Will State's College Football Hall of Fame Streak Continue?
Editors Note: The release of this year's Hall of Fame ballot, originally scheduled for Tuesday, has been delayed until June 9 because of the damage done to the Hall of Fame by looters in downtown Atlanta this weekend.
Click here for the statement issued by the National Football Foundation.
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Soon, the National Football Foundation will announce the 78 Division I players and seven coaches listed on this year's College Football Hall of Fame ballot.
That's potentially big news for NC State, since someone with ties to the Wolfpack has gained entry into the shrine in each of the past two years. Wide receiver Torry Holt was inducted in December while former State coach Dick Sheridan was elected in March.
Will there be another member of the Wolfpack included in this year's class?
Before we a look at the most likely candidates, here are a few ground rules:
◼ A player must be at least 10 years removed from his final intercollegiate season to be eligible;
◼ Football achievements are considered first, but the post-football record as a citizen is also weighed;
◼ Players must have played their last year of intercollegiate football within the last 50 years;
◼ The nominee must also have ended his professional athletic career prior to the time of the nomination.
It should also be noted that to even be included in the College Hall of Fame conversation, a player must have been named a first-team All-American by a major national selector as recognized by the NCAA.
That means quarterback Philip Rivers won't and probably never will be included on any future ballot, since somehow he was never a first-team All-American.
Among those who were include:
Bill Yoest: A 6-foot, 243-point offensive guard, Yoest's career with the Wolfpack nearly ended after his sophomore season in 1970 when he had surgery to remove part of a vertebra. He redshirted the following year, then returned to become one of the best offensive linemen in the ACC during his final two years.
Yoest earned All-ACC honors as a junior, then became a consensus first-team All-American as a senior, a season in which he also won the ACC's Jacobs Blocking Trophy. In 2003, his jersey No. 63 became one of just eight numbers retired by State.
Mario Williams: A rare combination of strength and quickness, the 6-foot-6, 300-pound defensive end set what was than a school record with 25.5 sacks and 55.5 tackles for loss in just three seasons with the Wolfpack. His 14.5 sacks and 27.5 tackles for loss in 2005 are still the best ever by a State player.
A two-time first-team All-ACC selection, Williams earned first-team All-America honors from Sports Illustrated following his junior season. He then went on to become the first overall pick in the NFL draft when he was taken by the Houston Texans.
Terrence Holt: He's a lot more than just Torry's kid brother. Terrence was was a standout free safety who earned first-team All-America honors from the Football Foundation and The Sporting News in 2002. He intercepted four career passes and amassed 315 tackles -- a school record for defensive backs -- but his most memorable talent was blocking kicks. He had an ACC-record 12 of them during his four seasons at State. His eight career blocked field goals is a national record and his four in 2001 tied an NCAA mark.
Levar Fisher: He might not have as recognizable a name as Williams or some of the others on this list, but his credentials are every bit as legitimate. The 6-1, 238-pound linebacker was a four-year starter for the Wolfpack, finishing his career with a school-record 492 tackles to go along with 12 sacks and nine forced fumbles. His 15.1 tackles per game led the nation in 2000, a performance that earned him recognition oas the ACC's Defensive Player of the Year. He also earned first-team All-ACC and first-team All-American status as a senior in 2001.
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