Tag: Brad Culpepper

Three former Gators included on College Football Hall of Fame ballot

This trio of former Gators has a chance to join collegiate football immortality.

The National Football Foundation and College Football Hall of Fame announced on Monday its ballot for this year’s class and included a trio of former Gators on its list.

Defensive lineman [autotag]Alex Brown[/autotag], defensive tackle [autotag]Brad Culpepper[/autotag] and head coach [autotag]Urban Meyer[/autotag] all got the nod in this edition.

The program has produced 14 Hall of Famers — 10 players and four coaches — including UF legend [autotag]Steve Spurrier[/autotag], who was inducted both as a player and a coach. The last UF alumnus to receive the honor was quarterback [autotag]Tim Tebow[/autotag] as part of the 2023 class.

The 2025 College Football Hall of Fame Class will be announced in early 2025. The class will be officially inducted during the 67th NFF Annual Awards Dinner on Dec. 9, 2025, at the Bellagio Hotel and Resort in Las Vegas, and they will also be honored at their respective schools with an NFF Hall of Fame On-Campus Salute during the 2025 season.

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77 days until Vikings season opener: Every player to wear No. 77

As we look ahead towards the Minnesota Vikings season opener, we take a look at every player to wear No. 77 for the Vikings.

It’s the final countdown…

Well, sort of.

The Minnesota Vikings will kick off their 2023 regular season in 79 days at home against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sept. 10.

From now until then, we will take a trip down memory lane and count each day by revisiting the players that have worn that specific jersey number.

The number was retired after Korey Stringer passed away from heat stroke during training camp in 2001.

With 77 days until kickoff, here’s a look at every player to wear No. 77 with the Vikings (via Pro Football Reference):

Tim Tebow’s first appearance highlights College Football Hall of Fame ballot

Tebow has to be a slam-dunk, first-ballot selection for the College Football Hall of Fame.

Florida football legend [autotag]Tim Tebow[/autotag] will appear on the College Football Hall of Fame ballot for the first time this year, it was announced on Monday. He joins other newcomers Alex Smith and Ryan Leaf in the running for the prestigious honor, which includes 80 players and nine coaches from the FBS, as well as 96 players and 33 coaches from the divisional ranks in total.

The vote will tally the takes of more than 12,000 National Football Foundation members and current Hall of Famers who were sent email ballots with a deadline of June 30 to submit their votes. Once the final numbers are established, the NFF’s Honors Court – chaired by NFF board member and College Football Hall of Famer Archie Griffin — selects the induction class based on the results.

Tim Tebow is a legend not just in Gainesville but in college football as a whole. Inarguably one of the greatest to ever play on the collegiate gridiron, the two-way play-caller led the Gators to a pair of national championships while also picking up a Heisman Trophy along the way — and was not far off from earning at least another. The Jacksonville, Florida, product was named SEC Offensive Player of the Year three times and set 28 school records during his time wearing the Orange and Blue.

Also included on the ballot are former Gators defensive tackle [autotag]Brad Culpepper[/autotag] and running back [autotag]Errict Rhett[/autotag], the latter of whom still holds the all-time record for career rushing yards at Florida.

It seems very likely that beloved Gator will be a first-ballot selection into the hall. Florida fans will have to wait with bated breath for the results until early 2023 when the newest inductees are announced.

Florida Hall of Fame players

(By year inducted)

1975: E Dale Van Sickel (1927-29)

1986: QB Steve Spurrier (1964-66); inducted as coach in 2017

1992: DE Jack Youngblood (1968-70)

2006: RB Emmitt Smith (1987-89)

2008: LB Wilber Marshall (1980-83)

2011: WR Carlos Alvarez (1969-71)

2013: QB Danny Wuerffel (1993-96)

2015: WR Wes Chandler (1974-77)

2020: OL Lomas Brown (1981-84)

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