March 5, 2004

The names of seven former Notre Dame football all-stars – Dave Duerson, Bob Golic, Terry Hanratty, John Huarte, Walt Patulski, Jim Seymour and Chris Zorich – appear on the National Football Foundation’s College Football Hall of Fame Division I-A ballot released Thursday. The ballot contains names of 76 players and nine coaches vying for induction in 2004.

The ballot hit the mail this week to the more than 13,000 members of the NFF and College Hall of Fame whose votes will be recorded and submitted to the Foundation’s honors court, which deliberates and is responsible for selecting the class. The honors court, an 11-member panel chaired by Gene Corrigan (former Notre Dame athletic director, Atlantic Coast Conference commissioner and NCAA past president) and also including former Notre Dame associate athletic director and sports information director Roger Valdiserri, is comprised of athletics directors, conference commissioners, Hall of Fame coaches and members of the media.

The Hall of Fame class will be announced in mid-April and inducted at the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame’s 47th Awards Dinner Dec. 7, 2004, at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York City.

To be eligible for the ballot, players must have been chosen first-team All-America by a major/national selector as recognized and utilized by the NCAA for their consensus All-America teams, played their last year of intercollegiate football at least 10 years prior, played within the last 50 years and be retired from playing professional football. Coaches must be out of the college coaching profession for at least three years, coached a minimum of 10 years and 100 games as a head coach, not be coaching on the professional level and have won at least 60 percent of their games. In both cases, the candidate’s post-football record as a citizen may also be weighed.

Once nominated for consideration, all player candidates are submitted to one of eight district screening committees, depending on their geographic location, which conducts a vote to determine who will appear on the ballot and represent their respective districts.

Here are details on the seven Irish players on the ballot:
* Dave Duerson-Safety-Named first team All-America in 1982. Named team’s MVP, was team captain and played in the Hula Bowl in 1982. Member of the Indiana Football Hall of Fame.

* Bob Golic-Linebacker- Named unanimous All-America in 1978 and was a finalist for Lombardi Award in 1978. Co-holder of Notre Dame single-game record for tackles with 26 vs. Michigan in 1978. Second in school history with 479 career tackles. Cotton Bowl defensive player of the game and co-MVP of the Hula Bowl in 1978.

* Terry Hanratty-Quarterback-Named consensus first team All-America in 1968. Finished third in the Heisman Trophy voting in 1968, sixth in 1966 and ninth in 1967. Led Notre Dame to a national championship in 1966. Set numerous school career records including passing yards (4,152).

* John Huarte-Quarterback-Named consensus first team All-America and won the Heisman Trophy in 1964. Named 1964 UPI Player and Back of the Year and Back of the Year by Football News. MVP of the 1964 North-South game and played in the College All-Star Game.

* Walter Patulski-Defensive End-Named unanimous All-America in 1971. Won the 1971 Lombardi Award and was named Lineman of the Year by United Press International. Named team MVP and finished ninth in the Heisman Trophy voting in 1971.

* Jim Seymour-End-Two-time first team All-America selection (1967-68). Led the team in receiving from 1966-68. Holds Notre Dame receiving record for pass receptions in a game (13) and receiving yards in a game (276). Played in the College All-Star Game and Hula Bowl.

* Chris Zorich-Defensive Tackle-Two-time first team All-America selection (1989-90), unanimous in 1990, consensus in 1989. Received Lombardi Award in 1990. Member of the 1988 undefeated national championship team. Named CBS Sports/Chevrolet Defensive Player of the Year in 1990.

With 119 chapters and more than 13,000 members nationwide, the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame, a non-profit educational organization, runs programs designed to use the power of amateur football in developing scholarship, citizenship and athletic achievement in America’s young people. NFF programs include the College Football Hall of Fame in South Bend, Ind., PLAY IT SMART, the NFF Center for Youth Development Through Sport at Springfield College (Mass.), the NFL-NFF Coaching Academy, and scholarships of nearly $1 million for college and high school scholar-athletes.

Notre Dame has 40 former players and five former coaches already enshrined in the Hall of Fame, providing more inductees than any other institution. The most recent addition is former quarterback Joe Theismann, who was inducted in December and will be enshrined in August.