IRVING, Texas (Dec. 26, 2018) – The National Football Foundation (NFF) & College Hall of Fame remembered today those who passed away in 2018 and played a role in improving the game of college football for future generations.
“It is always important at this time of year to reflect on those who have left us,” said NFF President & CEO Steve Hatchell. “Part of the mission of the National Football Foundation is to shine a light on the good in the game and to preserve its history. We lost some great ones in 2018, and our thoughts and prayers are with their families, friends and universities. We will work hard to ensure that their contributions are not forgotten.
“I would be remiss if I did not pay special tribute to former NFF Chairman Ron Johnson, as well as NFF Board Members Jeff Cooney, Edward McGinley III and Mike Slive, who all passed away this year. They all left the NFF and the world a better place, and they will truly be missed.”
Click here to view this year’s “In Memoriam” video that ran during the 61st NFF Annual Awards Dinner, which features all of those who passed between Dec. 5, 2017 and Dec. 4, 2018.
* Charles Arrobio
1965 NFF National Scholar-Athlete
University of Southern California
July 8, 1944 – March 18, 2018
* Pervis Atkins
2009 College Football Hall of Fame Inductee
New Mexico State University
Nov. 24, 1935 – Dec. 22, 2017
* Hal Bedsole
2012 College Football Hall of Fame Inductee
University of Southern California
Dec. 21, 1941 – Dec. 22, 2017
Dick Bestwick
Head Football Coach
University of Virginia
Athletics Director
University of South Carolina
Aug. 18, 1930 – Jan. 4, 2018
Billy Brewer
Head Football Coach
Southeastern Louisiana, Louisiana Tech, Mississippi
Oct. 8, 1934 – May 12, 2018
* Earle Bruce
2002 College Football Hall of Fame Inductee
Head Football Coach
Tampa, Iowa State, Ohio State, Northern Iowa, Colorado State
March 8, 1931 – April 20, 2018
* George H.W. Bush
1991 NFF Gold Medal
41st President of the United States
Yale University
June 12, 1924 – Nov. 30, 2018
* Billy Cannon
2008 College Football Hall of Fame Inductee
Louisiana State University
Aug. 2, 1937 – May 20, 2018
Bruce Connal
College Football Television Producer
Ithaca College (NY)
- 1956 – March 1, 2018
Jeff Cooney
NFF Board Member
Film Director and Producer
College of the Holy Cross
Oct. 25, 1957 – Feb. 12, 2018
* Carm Cozza
2002 College Football Hall of Fame Inductee
Head Football Coach, Athletics Director
Yale University
June 1, 1930 – Jan. 4, 2018
Jim Dickey
Head Football Coach
Kansas State University
March 22, 1934 – Feb. 18, 2018
* Nick Drahos
1981 College Football Hall of Fame Inductee
Cornell University
Dec. 6, 1918 – May 12, 2018
* Woody Durham
2011 NFF Chris Schenkel Award
Voice of the North Carolina Tar Heels
University of North Carolina
Aug. 8, 1941 – March 7, 2018
Dick Enberg
Sports Broadcaster
Central Michigan University
Jan. 9, 1935 – Dec. 21, 2017
* Bill Fralic
1998 College Football Hall of Fame Inductee
University of Pittsburgh
Oct. 31, 1962 – Dec. 13, 2018
* John Gagliardi
2006 College Football Hall of Fame Inductee
Head Football Coach
Carroll (MT), Saint John’s (MN)
Nov. 1, 1926 – Oct. 7, 2018
* Jim Houston
2005 College Football Hall of Fame Inductee
Ohio State University
Nov. 3, 1937 – Sept. 11, 2018
* Keith Jackson
1999 NFF Gold Medal
Sports Broadcaster
Washington State University
Oct. 18, 1928 – Jan. 12, 2018
* Ron Johnson
Former NFF Chairman
NFF Board Member
1992 College Football Hall of Fame Inductee
University of Michigan
Oct. 17, 1947 – Nov. 10, 2018
Billy Kinard
Head Football Coach
Mississippi, Gardner-Webb
Dec. 16, 1933 – June 30, 2018
* Chuck Klausing
1998 College Football Hall of Fame Inductee
Head Football Coach
Indiana (PA), Carnegie Mellon (PA)
April 19, 1925 – Feb. 15, 2018
Lee Leonard
Sports Broadcaster
April 3, 1929 – Dec. 16, 2018
Bill Mallory
Head Football Coach
Miami (OH), Colorado, Northern Illinois, Indiana
May 30, 1935 – May 25, 2018
* Greg Marx
1972 NFF National Scholar-Athlete
University of Notre Dame
July 18, 1950 – Oct. 5, 2018
* Tommy McDonald
1985 College Football Hall of Fame Inductee
University of Oklahoma
July 26, 1934 – Sept. 24, 2018
Edward F. McGinley III
NFF Board Member
Retired Goldman Sachs Vice President
Former Pennsylvania Football Player
Oct. 13, 1927 – Nov. 11, 2018
* Dick Modzelewski
1993 College Football Hall of Fame Inductee
University of Maryland
Feb. 16, 1931 – Oct. 19, 2018
C.M. Newton
Athletics Director
University of Kentucky
Feb. 2, 1930 – June 4, 2018
* Michael Payton
2015 College Football Hall of Fame Inductee
Marshall University
March 5, 1970 – Sept. 27, 2018
Burt Reynolds
Actor
Former Florida State Football Player
Feb. 11, 1936 – Sept. 6, 2018
* Gabe Rivera
2012 College Football Hall of Fame Inductee
Texas Tech University
April 7, 1961 – July 16, 2018
Darryl Rogers
Head Football Coach
Cal State-East Bay, Fresno State, San Jose State, Michigan State, Arizona State
Athletics Director
Southern Connecticut State University
May 28, 1935 – July 11, 2018
Rod Rust
Head Football Coach
University of North Texas
Aug. 2, 1928 – Oct. 23, 2018
* Clyde Scott
1971 College Football Hall of Fame Inductee
University of Arkansas
Aug. 29, 1924 – Jan. 30, 2018
Bob Seaman
Head Football Coach
Wichita State, Emporia State (KS)
March 28, 1932 – Aug. 13, 2018
Jim Skaines
Athletics Director
University of Texas at San Antonio
July 10, 1931 – Sept. 15, 2018
* Mike Slive
NFF Board Member
2015 NFF Legacy Award
Commissioner
Southeastern Conference, Conference USA, Great Midwest Conference
Athletics Director
Cornell University
July 26, 1940 – May 16, 2018
* Rowland “Red” Smith
1993 NFF Chapter Leadership Award
Sacramento Valley (CA) Chapter
- 1923 – June 5, 2018
* Jim Stillwagon
1991 College Football Hall of Fame Inductee
Ohio State University
Feb. 11, 1949 – Feb. 3, 2018
* George Taliaferro
1981 College Football Hall of Fame Inductee
Indiana University
Jan. 8, 1927 – Oct. 8, 2018
Jim Tarman
Athletics Director
Penn State University
April 4, 1928 – Dec. 31, 2017
- K. Wetherell
Florida State University President
Former Florida State Football Player
Dec. 22, 1945 – Dec. 16, 2018
Paul Zimmerman
Sports Writer
Columbia University
Oct. 23, 1932 – Nov. 1, 2018
“Asterisk denotes a College Football Hall of Fame inductee or NFF Award recipient”Â
