Beamer, Brown debut on College Football Hall of Fame ballot

IRVING, Texas (AP) Longtime Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer and former Texas coach Mack Brown, along with former players Charles Woodson, Ed Reed and Calvin Johnson, are among those making their first appearance on the College Football Hall of Fame ballot this year.

The ballot released Thursday by the National Football Foundation includes 75 players and six coaches who competed in the Football Bowl Subdivision of the NCAA. An additional 98 players and 31 coaches from lower divisions and NAIA are also up for consideration.

Beamer coached Virginia Tech from 1987-2015 and won 238 games. Brown won 158 games in 15 seasons with Texas, including a national title in 2005.

The newest Hall of Fame class will be announced Jan. 8 in Atlanta, the site of the College Football Playoff championship game.

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Woodson played defensive back and returned punts for Michigan, winning the Heisman Trophy in 1997. Reed was a star safety on Miami's 2001 national championship team. Johnson was an All-America receiver for Georgia Tech.

Notable players who have been up for consideration previously are Miami stars Warren Sapp and Ray Lewis, Eric Dickerson of SMU and Nebraska quarterback Eric Crouch, who won the 2001 Heisman Trophy.

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