Troy, Auburn, Alabama highlighted in CFB Hall of Fame 2024 nominees

IRVING, Texas (WTVY) - The National Football Foundation (NFF) and the College Hall of Fame have unveiled the nominees that will feature on the 2024 ballot for the College Football Hall of Fame.

Monday’s reveal included a list of 78 players and nine coaches from the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) and 101 players and 32 coaches from the divisional ranks (Football Championship Subdivision/FCS, Division II, Division III, NAIA).

State of Alabama college programs saw a total of eight nominees, with Auburn featuring three FBS player candidates and one coaching candidate, Troy with one FBS coaching candidate and two divisional player candidate, and the Crimson Tide with an FBS player nominee.

The coaching ranks highlighted two well known coaches to the state, that being former Troy head coach Larry Blakeney and former Auburn head coach and current U.S. Senator for the state of Alabama Tommy Tuberville.

Blakeney’s accolades leading the Trojans from 1991 to 2014 include leading the program to eight conference crowns (5 in the Sun Belt and 3 in the Southland) and seven FCS playoff appearances in eight seasons he coached the Trojans at that level of competition.

Under Blakeney, Troy also earned five bowl game trips, including two wins in the 2006 and 2010 New Orleans Bowl. Blakeney, a four-time conference Coach of the Year, also holds the mark of being the all-time winningest coach in Sun Belt Conference history with with a 69-66 record as a member of the FBS-level conference.

Tuberville enjoyed a 21-year career coaching during his four-stop career, with 10 of those years (1999-2008) coaching the Tigers on the Plains. At Auburn, Tuberville led the program to four shared or outright division crowns, which included two SEC championship game appearances in 2000 and 2004, with the ‘04 appearance being part of a 13-0 perfect season for the Tigers that included winning the SEC crown and that season’s Sugar Bowl, and Tuberville earning 2004 National Coach of the Year honors.

Tuberville ranks 10th in the record books in SEC history with 64 conference wins, and 15th on the winningest coach list in the conference with a 110-60 record coaching Auburn and Ole Miss (1995-1998). Tuberville also coached Texas Tech Raiders from 2010-2012, and Cincinnati from 2013-2016 which included leading the Bearcats to a share of the American Athletic Conference title in 2014 with a 9-4 (7-1) record.

The Tide and Tigers featured four player nominees at the FBS level, with Auburn represented by linebacker Gregg Carr, offensive guard Ed King, and linebacker Takeo Spikes and Alabama represented by defensive back Antonio Langham.

Carr (1981-1984) was a 1984 consensus First Team All-American selection and NFF National Scholar-Athlete, as well as a three-time First Team All-SEC selection and 1984 SEC Lineman of the Year. Carr led the Tigers twice in tackles, and helped the Tigers to the 1983 SEC title and three consecutive bowl wins.

King (1988-1990) was a two-time First Team All-American, including unanimous honors in 1990, and a two-time First Team All-SEC performer. King helped Auburn to consecutive conference crowns in 1988 and 1989, and was part of the Tigers squad that posted the first back-to-back 10-win seasons in school history in 1988 and 1989.

Spikes (1995-1997) was a 1997 First Team All-American and two-time First Team All-SEC selection. The defensive star, who ranks in the school’s all-time top 10 with 331 career tackles and is a two-year team defensive MVP, helped Auburn to a #11 ranking during the 1997 season, including winning the 1997 SEC crown and the 1998 Peach Bowl. He was also named game MVP during that bowl win.

Langham (1990-1993) helped push the Crimson Tide defense to great heights during his time playing in Tuscaloosa. He helped lead Alabama to four postseason berths, including the 1992 National Championship crown. Langham was a 1993 unanimous First Team All-American, and also won that season’s Jim Thorpe Award which honors the best defensive back in the nation. The Tide’s all-time leader in career INTs (19) also earned three All-SEC selections.

Two Troy players represented the school on the College Football Hall of Fame 2024 ballot as divisional candidates, that being defensive lineman Al Lucas and defensive back Freddie Thomas.

Lucas (1996-1999) was a two-time First Team All-American with the Trojans in 1998 and 1999, and was the 1999 winner of the Buck Buchanan Award which honors the nation’s top defensive player at the FCS level. A two-time First Team All-Southland honoree, Lucas led the Trojans to two conference titles and three playoff appearances, including a 1996 semifinal run and 1999 quarterfinal run.

Thomas (1984-1987) was also a two-time First Team All-American selection, and was an integral part in helping the Trojans to win the 1987 NCAA Division II National Championship. Thomas was also a two-time First-Team All-Conference pick, and was named team captain in 1987.

For additional information about the 2024 CFB Hall of Fame ballot release, including the full list of nominees, you can click here. The voting period runs through June 30.

Subscribe to our News 4 newsletter and receive the latest local news and weather straight to your email every morning. Get instant notifications on top stories from News 4 by downloading our mobile apps.

Copyright 2023 WTVY. All rights reserved.