The famous photo of Penn State running back D.J. Dozier kneeling in reflection after scoring on what would be the game-winning 6-yard touchdown run of Penn State’s win over Miami in the 1987 Fiesta Bowl. It sealed the Nittany Lions’ second and, so far, last national championship.
The National Football Foundation released the names that will appear on the 2021 College Football Hall of Fame ballot this fall, and there are plenty of them. They range from former Bloomsburg and New Orleans Saints standout offensive lineman Jahri Evans to Champ Bailey, from Tony Romo to Dwight Freeney. Just a lot of names. A lot of absolute stars. The College Football Hall of Fame is definitely the one Hall where you see supremely deserving players get turned down year after year just because there are so many people nominated.
Anyway, Penn State had four former players appear somewhere on the list, and there were even a few others with ties to the program somehow who got on there, as well.
Running back D.J. Dozier, receiver Bobby Engram and offensive lineman Steve Wisniewski are all up for election next year, as is Glenn Killinger, a current Hall of Famer as a player who is up this year for the Divisional Coach honor for his work as the winningest coach in West Chester football history.
To even get on the ballot, a player/coach has to have:
- Received First-Team All-America recognition by a selector that is recognized by the NCAA and utilized to comprise its consensus All-America teams.
- Cleared 10 full seasons since his college playing days ended and have played in the last 50 years.
- He must have proven himself worthy as a citizen, carrying the ideals of football forward into his relations with his community.
- As a coach, reached 70 years of age and be three years post retirement, or be active and reach 75 years of age.
Current Penn State receivers coach Taylor Stubblefield, who set the NCAA career receptions mark while in his playing days at Purdue, is also on the ballot. So is Brad Culpepper, the former Florida defensive tackle whose son, Judge, is a sophomore defensive tackle at with the Nittany Lions.
Donnie Collins has been a member of The Times-Tribune sports staff for nearly 20 years and has been the Penn State football beat writer for Times-Shamrock Newspapers since 2004. The Penn State Football Blog covers Nittany Lions, Big Ten and big-time college football news from Beaver Stadium to the practice field, the bowl game to National Letter of Intent Signing Day. Contact: dcollins@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9100 x5368; @DonnieCollinsTT
