As this year’s College Football Hall of Fame ballot was released on Monday, a notable name was once again missing: Darian Hagan. The former Colorado QB was the definition of a winner and helped the Buffs to the 1990 title.
Hagan, the Buffs’ current running backs coach, was inducted into the CU Athletic Hall of Fame in 2002 and is a member of the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame. Yet somehow, the CFB hall has its doors locked to Hagan.
Pac-12 columnist Jon Wilner of the San Jose Mercury News pointed out the ridiculousness of Hagan’s absence in a recent article listing a few notable HOF snubs from around the conference:
Our distinct sense is the Hall’s criteria (first-team All-America by a recognized selector) inherently works against the superb option quarterbacks of the 1980s and 90s who weren’t as well regarded as the pocket passers of the era. Hagan, who led the Buffaloes to their 1990 national title and was 28-5-2 as a starter, belongs in that company.
Wilner made a strong point about how option QBs sometimes struggle to put up the big career numbers that provoke a first-team All-American selection — a requirement for the hall. Hagan may be one of the most recognizable QBs in Colorado history, but he is just 11th in program history with 3,801 passing yards. And as you’d expect, Hagan is first in Colorado history with 2,271 quarterback rushing yards.
[mm-video type=playlist id=01fc3h5x4enxt6nsr4 player_id=none image=https://coloradobuffaloeswire.usatoday.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]
Contact/Follow us @BuffaloesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Colorado news, notes and opinions.
Let us know your thoughts, comment on this story below. Join the conversation today.
[listicle id=6734]