Black College Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2022

The Black College Hall of Fame's 2022 class of inductees was announced on Tuesday, Jan. 4.

The class has four former NFL players, an HBCU great player, one legendary coach, and an influential journalist.

Alcorn State's Donald Driver (Super Bowl XLV -JSU head coach Deion Sanders tossed the coin), Florida A&M's Nate Newton (XXVII, XXVIII, XXX), Livingstone College's Ben Coates (XXXI, XXXV), and Grambling State's Sammy White (XI) played in Super Bowls. Driver, Newton, Coates, and White have seven Super Bowl appearances and five championship rings among the inductees.

Ben Coates retired as a player and became head coach of his alma mater Livingstone College.

STORY: Former Livingstone and CIAA Standout Ben Coates Selected to 2022 Black College Football Hall of Fame (@bcfhof) Class https://t.co/0grg5RI0Q9
— CIAA (@CIAAForLife) January 4, 2022

Roscoe Nance was a pioneer journalist covering the SWAC and HBCU sports with the Clarion-Ledger and USA Today.

Coach Billy Nicks won five Black College National Championships with the Prairie View Panthers.

All-American John "Big Train" Moody was an offensive force during his days with Morris Brown College and won a Black College National Championship in 1940.

BCFHOF Class of 2022's Official Announcement

BEN COATES (Player)

Tight End … Livingstone College (1987-1990) … Finished his college career with 103 receptions, 1,268 yards and 18 touchdowns … Selected by the New England Patriots in the 1991 NFL Draft … New England Patriots (1991-1999) … Five-time Pro Bowler … Two-time All-Pro … Baltimore Ravens (2000) … Super Bowl XXXV Champion … Born August 16, 1969.

DONALD DRIVER (Player)

Wide Receiver … Alcorn State University (1995-1998) … Finished his college career with 88 receptions for 1,993 yards … Five-time “Athlete of the Year” … Selected by the Green Bay Packers 7th round of the 1999 NFL Draft … Green Bay Packers (1999 - 2012) Four-time Pro Bowler … Super Bowl XLV Champion … Green Bay Packers franchise leader for receptions and yards … Born February 2, 1975.

NATE NEWTON (Player)

Offensive Lineman … Florida A&M University (1979-1982) … All Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference tackle (1980) … Washington Football Team (1983) … Tampa Bay Bandits (1984-1985) … Dallas Cowboys (1986-1998) … Six-time Pro Bowler (1992-1996, 1998) … Two-time All-Pro … Carolina Panthers (1999) … Born December 20, 1961.

SAMMY WHITE (Player)

Wide Receiver … Grambling State University (1972-1975) … First-team All-Southwestern Athletic Conference selection (1973) and (1975). As a senior, White caught 37 passes for 802 yards and 17 touchdowns… Selected by the Minnesota Vikings in the second round of the 1976 NFL Draft … Associated Press Offensive Rookie of the Year … UPI NFL-NFC Rookie of the Year award … Two-time Pro Bowl selection in 1976 and 1977… Minnesota Vikings (1976–1985)… 128 career games, 393 receptions, 6,400 receiving yards, and 50 touchdowns.… Born March 16, 1954.

ROSCOE NANCE (Contributor)

The Clarion Ledger's first Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) reporter, the paper's first black sportswriter, and a journalist was known around the country as the dean of black college sportswriters 1978–1985 … USA Today Sports Writer 1986-2007 … Founding Member of and President of the SWAC Alumni Association … Born December 8, 1948 … Died January 9, 2020.

JOHN “BIG TRAIN” MOODY (Player)

Running Back … Morris Brown College … Black College National Champion (1940) … Moody accumulated 290 total points and set a record for black college football players which stood until 1948 … All-American … Born 1917 … Died 1995.

WILLIAM “BILLY” NICKS (Coach)

Coach … Morris Brown College 1930-1935, 1937-1939, 1941-1942; Prairie View A&M University 1945-1957 and 1952-1965 … His record at Morris Brown was 65–21–13 … His 1941 team was named "Black College National Champions" by Pittsburgh Courier … His career record at Prairie View A&M University was 126–36–8, the winningest coach in school history … Nicks led the Panthers to five black college national titles and six Southwestern Athletic Conference titles … Born August 2, 1905 … Died November 2, 1999.

More HBCU Football Coverage

Published Jan 4, 2022

KYLE T. MOSLEY

I am Kyle T. Mosley, the Founder, Managing Editor, and Chief Reporter for the HBCU Legends. Former founder and publisher of the Saints News Network, and Pelicans Scoop on SI since October 2019. Morehouse Alum, McDonogh #35 Roneagles (NOLA), Drum Major of the Tenacious Four. My Father, Mother, Grandmother, Aunts and Uncles were HBCU graduates! Host of "Blow the Whistle" HBCU Legends, "The Quad" with Coach Steward, and "Bayou Blitz" Podcasts. Radio/Media Appearances: WWL AM/FM Radio in New Orleans (Mike Detillier/Bobby Hebert), KCOH AM 1230 in Houston (Ralph Cooper), WBOK AM in New Orleans (Reggie Flood/Ro Brown), and 103.7FM "The Game" (Jordy Hultberg/Clint Domingue), College Kickoff Unlimited (Emory Hunt), Jeff Lightsly Show, and Offscript TV on YouTube. Television Appearance: Fox26 in Houston on The Isiah Carey Factor, College Kickoff Unlimited (Emory Hunt). My Notable Interviews: Byron Allen (Media Mogul), Deion Sanders (Collegiate Head Coach), Drew Brees (Former NFL QB), Mark Ingram (NFL RB), Terron Armstead (NFL OL), Jameis Winston (NFL QB), Cam Newton (NFL QB), Cam Jordan (NFL), Demario Davis (NFL), Allan Houston (NBA All-Star), Deuce McAllister (Former NFL RB), Chennis Berry (Collegiate Head Coach), Johnny Jones (Collegiate Head Coach), Tomekia Reed (Women's Basketball Coach), Tremaine Jackson (Collegiate Head Coach), Taylor Rooks (NBA Reporter), Swin Cash (Former VP of Basketball - New Orleans Pelicans), Demario and Tamala Davis (NFL Player), Jerry Rice (Hall of Famer), Doug Williams (HBCU & NFL Legend), Emmitt Smith (Hall of Famer), James "Shack" Harris (HBCU & NFL Legend), Cris Carter (Hall of Famer), Solomon Wilcots (SiriusXM NFL Host), Steve Wyche (NFL Network), Jim Trotter (NFL Network), Travis Williams (Founder of HBCU All-Stars, LLC), Malcolm Jenkins (NFL Player), Willie Roaf (NFL Hall of Fame), Jim Everett (Former NFL Player), Quinn Early (Former NFL Player), Dr. Reef (NFL Players' Trainer Specialist), Nataria Holloway (VP of the NFL). I am building a new team of journalists, podcasters, videographers, and interns. For media requests, interviews, or interest in joining HBCU Legends, please contact me at kmosley@hbcusi.com. Follow me:

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