2008 Ballot for College Football Hall of Fame announced

Posted: Tue Mar 11 3:38 PM

New York, NY (Sports Network) - The National Football Foundation announced Tuesday the ballot for the 2008 class of the College Football Hall of Fame.

The nominees, from Football Bowl Subdivision, consist of 75 players and eight coaches. Notable players include Troy Aikman, Tim Brown, and Art Monk, who was elected to the NFL Hall of Fame as part of its 2008 class.

Selection begins with the ballot, which was mailed this week to the more than 12,000 NFF members and current Hall of Famers whose votes will be tabulated and submitted to the NFF's Honors Court.

The Honors Court, which consists of 11 members, deliberates and selects the class.

Of the 4.6 million people who have played college football, only 829 players have earned induction into the College Football Hall of Fame. From the coaching ranks, 178 individuals have achieved Hall of Fame distinction.

The FBS Hall of Fame Class will be announced at a press conference in New York on May 1 and inducted at The National Football Foundation's Annual Awards Dinner on December 9, 2008. They will be officially enshrined at the Hall in South Bend, Indiana in the summer of 2009.

To be eligible for the ballot, players must have been named a First Team All- America by a major/national selector, played their last year of intercollegiate football at least 10 years before nomination, played within the last 50, and not be currently playing professional football.

Coaches must have coached a minimum of 10 years and 100 games as a head coach, and must have won at least 60 percent of those games. They also must be retired from coaching for at least three years, or be retired from coaching and over the age of 70, in which no waiting period is required. Active coaches over the age of 75, who meet the criteria, are also eligible. In both cases, the candidate's post-football record as a citizen may also be weighed.