Wilber Marshall On College Football Hall of Fame Ballot

Florida linebacker Wilber Marshall (1980-83) is among 19 players up for election to the College Football Hall of Fame for the first time this year.

The National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame released a ballot Tuesday with 75 players and eight coaches eligible for election to the hall.

In college, the 6-foot-1, 231-pound Marshall was an All-American and finalist for the Lombardi Award in 1982 and 1983, and was the 1983 National Defensive Player of the Year.

A first-team selection in 1999 to UF's Team of the Century, he was also selected in 1999 as UF's Defensive Player of the Century.

Marshall was drafted 11th overall by Chicago in 1984. He was a three-time Pro Bowler and four-time All-Pro while playing with the Bears and Redskins. He also played for Oilers, Cardinals and Jets in his 12-year career.

The late Pat Tillman, a former Arizona State linebacker who gave up a professional football career to join the military, is also on the ballot.

Also among the first-timers in the College Hall of Fame ballot are Kansas quarterback Bobby Douglas (1966-68), Temple running back Paul Palmer (1983-86) and Michigan State linebacker Percy Snow (1986-89).

Lou Holtz, who coached Notre Dame to a national championship and 249 games with six schools, is the only coach appearing on the ballot for the first time.

Other notable players up for election include UCLA quarterback Troy Aikman, West Virginia quarterback Major Harris, Ohio State fullback Jim Otis and Notre Dame Heisman Trophy winner Tim Brown.

Voting will be done by the 12,000 National Football Foundation members and those votes will be submitted to the NFF’s Honors Court, which selects the Hall of Fame class.

The class of 2008 will be announced May 1 and inducted Dec. 9 at the NFF awards dinner in New York.

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