Cal Football: Marshawn Lynch, Ron Rivera and Daymeion Hughes on Hall of Fame Ballot
Former Cal stars Daymeion Hughes, Marshawn Lynch and Ron Rivera are listed on the 2024 national ballot for the College Football Hall of Fame, announced Monday by the National Football Foundation (NFF) & College Hall of Fame.
The Bears boast 22 members in the College Football Hall of Fame, but none since Steve Bartkowski was inducted in the Class of 2012.
The 2024 ballot includes 78 players and nine coaches from the FBS level and 101 players and 32 coaches from other divisions of college football.
Courtesy of Cal Athletics
A cornerback, Hughes (2003-06) was the Lott IMPACT Trophy winner as the nation's top defensive player as a senior in 2006, a consensus first-team All-American, the Pac-10's Defensive Player of the Year and a first-team All-Pac-10 pick after collecting eight interceptions to lead the conference.
Lynch (2004-06) was a first-team All-America running back, Pac-10 Offensive Player of the Year and first-team All-Pac-10 selection in his final Cal season as a junior in 2006 when he rushed for 1,356 yards and led Cal to a share of the conference title.
Rivera (1980-83) was a star linebacker for the Bears, a consensus first-team All-American, Lombardi Award finalist, East-West Shrine Game MVP and Pac-10 Co-Defensive Player of the Year as a senior in 1983.
The 2024 class of inductees will be announced early in next year following the vote of more than 12,000 NFF members and current members of the Hall. Their votes will be tabulated and submitted to the NFF's Honors Court, which will deliberate and select the class.
Candidates must have earned first-team All-America honors, but that is just a starting point for qualification. Here’s more on that from the NFF:
While each nominee’s football achievements in college are of prime consideration, his post-football record as a citizen is also weighed. He must have proven himself worthy as a citizen, carrying the ideals of football forward into his relations with his community. Consideration may also be given for academic honors and whether the candidate earned a college degree.
Here’s more, courtesy of Cal Athletics, on each of the Bears’ nominees:
DAYMEION HUGHES, cornerback
– First-team All-Pac-10 choice for the first of two consecutive campaigns as a junior in 2005
– Second all-time at Cal in career interceptions (15), career interception return yards (344) and career interception touchdown returns (4), while his eight interceptions and two interception touchdown returns as a senior are the second-most and tied for the second-most in a single season in school history, respectively
– Combined for 36 passes defended (13 interceptions, 23 pass breakups) in his final two collegiate seasons and led the Pac-12 with 12 pass breakups in as a junior in 2005
– Helped Cal post a 36-15 overall record during his career, including a 23-10 mark in Pac-10 games
– Helped Cal reach a bowl game in each of his last three seasons
– Led Cal to a single-season school-record-tying 10 wins during both his sophomore and senior campaigns, with the 2004 team recording Cal's first 10-win season since 1991 and also finishing No. 9 in the final AP Top 25; the 2006 squad was Cal's first Pac-10 co-champions since 1975 and ranked No. 14 in the final AP poll
– Selected in the third round of the 2007 NFL Draft by the Indianapolis Colts and played five seasons in the NFL with Indianapolis (2007-08) and the San Diego Chargers (2019-11)
MARSHAWN LYNCH, running back
– Cal's all-time leader with 17 games of 100 or more yards rushing, while his 3,230 career rushing yards rank second in school history, his 29 rushing touchdowns are tied for third and his 4,574 all-purpose yards rank fourth
– The only player in Cal history with two seasons ranking in the school's top 10 for single-season rushing yards with 1,356 in 2006 (5th) and 1,246 in 2005 (7th)
– Helped Cal post a 28-9 overall record during his career, including an 18-7 mark in Pac-10 games
– Helped Cal reach a bowl game every season
– Led Cal to a single-season school-record-tying 10 wins during both his sophomore and senior campaigns, with the 2004 team recording Cal's first 10-win season since 1991 and also finishing No. 9 in the final AP Top 25; the 2006 squad was Cal's first Pac-10 co-champions since 1975 and ranked No. 14 in the final AP poll
– Set Cal's single-game bowl records with 194 yards rushing and three touchdowns on the ground when he was named the 2005 Las Vegas Bowl Co-MVP
– Selected in the first round (No. 12 overall) of the 2007 NFL Draft by the Buffalo Bills and played 12 NFL seasons with Buffalo (2007-10), the Seattle Seahawks (2010-15, '19) and Oakland Raiders (2017-18)
– A member of the NFL's 2010's All-Decade team
- Captured Super Bowl XLVIII with Seattle following the 2013 campaign and was a first-team All-Pro selection for the Seahawks in 2012
– A member of the Cal Athletics Hall of Fame's class of 2021
RON RIVERA, linebacker
– Led Cal in tackles in each of his final three seasons (1981-83), finished his career as the school's all-time record-holder with 336 tackles and still ranks sixth on the career list
– Had a successful nine-year NFL playing career with the Chicago Bears (1984-92), including a victory in Super Bowl XX to cap the 1985 season
– Has coached in the NFL since 1997 and is entering his fourth season as the head coach of the Washington Commanders in 2023 after spending eight-plus seasons as the Carolina Panthers head coach (2011-19)
– Two-time NFC champion as a coach (2006, '15)
– Two-time AP NFL Coach of the Year (2013, '15)
– Winner of the 2022 George Halas Award given to an NFL player, coach or staff member who overcomes adversity to succeed after making a full recovery from cancer diagnosed in 2020
– A member of the Cal Athletics Hall of Fame's class of 1994
Others on the 2024 ballot include Eric Bieniemy, Ki-Jana Carter, Tim Couch, Ken Dorsey, Larry Fitzgerald, Tony Gerhart, Craig Heyward, Ryan Leaf, Ken Norton Jr., Terrell Suggs and Michael Vick.
The 2024 class will be inducted at the 66th NFF Annual Awards Dinner in Las Vegas on Dec. 10, 2024, and permanently recognized at the Chick-fil-A College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta.
Cover photo of Marshawn Lynch courtesy of Cal Athletics
Follow Jeff Faraudo of Cal Sports Report on Twitter: @jefffaraudo
