- America by The Sporting News in 2007, the Santa Barbara, Calif., native is a finalist for the Rimington Trophy and the leader of an offensive unit that allowed the fewest sacks (24) in the Pac-10 in 2006 and '07. Mack will lead the Golden Bears to face Miami (Fla.) in the Emerald Bowl on Dec. 27.

A member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, Mack was the literal poster boy for Cal's "Dancing with the Stars" fundraising event, which raised money for underprivileged children in the San Francisco area. He was selected as a summer guest columnist for the Sporting New Today and has participated in an after-school program with local elementary schools.

Mack follows Je'Rod Cherry (1995) and Donald Pat Newell (1959) as NFF National Scholar-Athletes for the Golden Bears.

Launched in 1959, the NFF scholar-athlete program became the first initiative in history to credit a player for both academic and athletic accomplishments. The centerpiece to the NFF's scholar-athlete program, which has awarded $8.9 million to 708 top athletes, the Draddy Trophy, first awarded in 1990, honors Manhattan College quarterback and former NFF Chairman Vincent dePaul Draddy.

"The NFF mission is to build leaders through football, and the 2008 NFF National Scholar-Athlete class members stand as a testament to that creed," said NFF President & CEO Steven J. Hatchell. "We look forward to supporting the bright futures of each of these fine young men, and we take great pride in holding them out as examples of football's unique ability to build tomorrow's leaders."

Candidates must be a senior or graduate student in their final year of eligibility, have a grade point average of at least 3.2 on a 4.0 scale, have outstanding football ability as a first team player and have demonstrated strong leadership and citizenship.

The 2008 Class of NFF National Scholar-Athlete Award Recipients and Draddy Finalists includes:
Andrew Berry - CB, Harvard University
Ryan Berry - QB, South Dakota State University
Chase Daniel - QB, University of Missouri
Brian Freeman - OT, Carnegie Mellon University (Pa.)
Casey Gerald - CB, Yale University
Graham Harrell - QB, Texas Tech University
Quin Harris - LB, Louisiana Tech University
Jeff Horinek - LB, Colorado State University
Ryan Kees - DE, St. Cloud State University (Minn.)
Alex Mack - C, University of California
Ryan McDonald - OL, University of Illinois
Greg Micheli - QB, Mount Union College (Ohio)
Darryl Richard - DT, Georgia Tech
Brian Robiskie - WR, Ohio State University
Louie Sakoda - K/P, University of Utah

Listed in chronological order, past Draddy winners, counting two Rhodes Scholars, a Rhodes Scholar finalist, and a Heisman Trophy winner, include:
Chris Howard (Air Force, 1990 - Leader in Higher Education)
John B. Culpepper (Florida, 1991 - Attorney)
Jim Hansen (Colorado, 1992 - MIT Professor)
Thomas Burns (Virginia, 1993 - Ph.D. Nuclear Engineer)
Robert Zatechka (Nebraska, 1994 - Physician)
Bobby Hoying (Ohio State, 1995 - Real Estate Developer)
Danny Wuerffel (Florida, 1996 - Nonprofit Director)
Peyton Manning (Tennessee, 1997 - NFL Player)
Matt Stinchcomb (Georgia, 1998 - Television Broadcaster)
Chad Pennington (Marshall, 1999 - NFL Player)
Kyle Vanden Bosch (Nebraska, 2000 - NFL Player)
Joaquin Gonzalez (Miami, 2001 - Entrepreneur)
Brandon Roberts (Washington University in St. Louis, 2002 - Medical Student)
Craig Krenzel (Ohio State, 2003 - Real Estate Investment Analyst)
Michael Munoz (Tennessee, 2004 - Nonprofit director and political candidate)
Rudy Niswanger (Louisiana State University, 2005 - Medical Student)
Brian Leonard (Rutgers University, 2006 - NFL Player)
Dallas Griffin (University of Texas, 2007 - MBA Candidate)

Photo Credit: National Football Foundation, Gene Boyars

NFF: Chalktalk

2008 NFF Draddy Trophy Finalists Garner National Accolades

Four 2008 NFF National Scholar-Athlete were named to the ESPN the Magazine /CoSIDA Academic All-America First Team (University Division), including Harvard's Andrew Berry, Illinois' Ryan McDonald, Ohio State's Brian Robiskie and Utah's Louie Sakoda. Carnegie Mellon's (Pa.) Brian Freeman and Mount Union's (Ohio) Greg Micheli were named to the First Team in the College Division, with Micheli honored as the College Division Academic All-American of the Year.

Graham Harrell (Texas Tech) was named a finalist for the Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award as well as the Maxwell Award.

Louie Sakoda (Utah) is the only player in the nation to be a finalist for both the Lou Groza National Place-Kicker and the Ray Guy Awards. He is only the second player in college football history to hold this distinction (Purdue's Travis Dorsch, 2001).

Chase Daniel (Missouri), Graham Harrell (Texas Tech), Quin Harris (Louisiana Tech) and Louie Sakoda (Utah) were named finalists for the Wuerffel Trophy.

Casey Gerald of Yale has captured the New England Football Writers Association's Jerry Nason Award for senior achievement, leadership and character. Nominees come from a five- state region and all NCAA and NAIA divisions.

Greg Micheli of Mount Union (Ohio) was named a finalist for the Gagliardi Trophy awarded to Division III's national player of the year. Micheli has also led the Purple Raiders to the Division III quarterfinals.

Missouri's Chase Daniel and Texas Tech's Graham Harrell were named finalists for the Unitas Golden Arm Award.

BCS Notes

For the first time in BCS history, the BCS standings broke a tiebreaker to determine the Big 12's South Division representative in the Dr Pepper Big 12 Football Championship in Kansas City. Oklahoma is No. 2 in this week's BCS standings ahead of No. 3 Texas and No. 7 Texas Tech. All closed with identical 7-1 conference marks and 11-1 overall records. Texas Tech nabbed its first share of a Big 12 football divisional crown in the process.

This week's conference championship games: Friday, Dec. 5 - Mid-American Conference, Ball State vs. Buffalo, 8 p.m. (EST), Detroit, Mich.; Saturday, Dec. 6 - Dr Pepper ACC Championship, Boston College vs. Virginia Tech, 1 p.m. (EST), Tampa, Fla.; Dec. 6 - Conference USA Championship, East Carolina vs. Tulsa, noon (CST), ESPN2; Dec. 6 - Southeastern Conference Championship, 4 p.m. (EST), Atlanta, Ga., Alabama vs. Florida; Dec. 6 - Dr Pepper Big 12 Championship, Missouri vs. Oklahoma, 7 p.m. (CST), Kansas City.

Florida and Alabama are meeting for the sixth time in 17 years in the Southeastern Conference Championship game. The Gators have a 3-2 edge, and this is the first time in history that two SEC teams have met as No. 1 (Alabama) and No. 2 (UF) in the Associated Press national poll... Cincinnati has clinched its first Big East Conference football crown. The Bearcats are the eighth different school to win the Big East since 1991... Ohio State's four-year run of outright or shared Big Ten Conference titles is tied for third in league history. The Buckeyes 1972-77 squads won or tied for a record six consecutive conference crowns.

There are four remaining FBS schools (Alabama, Ball State, Boise State and Utah) with undefeated records on the week after the seventh Bowl Championship Series standings. Alabama has appeared at No. 1 in BCS standings for five consecutive weeks - the most since Ohio State closed 2007 with five consecutive No. 1 positions. The record is 15 straight No. 1 placements by Southern California in 2004 and '05. The Crimson Tide is the first team since Oklahoma (six consecutive standings in 2000) to appear five weeks in a row in its debut year atop the BCS.

Seven additional teams became bowl eligible last week to bring the total to 71 for the 68 contracted positions in 34 FBS postseason games: Bowling Green, Florida Atlantic, Memphis, Southern Miss, NC State, Hawaii and Arkansas State. There are four additional schools (Arizona State, Louisiana-Lafayette, Louisville and Middle Tennessee) with five overall victories and at least one game remaining.

The 34 postseason games in the FBS are being played in 28 different cities/metro areas and will attract more than 6,800 student-athletes, over 1,100 coaches and administrative personnel, and in excess of 1.7 million fans by projected ticket sales.

Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year Voting

Whether building houses for the homeless or starting charities to help neighbors in need, today's college football coaches are making a meaningful impact in their communities. If your favorite coach is a community leader, you can help him win $50,000 for his favorite charities through the Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year Award. Just Visit www.coachoftheyear.com, cast your vote, and encourage members of your community to do the same by clicking on "Spread the Word," located on the upper right hand corner of the website's front page. A brief e-mail form will appear, allowing you to tell family, friends and fellow alumni to cast their votes.

Since its 2006 debut, Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year Award winners have donated a total of $400,000 in prize money to 12 charities and their schools' alumni associations, for scholarships. This year, four more coaches - one from each NCAA football division - will win a collective total of $280,000 in charitable donations. By spreading the word in your community, you can help decide who should win this valuable support.

NFF News

The NFF's Greater Atlanta Chapter will be awarding 37 scholar-athlete scholarships and 12 scholar-manager scholarships on Dec. 30 at the Texaco Scholarship Luncheon and Chalk Talk, presented by The Atlanta Journal Constitution.

To become a member of the National Scholar- Athlete Alumni Association, please contact NFF Director of Special Projects Hillary Jeffries at 800-486- 1865 or via email at hjeffries@footballfoundation.com.

To become an NFF member, please contact NFF Director of Membership Ron Dilatush at 800-486- 1865 or via email at rdilatush@footballfoundation.com. Worldwide membership now is at 12,000-plus in 119 chapters.

For the weekly College Football Insiders newsletter, the NFF's College Football Viewer Guide complete with broadcast teams, 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 passed Notre Dame on the all- time FBS wins' chart and trails only Michigan in total victories... Penn State (800th all-time football victory) and Wake Forest (400th triumph in history) each notched milestone team wins in 2008... Texas coach Mack Brown netted his 200th career win last Thursday vs. Texas A&M... Missouri and Kansas have extended their season series at Arrowhead Stadium through 2012... Rice's Bayou Bucket win over Houston drew the largest home crowd in eight years to Rice Stadium. The Owls' nine wins this seasons are the most since 1949... Boston College has scored a non- offensive touchdown in seven consecutive contests... Ohio State student-athletes and fans have sent 5,700-plus personal care packages to U.S. military personnel stationed in Iraq and Afghanistan through Operation Buckeye... New Mexico State's "Tough Enough to Wear Pink" fundraising through athletics has helped raise $284,000 for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation... Tennessee has pledged athletics department funding for turfgrass and grass growth research on campus... Returning Kansas State coach Bill Snyder is making a six-city tour of Kansas Tuesday... The Reno-Tahoe Airport has added a "Wolf Pack Den" display to promote Nevada athletics... magicJack Inc. has signed a one- year agreement as title sponsor of the St. Petersburg Bowl. Former Purdue standout Mike Alstott will serve as honorary bowl chairman.

Lamar's (Texas) football stadium for its 2010 return to the gridiron will be named Provost Umphrey Stadium to recognize a $3 million contribution from a law firm and $1 million from Walter and Sheila Umphrey... Charlotte has received 5,000-plus pledges for FSLs (49er Seat Licenses) for the university's upcoming football program... Retired Mississippi State director of athletics Larry Templeton has been honored with the naming of the Templeton Athletics Academics Center on campus.

Lane Kiffin was named head coach at Tennessee... Wyoming named Dave Christensen head coach... Missouri head coach Gary Pinkel had his contract extended through the 2015 season... Yale's Jack Siedlecki is retiring as head coach to become an assistant director of athletics for the Bulldogs... Tim Davis has been tabbed as Minnesota's new running game coordinator/offensive line coach.

The National College Football Awards Association's Contributions to College Football Award will be presented in Orlando on Dec. 12 to 2006 College Football Hall of Fame coach Bobby Bowden... 2004 NFF High School National Scholar-Athlete QB Chris Pizzotti of Harvard was named the 2008 Ivy League Asa Bushnell Cup Player of the Year... The Big Ten Conference led all FBS circuits with eight first or second team choices on the ESPN the Magazine/CoSIDA Academic All-America entries... The Walter Camp Foundation has denoted its three legends' awards for 2008: Alumnus of the Year Tim Brown (Notre Dame); Man of the Year Morten Andersen (Michigan State); and Distinguished American Len Dawson (Purdue).

Finalists have been announced for the following postseason awards to be presented live at the ESPNU Home Depot Awards Show on Dec. 12 in Orlando: Chuck Bednarik Award - James Laurinaitis (Ohio State), Ray Maualuga (Southern California) and Aaron Maybin (Penn State); Biletnikoff Award - Dez Bryant (Oklahoma State), Michael Crabtree (Texas Tech), and Jeremy Maclin (Missouri); Lou Groza National Place- Kicker Award - Josh Arauco (Arkansas State), Graham Gano (Florida State), and NFF Draddy Trophy finalist Louie Sakoda (Utah); Ray Guy Award - Matt Fodge (Oklahoma State), Pat McAfee (West Virginia) and Sakoda (Utah). Maxwell Award - NFF Draddy Trophy finalist Graham Harrell (Texas Tech), Colt McCoy (Texas) and Tim Tebow (Florida); Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award - Sam Bradford (Oklahoma), Harrell (Texas Tech) and McCoy (Texas); Outland Trophy - Michael Oher (Mississippi), Duke Robinson (Oklahoma) and Andre Smith (Alabama); Jim Thorpe Award - Eric Berry (Tennessee), Malcolm Jenkins (Ohio State) and Taylor Mays (Southern California); Doak Walker Award - Shonn Greene (Iowa), Knowshon Moreno (Georgia) and Javon Ringer (Michigan State).

Rhodes Scholarship recipient Myron Rolle (Florida State), Aaron Curry (Wake Forest), James Laurinaitis (Ohio State) and Brian Orakpo (Texas) were named as finalists for the fifth annual Lott Trophy... The John Mackey Award has selected Chase Coffman (Missouri), Jermaine Gresham (Oklahoma), and Brandon Pettigrew (Oklahoma State) as its 2008 tight end of the year finalists... Two Ole Miss standouts - Michael Oher and Peria Jerry - join Millsaps QB Juan Joseph as finalists for the Cellular South Conerly Trophy for the top collegiate standout in Mississippi. The trophy memorializes Ole Miss QB and late College Football Hall of Famer Charlie Conerly... The Sports Network has designated 20 finalists for the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award in the Football Championship Subdivision... The 10 finalists have been designated for the Division III Gagliardi Trophy to honor excellence in athletics, academics and community service, including NFF Draddy Trophy finalist Greg Micheli from Mount Union (Ohio).

The Nov. 12 Ball State-Central Michigan game on ESPN was the highest-rated telecast in Mid-American Conference history with a 1.6 or a viewing audience of 1,605,001 homes... The third annual Gridiron Classic between Jacksonville of the Pioneer League and Albany of the Northeast Conference was aired nationally last Saturday on the YES Network, DirecTV and AT&T cable.

Murray Armstong, 71, assistant coach and administrator for Memphis football from 1962- 2008, died last Saturday in Somerville, Tenn. He starred as an end at Tennessee... Leo Seal, former Mississippi State football student-athlete and benefactor for the Leo Seal End Zone facility at MSU, died in Gulfport, Miss.... Goble Bryant, former Army offensive and defensive tackle from 1945-47, passed away on Nov. 23.

Key NFF Dates

Dec. 9: NFF Annual Awards Dinner at the Waldorf=Astoria - New York, N.Y.
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

This Date in College Football History

Dec. 3, 1999: Marshall beats Western Michigan 34-30 in the MAC Championship Game in Huntington. Down 30-27 with 0:04 seconds left in the fourth quarter, Thundering Herd quarterback Chad Pennington (1999 Draddy winner) throws his 100th career touchdown pass to Eric Pinkerton as time expires claiming Marshall's third consecutive MAC title.

Credit: The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame

NFF Chalktalk

News and Notes From Around College Football for Oct. 27, 2008

NFF to Announce Draddy Finalists on Oct. 29

With $275,000 in scholarships and 15 all-expense paid trips to New York City at stake, The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame (NFF) will announce Oct. 29 the 15 finalists for college football's most prestigious academic honor: The Draddy Trophy presented, by HealthSouth.

Coming from a pool of 164 semifinalists from all divisions of play, the 15 finalists will each win a coveted $18,000 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Award for their post graduate educations, and they will each travel all expenses paid to New York City to attend the NFF Annual Awards Dinner on Dec. 9 at the Waldorf- Astoria.

McPherson On-Campus Salute Set for Saturday

Syracuse's most highly decorated quarterback Don McPherson will be honored for his 2008 induction into the College Football Hall of Fame this Saturday, as the Orange take on Louisville at 7:00 p.m. ET on ESPNU.

McPherson won over 18 national Player of the Year honors during his collegiate career, including the Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award, the Maxwell Player of the Year and the inaugural Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award. The West Hempstead, N.Y., native holds or shares 11 Syracuse football records and claimed MVP honors in the Sugar Bowl, capping an undefeated 1987 regular season and a No. 4 final ranking for the Orange.

McPherson has become one of the nation's leading educators and advocates for the prevention of men's violence against women and has been featured on Nightline and The Oprah Winfrey Show.

BCS News

Florida and Texas have appeared in at least one BCS Standings every year since 1998. Texas was the first school to be included in 70 different surveys and has appeared in 71 of the first 78 standings (91 percent). Florida is next with 70 appearances through the second set of '08 standings.

Top 12 Schools By Appearance (through Oct. 26, 2008): Texas - 71; Florida - 70; Oklahoma - 62; Michigan - 62; Virginia Tech - 60; Ohio State - 54; Florida State - 52; Tennessee - 52; Southern California - 51; Miami (Fla.) - 50; Georgia - 48; and LSU - 46.

Most Seasons in BCS Standings (1998-Oct. 26, 2008): Texas - 11; Florida - 11; Michigan - 10; Virginia Tech - 10; Florida State - 9; Georgia - 9; Ohio State - 9; Oklahoma - 9; LSU - 8; Oregon - 8; Southern California - 8; Tennessee - 8; Miami (Fla.) - 7; Nebraska - 7; and Penn State - 7.

Most Appearances at No. 1 (through Oct. 26, 2008): Oklahoma - 17; Ohio State - 15; Southern California - 15; Florida State - 7; Miami (Fla.) - 7; Nebraska - 5; Tennessee - 5; Texas - 3; LSU - 2; Missouri - 1; and UCLA - 1.

Hawaii, Rutgers, Tulsa and Wake Forest all made their first appearances in the standings in 2006 to bring the then-total representation to 72 schools. Cincinnati, Connecticut, Kansas, Kentucky and South Florida joined the field in 2007, and appearances by Ball State and North Carolina in 2008 raised the tally to 79 of 119 current total FBS members to have ever been featured in the standings.

Oklahoma has been one of most active "latecomers" to the standings. After not being among the Top 15 in either 1998 or '99, the Sooners have been in 62 polls since Oct. 2000 and have been No. 1 on a record 17 occasions. They are tied for third with Michigan all-time in BCS standings' appearances.

National College Football Day

National College Football Day is this Saturday, Nov. 1, honoring college football's first game in 1869. The American Football Coaches Association, the National Association of Division IA Football Officials and Football Writers Association of America are teaming with the AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic and The V Foundation for Cancer Research to raise funds and increase awareness in the fight against cancer. For more information, please visit w ww.NationalCollegeFootballDay.com.

NFF News

Liberty Mutual has proudly partnered with the College Football Hall of Fame to honor one coach from each division who demonstrates excellence on and off the field through victories, community service, charitable endeavors and academic support. Visit www.coachoftheyear.com now to find out how to vote for your favorite coach.

Southern Connecticut State head coach Rich Cavanaugh spoke to the Gene J. Casey/New Haven (Conn.) Chapter last Thursday. He is in his 24th season as coach of the Owls, has a career mark of 142-103-1, has led the school to three consecutive NCAA playoffs and a school-record 15 consecutive seasons of .500-plus winning percentages.

Newest member of the NFF National Scholar- Athlete Alumni Association: David Wonderlick (Susquehanna, Pa.). To become a member of the NFF National Scholar- Athlete Alumni Association, please contact NFF Director of Special Projects Hillary Jeffries at 800-486- 1865 or via email at hjeffries@footballfoundation.com.

Two-Minute Drill

Head coaches including 2008 College Football Hall of Fame inductee Northwestern's Pat Fitzgerald, North Carolina's Butch Davis, and all 12 mentors from Conference USA, along with hundreds of other programs on all NCAA and NAIA levels joined in wearing "Coach for the Cure" armbands last weekend to raise awareness for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, a special charitable cause in 2008 for the American Football Coaches Association. MDA and the AFCA are also joining in the fight against Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (Lou Gehrig's Disease) and other neuromuscular disorders.

East Carolina will host Appalachian State on Sept. 5, 2009, to renew a 77-year-old rivalry... La.-Lafayette is promoting "Sell Out the Swamp" for Saturday's homecoming contest with Florida Atlantic. It's the 1,000th football contest in ULL history, and RB Rajin Cajun Tyrell Fenroy also has become just the seventh back in FBS history to record four 1,000-yard seasons... Navy played its 1,200th all-time football contest against SMU last week in Annapolis, Md., and became the first team since Ohio in 1997 to win a game without attempting a pass on 77 plays from scrimmage... Texas Tech QB and NFF Draddy Trophy semifinalist Graham Harrell moved into fourth place in all-time FBS individual passing. Red Raider walk-on kicker Matt Williams, who won a halftime kicking contest and tryout for the team last month, was 9-for-9 in PATs during the Tech's win last week at Kansas... La.-Monroe brought back Major League Baseball and Olympic pitching star alumnus Ben Sheets as honorary captain for its recent contest with Florida Atlantic and hosted a "Blue Out Game" for ULM fans... Cleveland State is investigating the possibility of adding varsity football in coming years... Florida State honored Wounded Warriors Program members Mark McDuffie, Chris Lynch and Michael Taylor during last week's game against Virginia Tech in Tallahassee for their sacrifices... North Texas students voted to increase student athletics fees in hopes of breaking ground on a new stadium in Denton, Texas, as soon as 2009... Troy QB Levi Brown's 391 passing yards last weekend against North Texas are the most ever for a Troy quarterback in head coach Larry Blakeney's 18 seasons at the helm... The final EA Sports NCAA Football '09 Challenge presented by Coke Zero exhibit stopped at last Saturday's Cincinnati- Connecticut contest... Actors Ryan Merriman, Aidan Quinn and Andie MacDowell will star in "The 5th Quarter," following the life of Jon Abbate, then a junior linebacker for Wake Forest, after the death of his 15-year- old brother... Texas A&M-Commerce defeated East Central (Texas) in the inaugural Harvey Martin Classic in the Cotton Bowl in Dallas.

South Carolina defensive coordinator Ellis Johnson received a contract extension through the 2011 season... Lin Dawson has been selected as director of athletics at Grambling... Big Ten Conference commissioner Jim Delany had his contract extended through June 30, 2013.

Former U.S. House of Representatives member and Tulsa standout Steve Largent became the eighth student-athlete in the history of Golden Hurricane football to have his jersey retired... 1991 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Will Furrer will be honored for his football and off-field accomplishments on Nov. 6 when his alma mater Virginia Tech hosts Maryland on ESPN. He currently is president of IF Marketing and Advertising in Austin, Texas... Miami (Fla.) honored its 1983 national championship team last weekend during its game against Wake Forest... Ohio State's Tyson Gentry has been nominated for the 2008 FedEx Orange Bowl/FWAA Courage Award... Northern Illinois' Keenan Blarark and 2006 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Oklahoma's Carl Pendleton have received NACDA McLendon Minority graduate school grants for 2008-09... Arkansas football standouts Martine Bercher, Jr. , R.C. Thielemann and Jarrell Williams join Arkansas grad, NFF member and NFL referee Walt Coleman of Little Rock, Ark., as the newest members of the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame in Little Rock... Maryland added M Club Foundation executive director David Diehl, football stalwart Darryl Hill and Maryland State Sen. Mike Miller (for meritorious service) to its athletics hall of fame last Friday... Current Auburn head coach Tommy Tuberville and late Alabama assistant coach/ longtime associate AD Sam Bailey join football standouts Bobby Evans and Sammy Furo as inductees into the Southern Arkansas Hall of Fame...1983 Ohio State captain Kirk Lowdermilk was honorary Silver Anniversary captain for last week's OSU-Penn State clash in Columbus, Ohio... The NCAA Division II Football Hall of Fame has added Eric Davis of Jacksonville State and Rod Smith of Missouri Southern to its legendary group. Induction will be part of the Harlon Hill Trophy and Division II NCAA Championship banquet in Florence, Ala., on Dec. 12.

To commemorate its 75th anniversary, the Orange Bowl Committee (OBC) is leaving a legacy gift of $2.5 million to the South Florida community. The gift has been matched by the City of Miami, which is partnering with the OBC to construct a high school football stadium and other facilities at Moore Park, the site of the first Palm Festival, predecessor of the FedEx Orange Bowl... The Western Athletic Conference and San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl officials announced a contingency agreement that will affect the 2008 and '09 bowl games. The contract stipulates that if the bowl's agreement with the Pacific-10 Conference does not yield a bowl eligible team (six or more wins), then the bowl will get a team from the Western Athletic Conference in either or both years... The Big 12 Conference and Chick- fil-A have selected the Fall Community of Champions from each of the 12 schools with honors being based on community service, leadership, scholarship, and sportsmanship.

CBS has extended its coverage of the Army-Navy game through the 2018 season. The contest will be moved to the second Saturday in December starting in 2009 to signify the end of regular-season play for FBS annually... FSN Southwest captured five regional Emmy Awards from the Lone Star Chapter of the National Television Academy in judging by national peer panels... The New England Sports Network (NESN) and Atlantic Coast Conference have embarked on additional broadcast and regional coverage agreements... The Real Winning Edge sports reality show will debut on selected Fox network stations in the near future with inspiring stories about student-athletes overcoming major odds to succeed... Chattanooga has signed a marketing, promotional and broadcast agreement with Learfield Sports Properties.

Gene Hickerson, 73, All-SEC standout at Ole Miss, died last week in Cleveland, Ohio... Craig Fertig, 66, former standout USC quarterback and head coach at Oregon State, passed away... Robert T. Becker, 73, who oversaw tremendous athletics growth and success as athletics director at Saginaw Valley State (Mich.), died in Naples, Fla.

Key NFF Dates

Oct. 29: 2008 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class Announcement
Dec. 9: NFF Annual Awards Dinner at the Waldorf=Astoria - New York, N.Y.
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, 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 Game - Miami, Fla., Fox

The National Football Foundation Will Announce the 2008 Draddy Finalists Oct. 29

Each of the 15 finalists will be named as a member of the 2008 NFF National Scholar- Athlete Class; receive an $18,000 scholarship; win an all-expense paid to trip to NYC; and vie for college football's most prestigious academic honor: The Draddy Trophy, presented by HealthSouth.

DALLAS, Oct. 27, 2008 - With $275,000 in scholarships and 15 all-expense paid trips to New York City at stake, The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame (NFF) will announce Oct. 29 the 15 finalists for college football's most prestigious academic honor: The Draddy Trophy presented, by HealthSouth.

Coming from a pool of 164 semifinalists from all divisions of play, the 15 finalists will each win a coveted $18,000 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Award for their post graduate educations, and they will each travel all expenses paid to New York City to attend the NFF Annual Awards Dinner on Dec. 9 at the Waldorf- Astoria.

At the Dec. 9 NFF Annual Awards Dinner, in conjunction with the 2008 College Football Hall of Fame induction ceremonies, the accomplishments of each finalist will be touted in front a sellout crowd of the most powerful people in all of sports, and one of them will be announced live in dramatic fashion as the winner of The 2008 Draddy Trophy, which comes with an additional $7,000 for a total scholarship of $25,000.

NFF Chalktalk

News and Notes From Around College Football for Oct. 6, 2008

NFF Announces 2008 Draddy Trophy Semifinalists


Selected as the best and brightest from the college gridiron, the National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame denoted 164 semifinalists for the 2008 Draddy Trophy, presented by HealthSouth, and the candidates for the 2008 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Awards.

Nominated by their schools, which are limited to one nominee each, semifinalists must be a senior or graduate student in their final year of eligibility, have a GPA of at least 3.2 on a 4.0 scale, have outstanding football ability as a first team player or significant contributor, and have demonstrated strong leadership and citizenship. Established to honor former NFF Chairman Vincent dePaul Draddy, a Manhattan College quarterback who developed the Izod and Lacoste brands, the award comes with a 25- pound bronze trophy and a $25,000 post-graduate scholarship.

The NFF Awards Committee will select and announce up to 15 finalists on Oct. 29. Each finalist will be recognized as part of the 2008 National Scholar- Athlete Class, receiving an $18,000 post-graduate scholarship. The Draddy winner, who will receive a $25,000 postgraduate scholarship, will be announced at the NFF's Annual Awards Dinner on December 9 at the prestigious Waldorf=Astoria in New York City. A total distribution of more than $300,000 in scholarships will be awarded that evening.

Notable NFF National Scholar-Athlete alumni include NFL standout Derrick Brooks (Florida State); actor Mark Harmon (UCLA); NASA astronaut Leland Melvin (Richmond); former Dateline NBC anchor Stone Phillips (Yale); chairman of Augusta National Golf Club, home of the Masters Tournament, Billy Payne (Georgia); famed NFL quarterback Steve Young (BYU); and Heisman Trophy winners Terry Baker (Oregon State), Gary Beban (UCLA); Doug Flutie (Boston College), and Danny Wuerffel (Florida).

For a complete list of the semifinalists, please visit www.footballfoundation.com.

NFF News

2008 College Football Hall of Fame inductee Coach Lou Holtz will guide former Notre Dame student-athletes in the July 25, 2009, Japan Bowl against a Japanese national all- star team. The legends' squad will host a two-day mini-camp in South Bend, Ind., and will appear at several functions in the Tokyo area from July 19-26 as part of the Japan American Football Association's 75th anniversary festivities.

Stanford and Purdue are the latest college football teams to visit the College Football Hall of Fame in South Bend in recent weeks, and both have held alumni functions at the facility.

Liberty Mutual has proudly partnered with the College Football Hall of Fame to honor one coach from each division who demonstrates excellence on and off the field through victories, community service, charitable endeavors and academic support. Visit www.coachoftheyear.com now to find out how to vote for your favorite coach.

To become a member of the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Alumni Association, please contact NFF Director of Special Projects Hillary Jeffries at 800-486-1865 or via email at hjeffries@footballfoundation.com.

Two-Minute Drill

Missouri downed Nebraska in Lincoln for the first time since 1978... Vanderbilt is 5-0 for the first time since 1943... Southern California seeks its 400th victory at Los Angeles Coliseum against Arizona State Saturday... Brigham Young won its NCAA-best 15th consecutive game last Friday against Utah State... Western Michigan captured its 500th victory by downing Ohio last Saturday... Kansas is on pace to set a single-season attendance record for the fourth consecutive year... Oklahoma is only 10 points away from becoming the first college football team to score 30,000 points all-time... Graham Harrell became Texas Tech's all-time leading passer last Saturday... Seven college bands are competing in ESPN's "Battle of the Bands" promotion to commemorate the DVD and Blu-ray Disc release of "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" with the winning school taking a $25,000 prize. Voting will be done online, and the participating bands are from Southern California, Georgia, Florida, Texas, Clemson, LSU and Auburn... The "2008 SEC Together We CAN Drive" raised more than 150,000 pounds of food for local charities and food banks... East Carolina's Board of Trustees officially extended head coach Skip Holtz's contract through 2013 with a new compensation and incentive plan... College Football Hall of Fame coach Frank Broyles will headline the 13th Annual Hendrix College (Ark.) Fellowship of Christian Athletes Bob Courtway Memorial Breakfast on Oct. 14.

Doreen and Jerry Hammes have made a donation to Notre Dame Athletics for facilities revamping and enhancement... California has broken ground on a new athletics and office support facility.

New Georgia State head football coach, standout center at Georgia Tech and television commentator Bill Curry has been named as winner of the 2008 President Gerald R. Ford Legends Award... West Virginia honored its 1988 Fiesta Bowl team, the only Mountaineer team to play for a national championship, at its game against Rutgers last Saturday... Princeton will honor two of its most famous athletes - 1951 Heisman Trophy winner and NFF Hall of Famer Dick Kazmaier and All-America hoopster and former U.S. Senator Bill Bradley - by retiring their numbers in ceremonies on Oct. 24-25 around the Princeton-Harvard weekend in Princeton, N.J... The 17th annual 2008 Allstate American Football Coaches Association Good Works Team features top student-athletes who have demonstrated off-field leadership and community service... The Atlantic Coast Conference's 2008 Dr Pepper ACC Football Championship Game Legends include memorable standouts Claude "Tee" Moorman II of Duke, Maryland's Stan Jones, Miami (Fla.) standout DT Russell Maryland, Virginia RB Tiki Barber, Florida State QB Danny Kanell, North Carolina DT Marcus Jones, Georgia Tech LB Pat Swilling, Clemson LB Levon Kirkland, Boston College LB Steve DeOssie, NC State guard Bill Yoest, Virginia Tech QB Don Strock, and Wake Forest TE John Henry Mills. The legends will be honored at '08 Dr Pepper ACC Football Championship in Tampa, Fla... TCU celebrated its 40th annual Frog Club Hall of Fame Class with additions of football standouts W.C. Nix, Dr. John Richards and the remaining members of the 1938 TCU national championship squad not already admitted to the school's Hall of Fame. Six members of the '38 squad attended the celebration.

The AT&T Cotton Bowl has a record pre-2009 public sale of 60,000-plus in the renovated 90,000- seat Cotton Bowl Stadium... Scott McCune has been named chairman of the Chick-fil-A Bowl... John Sudsbury to become director of communications and media relations at the Allstate Sugar Bowl... Tulsa's Wilson Holloway is the latest nominee for the 2008 FedEx Orange Bowl/FWAA Courage Award.

FSN Southwest will replay 22 classic Big 12 games from 1998-2007 over the next eight weeks and will culminate the series with Bedlam Series games between Oklahoma and Oklahoma State on Thanksgiving, Nov. 27... Jacked, Inc. and the Big Ten Network are seeing increased viewing numbers for Big Ten Conference football contests via a video stream collaboration by the two groups... The Mtn. has launched in South Central Communication Cable affiliates.

The Sun Belt Conference is teaming with the Leffler Agency for a marketing and promotions campaign... Under Armour Inc. signed South Florida to a uniform deal for the next five years.

Tennessee had its first live streaming of a game on UTSports.com against Northern Illinois to statewide residents without cable or satellite capabilities... Clemson's new iTiger project blends the expertise of athletics and the university's School of Computing in the College of Engineering and Science for a new game experience through texting and other in-stadium communication methods.

Former Southern California QB great, assistant coach and radio analyst Craig Fertig, 66, died of cancer last Saturday in Newport Beach, Calif.... John Godfrey, 87, head coach at Whittier (Calif.) from 1960-79, died last week in Tualatin, Ore.... Larry Birleffi, 90, former voice of the Wyoming Cowboys, passed away on Sept. 27.

National Football Foundation Chalk Talk

NFF News

With more than $300,000 in scholarships and 15 all- expense paid trips to New York City at stake, The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame (NFF) is set to announce Wednesday more than 160 semifinalists for college football's most prestigious academic honor - The 2008 Draddy Trophy presented, by HealthSouth.

One of college football's most sought after and competitive awards, the Draddy Trophy recognizes an individual as the absolute best in the country for his combined academic success, football performance and exemplary community leadership. From the 160- plus candidates from all divisions of play creating the pool of semifinalists, the NFF Awards Committee will select the 15 finalists for the award, which will be announced on Oct. 23. Each of the Draddy Trophy finalists will win a $18,000 NFF National Scholar- Athlete Award for his post-graduate education.

NFF Chairman Archie Manning will be the keynote speaker for the Murphy Enterprise Center's 2008 Leadership Luncheon at the Hilton Anatole in Dallas on Friday, Nov. 14.

To become a member of the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Alumni Association, please contact NFF Director of Special Projects Hillary Jeffries at 800-486-1865 or via email at hjeffries@footballfoundation.com.

Two-Minute Drill

College Football Hall of Famers Doug Flutie, Bob Griese, Lou Holtz, Mark May, and Andre Ware are among the broadcast teams for ABC Sports and ESPN football this autumn... Hall of Famer and 2007 NFF Gold Medal co-recipient Roger Staubach was honored for his efforts in the construction of Pope John Paul II High School Stadium in Plano, Texas, last week. The Navy great performed the ceremonial coin toss as John Paul II faced Trinity Christian-Addison last Friday night... Georgia broadcasting legend Larry Munson officially retired from the Bulldogs' radio booth... SEC schools participated in the "Together We Can" food drive collected 40,000 pounds of food for underserved families in the region during 12-day activities. For every yard gained by both teams in the Raycom SEC Game of the Week, Regions Bank will donate a new tree to the Arbor Day Foundation's work to reforest areas in the southeastern part of the country... Duke head coach David Cutcliffe entertained students and faculty at "Chat With Coach Cut" activities on the Durham, N.C., campus last week... Tulane hosted "Bring Your 'A' Game - Celebrating Education in New Orleans," as the Green Wave took on SMU at the Superdome... Navy and UNLV have scheduled a first-ever four-game series from 2014-17. Navy also has been designated as one of the teams represented in the 2010 San Diego County Poinsettia Bowl pending eligiblity after the '10 regular campaign... NCAA Football has launched a special link via NCAAFootball.com to download schedules for all schools... Thom Gossom, Jr. , the first African- American athlete to graduate from Auburn, recently released his memoir "Walk On," which depicts his struggles on and off the football field in the 1970s... Mike Flynt, who started playing linebacker for Sul Ross State (Texas) at age 59, released his new book "The Senior" detailing his experiences as the oldest contributing member of a college football team in NCAA history... HBO Sports has opened production on "Breaking the Huddle: The Integration of College Football," noting integration of college football in the South and the Civil Rights movement of the '60s. It will debut on Dec. 16. The program uses extensive research from the College Football Hall of Fame archives and culminates with the famed Southern California- Alabama of Sept. 1970. ESPN's acclaimed primetime E60 newsmagazine program Tuesday at 7 p.m. (EDT) features Hawai'i graduate assistant coach Brian Kajiyama and his courage of fighting through a cerebral palsy affliction since birth... The Big Ten Network will premiere Hail to the Victors: Greatest Stories of Michigan Football, a new show which traces the lineage of the storied program, following the Michigan-Toledo game on Oct. 11. Narrated by Thom Brennaman, Hail to the Victors will examine some of the most successful seasons of Michigan football with archived interview footage with legendary coach Bo Schembechler.

Minnesota's TCF Bank Stadium will honor American Indian tribes with the new Minnesotal Tribal Nations Plaza. An 18-foot sky marker for each of the state's 11 tribal nations will be placed outside the main gate of the new stadium... Cal recently kicked off a $250 million football fundraising drive, pushing the purchase of premium seats at its new stadium... North Texas students will vote Oct. 13-17 on an expanded fee structure to help finance a new on-campus stadium for the Eagles... Dick Jacobson of Iowa State has contributed $5 million to ISU - most of the gift to help revamp Jack Trice Stadium... Smithville Communications has made a $250,000 donation to Indiana athletics... Ellen and Dr. Brent Feller have made a $500,000 contribution for Iowa athletics facilities... Sacramento State has received a $50,000 endowed scholarship from the family of the late Hank Elespuru... Arkansas State Athletics received its largest single donation from Charles Luter for improvements to its athletic academic facility.

College Football Hall of Famer Joe Theismann was recently named the 2008 Davey O'Brien Legends Award recipient in recognition of his life-long contributions to football. Theismann will be presented with the award at the 32nd Annual Davey O'Brien Awards Dinner on Feb. 16, 2009, at The Fort Worth Club in Fort Worth, Texas... Miami (Fla.) added five former standouts to its Football Ring of Honor: RB Edgerrin James, QB Jim Kelly, DT Cortez Kennedy, C Jim Otto and QB Gino Torretta... R. C. Slocum, Texas A&M's winningest football coach, was inducted into the schools's athletic hall of fame... College Football Hall of Famer John Gagliardi (St. John's, Minn.) was named the 2009 recipient of AFCA's Amos Alonzo Stagg Award... Beth Holtz, wife of former Notre Dame football coach and 2008 College Football Hall of Fame inductee Lou Holtz, has been awarded an honorary monogram by the Notre Dame Monogram Club. Coach and Mrs. Holtz founded the Lou and Beth Holtz Charitable Foundation in 1998 to help support disadvantaged persons of all ages and homeless shelters in South Bend, Ind., and Columbia, S.C.... DB Ron Allen is the most recent inductee into the Rutgers Athletics Hall of Fame... Baylor's 2008 Hall of Fame class includes football great Ray Crockett and former director of athletics Tom Stanton, who spearheaded the fundraising efforts for the Texas Sports Hall of Fame Southwest Conference wing... Kansas State inducted retired head coach Bill Snyder and university president Jon Wefald into its Athletics Hall of Fame as key participants in the "Miracle in Manhattan" turnaround of the Wildcats' football program... New Mexico State added Pervis Atkins, Denvis Manns and Walt Williams to its Aggie Football Legends Ring of Honor... The Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation released its "Watch List" for its 2008 Dodd Trophy.

Connecticut and IMG College have signed a multi-year year agreement for broadcast and marketing rights... Arkansas has extended its corporate partnership with Collegiate Licensing Co. for five years.

Charles Walemon "Cotton" Price, 90, quarterback and captain of the 1939 national champion Texas A&M squad, died last Wednesday. The 1937-39 letterman paced the '39 squad to a 11-0 record... Dick Lynch, 72, 41- year member of the New York Giants' radio broadcasting crew and a standout at Notre Dame and in the NFL, died last week... Former San Jose State HB and decorated World War II pilot Bert Robinson, 86, passed away... Wally Hilgenberg, a standout lineman at Iowa, passed away at 66... Plato Gus Andros, all- conference guard for the 1946 Oklahoma team, died at 86.


Key NFF Dates

Oct. 19: First Release of 2008 BCS Standings - Irving, Texas
Dec. 9: NFF Annual Awards Dinner at the Waldorf=Astoria - New York, N.Y.
Jan. 5, 2009: National Hall of Fame Salute at the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl - Glendale, Az.
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, 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 Game - Miami, Fla., Fox