Nine Fine: Former Cowboys Dominate College Football Hall-of-Fame Candidates
Several former Dallas Cowboys might be going "back to school" and accepting an immortal honor.
The official ballot for the College Football Hall of Fame's 2024 class features eight names from the Cowboys' past. Recently departed offensive coordinator Kellen Moore is among the headliners for his star-studded career at Boise State, having earned the highest winning percentage for a starting quarterback in the game's history (.943).
Also Hall-of-Fame candidates are: Cornerback Kevin Smith (Texas A&M), offensive lineman Flozell Adams (Michigan State), defensive back Dennis Thurman (Southern Cal), linebacker Ken Norton Jr. (UCLA), linebacker Bradie James (LSU), quarterback Ryan Leaf (Washington State), cornerback Terence Newman (Kansas State) and kicker Luis Zendejas (Arizona State).
Moore went undrafted upon his departure from the blue field in Idaho, but began to establish a lasting NFL prescience in Dallas. He made his professional debut with the team in 2015 and threw for 435 yards in the 2015 season finale. He later spent five years as a coach, all but one as the offensive coordinator.
Moore now holds the same role with the Los Angeles Chargers.
Joining Moore on the list is Adams, who joined the Cowboys as a second-round pick in 1998. Adams earned entry on both the ballot and Dallas' offensive line after a lauded career at Michigan State despite partial deafness in his right ear. Prior to five Pro Bowl appearances in a dozen Dallas seasons, Adams was named the Big Ten's Offensive Lineman of the Year in 1997.
Three defensive names round out the major starred representation, two coming from their draft class from 2003: Newman of Kansas State was the fifth name announced by then-commissioner Paul Tagliabue before linebacker James arrived from LSU in the fourth round. The last is Norton Jr., a three-time Super Bowl champion in Dallas who played a major role in the Cowboys' dynasty in the 1990s.
Newman had made a name for himself as both a defender and a kick returner in Manhattan, winning the Big 12's Defensive Player of the Year Award just before his NFL entry. He played the first six seasons of a nine-year career in Dallas alongside the previous winner, Texas' Roy Williams, as he'd earn a pair of Pro Bowl invites in 2007 and 2009. Newman was previously inducted into KSU's Hall of Fame in 2018.
James, an All-American from Baton Rouge, originally left a mark on Dallas brass as a special teams performer. When a defensive staff led by Mike Zimmer installed a 3-4 set in 2005, James flourished on defense, becoming a starting lineup staple for seven more seasons, leading the Cowboys in tackles in all but one of those campaigns.
Perhaps no one enjoyed a more prosperous 1990s than Norton, who earned three consecutive Vince Lombardi Trophy hoists between Dallas and San Francisco. To date, he's the only player in NFL history to earn three straight tiles: he was the Cowboys' leader in tackles during each of the championship campaigns, the last two seasons of a six-year term in North Texas. Norton also scored the Cowboys' final touchdown of Super Bowl XXVII, taking a Frank Reich fumble back in the final stages of a 52-17 victory over Buffalo.
Dallas' special teams likewise earn some appreciation in the form of Zendejas. In Cowboys lore, Zendejas, a four-time All-Pac-10 nominee at Arizona State, is best known as the alleged target of the infamous "Bounty Bowl" from Dallas' 1989 Thanksgiving showdown with his former NFL employers from Philadelphia. He later helped the Arizona Rattlers win the 1994 Arena Football League title under the guidance of head coach and former Cowboys quarterback Danny White.
The College Football Hall of Fame's 2024 class will be unveiled in January in time for the College Football Playoff's national title game. This year's ballot, consisting of 179 total players and 41 coaches, is headlined by several playmakers from the turn of the century, including Pittsburgh receiver Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona State linebacker Terrell Suggs, and Virginia Tech quarterback Michael Vick.
Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags
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