Tim Tebow, Eric Berry joining College Football Hall of Fame

The College Football Hall of Fame is adding two of the most lauded players in SEC history in its Class of 2023.

Announced on Monday afternoon, the 18 players in the College Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2023 include Tennessee safety Eric Berry and Florida quarterback Tim Tebow.

Georgia’s Mark Richt is among the four coaches in the Class of 2023.

Berry played at Tennessee from 2007 through 2009. He became the second of three SEC players who were unanimous All-Americans more than once when he earned the honor n 2008 and 2009. The two others are Georgia running back Herschel Walker and Alabama linebacker Will Anderson Jr.

Berry won the SEC Defensive Player of the Year Award in 2008 and the Jim Thorpe Award as the nation’s best defensive back in 2009.

Berry holds the SEC records for career interception-return yards with 481 and single-season interception-return yards with 265 in 2008. Berry had seven of his 14 career interceptions in 2008.

During his career at Florida from 2006 through 2009, Tebow became the first sophomore to win the Heisman Trophy in 2007, when he also won the Maxwell Award and Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award. Tebow repeated as the Maxwell Award winner in 2008, when he finished third in the Heisman Trophy voting and won the SEC Offensive Player of the Year Award. Tebow repeated as SEC Offensive Player of the Year in 2009, when he finished fifth in the Heisman Trophy voting.

Tebow set the SEC career scoring record with 57 touchdowns, and he played on Florida’s 2006 and 2008 national championship teams.

Berry and Tebow are the first SEC stars who played after the 2007 season to reach the College Football Hall of Fame.

Richt coached Georgia from 2001 through 2015, then closed his career with three seasons at Miami (Fla.). Richt compiled a career record of 171-64 and guided Georgia to SEC championships in 2002 and 2005.

The 80-player NCAA FBS portion of the College Football Hall of Fame Class of 2023 ballot featured 12 former SEC stars, including Auburn linebacker Gregg Carr and Alabama defensive back Antonio Langham and offensive tackle Chris Samuels.

The other SEC players on the ballot who were not chosen for the Class of 2023 were Kentucky quarterback Tim Couch, Florida defensive tackle Brad Culpepper, Tennessee wide receiver Willie Gault, Georgia running back Garrison Hearst, LSU linebacker Bradie James, Florida running back Errict Rhett and Tennessee wide receiver Larry Seivers.

SEC member Missouri had wide receiver Jeremy Maclin chosen for the College Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2023. But Maclin played for the Tigers in 2007 and 2008, before the program joined the SEC.

The other players in the Class of 2023 include:

· Kansas State quarterback Michael Bishop

· Southern Cal running back Reggie Bush

· Syracuse defensive end Dwight Freeney

· Iowa offensive tackle Robert Gallery

· Oregon running back LaMichael James

· Texas linebacker Derrick Johnson

· Montana State defensive tackle Bill Kollar

· Boston College linebacker Luke Kuechly

· New Mexico wide receiver Terance Mathis

· Miami (Fla.) offensive tackle Bryant McKinnie

· Virginia Tech defensive lineman Corey Moore

· Notre Dame linebacker Michael Stonebreaker

· Wisconsin defensive back Troy Vincent

· Villanova running back Brian Westbrook

· Memphis running back DeAngelo Williams

The other coaches in the Class of 2023 were Monte Cater from Lakeland and Shepherd, Paul Johnson from Georgia Southern, Navy and Georgia Tech and Roy Kramer from Central Michigan.

With the additions of Berry and Tebow, the SEC has 102 former players in the College Football Hall of Fame.

To be considered for the College Football Hall of Fame today, a player must have been a first-team All-American selection by one of the organizations that the NCAA uses to compile its annual consensus All-American team.

Players aren’t considered for the College Football Hall of Fame until 10 years after their final season. They also aren’t considered while they are active NFL players.

Players aren’t considered if their college careers ended more than 50 years ago either. Those players still can be considered for the College Football Hall of Fame, but their qualifications are examined by the Football Bowl Subdivision Honors Review Committee, bypassing the ballot.

Players on the College Football Hall of Fame ballot are nominated by athletic directors, head coaches and sports-information directors at National Football Foundation-member schools.

The FBS nominees are sorted geographically for eight District Screening Committees. The committee members vote on which players will represent their region on the ballot. Players who received significant support in the final voting in the previous year but did not make the College Football Hall of Fame also are held over on the ballot automatically.

Here’s a breakdown of the SEC’s Hall of Famers by school, including players and coaches. It also includes players and coaches from before the formation of the SEC for the league’s current members. Players and coaches who straddle the pre-SEC and SEC eras are listed under SEC.

ALABAMA

Players

SEC:

Dixie Howell, halfback, 1932-1934. Elected 1970

Don Hutson, end, 1932-1934. Elected 1951

Riley Smith, quarterback, 1933-1935. Elected 1985

Don Whitmire, Alabama and Navy, tackle, 1941-1944 (played at Alabama 1941-42). Elected 1956

Vaughn “Cisco” Mancha, center, 1944-1947. Elected 1990

Harry Gilmer, halfback, 1944-1947. Elected 1993

Billy Neighbors, tackle, 1959-1961. Elected 2003

Lee Roy Jordan, center, 1960-1962. Elected 1983

Johnny Musso, halfback, 1969-1971. Elected 2000

John Hannah, guard/tackle, 1970-1972. Elected 1999

Sylvester Croom, center, 1972-1974: Elected 2022

Woodrow Lowe, linebacker, 1972-1975. Elected 2009

Ozzie Newsome, wide receiver, 1974-1977. Elected 1994

Marty Lyons, defensive tackle, 1975-1978. Elected 2011

E.J. Junior, defensive end, 1977-1980. Elected 2020

Cornelius Bennett, linebacker, 1983-1986. Elected 2005

Derrick Thomas, linebacker, 1985-1988. Elected 2014

Pre-SEC:

Johnny Mack Brown, halfback, 1923-1925. Elected 1957

John Cain, quarterback/fullback, 1930-1932. Elected 1973

Pooley Hubert, fullback, 1922-1925. Elected 1964

Fred Sington, tackle, 1928-1930. Elected 1955

Coaches

SEC:

Frank Thomas, Chattanooga, Alabama, 1925-1946 (at Alabama 1931-46). Elected 1951

Paul “Bear” Bryant, Maryland, Kentucky, Texas A&M, Alabama, 1945-1982 (at Alabama 1958-82). Elected 1986

Gene Stallings, Texas A&M, Alabama, 1965-1971, 1990-1996 (at Alabama 1990-96). Elected 2010

Pre-SEC:

Wallace Wade, Alabama, Duke, 1923-1950 (at Alabama 1923-30). Elected 1955

ARKANSAS

Players

SEC:

Darren McFadden, running back, 2005-2007. Elected 2019

Pre-SEC:

Wear Schoonover, end, 1927-1929. Elected 1967

Clyde Scott, Navy and Arkansas, halfback, 1944-1948, 1971

Wayne Harris, center, 1958-1960. Elected 2004

Lance Alworth, halfback, 1959-1961. Elected 1984

Ray Caveness, center, 1962-64. Elected 2010

Loyd Phillips, defensive tackle, 1964-1966. Elected 1992

Chuck Dicus, wide receiver, 1968-1970. Elected 1999

Billy Ray Smith, defensive end, 1979-1982. Elected 2000

Coaches

SEC:

Danny Ford, Clemson, Arkansas, 1978-1989, 1993-1997 (at Arkansas 1993-1997). Elected 2017.

Pre-SEC:

Hugo Bezdek, Oregon, Arkansas, Penn State, Delaware Valley, 1906-1949 (at Arkansas 1908-1912). Elected 1954

Francis Schmidt, Tulsa, Arkansas, Texas Christian, Ohio State, Idaho, 1919-1942 (at Arkansas 1922-1928). Elected 1971

Bowden Wyatt, Wyoming, Arkansas, Tennessee, 1947-1962 (at Arkansas 1953-1954). Elected 1997

Frank Broyles, Missouri, Arkansas, 1957-1976 (at Arkansas 1958-1976). Elected 1983

Lou Holtz, William & Mary, North Carolina State, Arkansas, Minnesota, Notre Dame, South Carolina, 1969-2004 (at Arkansas 1977-1983). Elected 2008

AUBURN

Players

SEC:

Walter Gilbert, center, 1934-1936. Elected 1956

Ed Dyas, fullback, 1958-1960. Elected 2009

Tucker Frederickson, halfback, 1962-1964. Elected 1994

Terry Beasley, wide receiver, 1969-1971. Elected 2002

Pat Sullivan, quarterback, 1969-1971. Elected 1991

Bo Jackson, halfback, 1982-1985. Elected 1998

Tracy Rocker, defensive tackle, 1985-1988. Elected 2004

Pre-SEC:

Jimmy Hitchcock, halfback, 1930-1932. Elected 1954

Coaches

SEC:

Shug Jordan, Auburn, 1951-1975. Elected 1982

Pat Dye, East Carolina, Wyoming, Auburn, 1974-1992 (at Auburn 1981-1992). Elected 2005

Pre-SEC:

John Heisman, Oberlin, Akron, Auburn, Clemson, Georgia Tech, Pennsylvania, Washington & Jefferson, Rice, 1892-1927 (at Auburn 1895-1899). Elected 1954

Michael Donahue, Auburn, Louisiana State, 1904-1927 (at Auburn 1904-1906, 1908-1922). Elected 1951

FLORIDA

Players

SEC:

Steve Spurrier, quarterback, 1964-1966. Elected 1986

Jack Youngblood, defensive end, 1968-1970. Elected 1992

Carlos Alvarez, wide receiver, 1969-1971. Elected 2011

Wes Chandler, split end, 1974-1977. Elected 2015

Wilber Marshall, linebacker, 1980-1983. Elected 2008

Lomas Brown, offensive tackle, 1981-1984. Elected 2020

Emmitt Smith, running back, 1987-1989. Elected 2006

Danny Wuerffel, quarterback, 1993-1996. Elected 2013

Tim Tebow, quarterback, 2006-2009. Elected 2023

Pre-SEC:

Dale Van Sickel, end, 1927-1929. Elected 1975

Coaches

SEC:

Ray Graves, Florida, 1960-1969. Elected 1990

Doug Dickey, Tennessee, Florida, 1964-1978 (at Florida 1970-1978). Elected 2003

Steve Spurrier, Duke, Florida, South Carolina, 1987-2001, 2005-15 (at Florida 1990-2001). Elected 2017

Pre-SEC:

Charlie Bachman, Northwestern, Kansas State, Florida, Michigan State, Hillsdale, 1919-1953 (at Florida 1928-1932). Elected 1978

GEORGIA

Players

SEC:

Bill Hartman, fullback, 1935-1937. Elected 1984

Frank Sinkwich, halfback, 1940-1942. Elected 1954

Charley Trippi, halfback, 1942, 1945-1946. Elected 1959

John Rauch, quarterback, 1945-1948. Elected 2003

Fran Tarkenton, quarterback, 1958-1960. Elected 1987

Bill Stanfill, defensive tackle, 1966-1968. Elected 1998

Jake Scott, defensive back, 1967-68. Elected 2011

Scott Woerner, defensive back, 1977-1980. Elected 2016.

Herschel Walker, running back, 1980-1982. Elected 1999

Terry Hoage, safety, 1980-1983. Elected 2000

Kevin Butler, place-kicker, 1981-1984. Elected 2001

Matt Stinchcomb, offensive tackle, 1995-1998. Elected 2018

Champ Bailey, cornerback, 1996-1998: Elected 2022

David Pollack, defensive end, 2001-2004. Elected 2020

Pre-SEC:

Bob McWhorter, halfback, 1910-1913. Elected 1954

Vernon “Catfish” Smith, end, 1929-1931. Elected 1979

Coaches:

SEC:

Wally Butts, Georgia, 1939-1960. Elected 1997

Vince Dooley, Georgia, 1964-1988. Elected 1994

Jim Donnan, Marshall, Georgia, 1990-2000 (at Georgia 1996-2000). Elected 2009

Mark Richt, Georgia, Miami (Fla.), 2001-2018 (at Georgia 2001-2015). Elected 2023

Pre-SEC:

Pop Warner, Georgia, Cornell, Carlisle, Pittsburgh, Stanford, Temple, 1895-1938 (at Georgia 1895-1896). Elected 1951

KENTUCKY

Players

SEC:

Bob Gain, tackle-guard, 1947-1950. Elected 1980

Babe Parilli, quarterback, 1949-1951. Elected 1982

Steve Meilinger, end, 1951-1953. Elected 2013.

Lou Michaels, tackle, 1955-1957. Elected 1992

Art Still, defensive end, 1974-77. Elected 2015

Pre-SEC: None

Coaches

SEC:

Paul “Bear” Bryant, Maryland, Kentucky, Texas A&M, Alabama, 1945-1982 (at Kentucky 1946-1953). Elected 1986

Jerry Claiborne, Virginia Tech, Maryland, Kentucky 1961-1989 (at Kentucky 1982-1989). Elected 1999

Pre-SEC: None

LSU

Players

SEC:

Abe Mickal, halfback, 1933-1935. Elected 1967

Gaynell Tinsley, end, 1934-1936. Elected 1956

Ken Kavanaugh, end, 1937-1939. Elected 1963

Billy Cannon, halfback, 1957-1959. Elected 2008

Jerry Stovall, halfback, 1960-1962. Elected 2010

Tommy Casanova, cornerback, 1969-1971. Elected 1995

Bert Jones, quarterback, 1970-1972. Elected 2016

Charles Alexander, running back, 1975-1978. Elected 2012

Kevin Faulk, running back, 1995-1998: Elected 2022.

Glenn Dorsey, defensive tackle, 2004-2007. Elected 2020

Pre-SEC:

Doc Fenton, Mansfield and LSU, end/quarterback, 1904-1909. Elected 1971

Coaches

SEC:

Biff Jones, Army, LSU, Oklahoma, Nebraska, 1926-1941 (at LSU 1932-1934). Elected 1954

Bernie Moore, Mercer, LSU, 1925-1947 (at LSU 1935-1947). Elected 1954

Charlie McClendon, LSU, 1962-1979. Elected 1986

Pre-SEC:

Dana Bible, Mississippi College, LSU, Texas A&M, Nebraska, Texas, 1916-1946 (at LSU 1916). Elected 1951

Michael Donahue, Auburn, LSU, 1904-1927 (at LSU 1923-1927). Elected 1951

MISSISSIPPI STATE

Players

SEC:

Jackie Parker, quarterback, 1952-1953. Elected 1976

D.D. Lewis, linebacker, 1965-1967. Elected 2001

Pre-SEC: None

Coaches

SEC:

Allyn McKeen, Memphis State, Mississippi State, 1937-1948 (at Mississippi State 1939-1948). Elected 1991

Darrell Royal, Mississippi State, Washington, Texas, 1954-1976 (at Mississippi State 1954-1955). Elected 1983

Pre-SEC:

Bernie Bierman, Montana, Mississippi State, Tulane, Minnesota, 1919-1950 (at Mississippi State 1925-1926). Elected 1955

MISSOURI

Players

SEC: None

Pre-SEC:

Ed “Brick” Travis, tackle, 1919-20. Elected 1974

Paul Christman, halfback, 1938-40. Elected 1956

Darold Jenkins, center, 1939-41. Elected 1976

Bob Steuber, end/halfback, 1940-42. Elected 1971

Johnny Roland, halfback, 1962, ‘64-65. Elected 1998

Roger Wehrli, cornerback, 1966-68. Elected 2003

Kellen Winslow, tight end, 1975-78. Elected 2002

Jeremy Maclin, wide receiver, 2007-08. Elected 2023

Coaches

SEC:

Gary Pinkel, Toledo, Missouri, 1991-2015 (at Missouri 2001-2015). Elected in 2020

Pre-SEC:

Bill Roper, Princeton, VMI, Missouri, Swathmore, 1903-1930 (at Missouri 1909). Elected 1951

Jim Phelan, Missouri, Purdue, Washington, St. Mary’s, 1920-1947 (at Missouri 1920-1921). Elected 1973

Don Faurot, Northeast Missouri, Missouri, 1926-1956 (at Missouri 1935-1956). Elected 1961

Frank Broyles, Missouri, Arkansas, 1957-1976 (at Missouri 1957). Elected 1983

Dan Devine, Arizona State, Missouri, Notre Dame, 1955-1980 (at Missouri 1958-1970). Elected 1985

OLE MISS

Players

SEC:

Bruiser Kinard, tackle, 1935-1937. Elected 1951

Parker Hall, halfback, 1936-1938. Elected 1991

Charlie Conerly, halfback, 1942, 1946-1947. Elected 1966

Barney Poole, Ole Miss, North Carolina and Army, end, 1942-1948 (played at Ole Miss 1942, ‘47-48). Elected 1974

Charlie Flowers, fullback, 1957-1959. Elected 1997

Jake Gibbs, quarterback, 1958-1960. Elected 1995

Archie Manning, quarterback, 1968-1970. Elected 1989

Wesley Walls, tight end, 1985-1988. Elected 2014

Patrick Willis, linebacker, 2003-2006. Elected 2019

Pre-SEC: None

Coaches

SEC:

Johnny Vaught, Ole Miss, 1947-1970, ‘73. Elected 1979

Pre-SEC: None

SOUTH CAROLINA

Players

SEC: None

Pre-SEC:

George Rogers, halfback, 1977-1980. Elected 1997

Sterling Sharpe, wide receiver, 1983, 1985-87. Elected 2014

Coaches

SEC:

Lou Holtz, William & Mary, North Carolina State, Arkansas, Minnesota, Notre Dame, South Carolina, 1969-2004 (at South Carolina 1999-2004). Elected 2008

Steve Spurrier, Duke, Florida, South Carolina, 1987-2001, 2005-2015 (at South Carolina 2005-2015). Elected 2017

Pre-SEC: None

TENNESSEE

Players

SEC:

Beattie Feathers, halfback, 1931-1933. Elected 1955

Bowden Wyatt, end, 1936-1938. Elected 1972

George Cafego, halfback, 1937-1939. Elected 1969

Bob Suffridge, guard, 1938-1940. Elected 1961

Ed Molinski, guard, 1938-1940. Elected 1990

Joe Steffy, Tennessee and Army, guard, 1944-1947 (played at Tennessee in 1944). Elected 1987

Hank Lauricella, halfback, 1949-1951. Elected 1981

John Michels, guard, 1950-1952. Elected 1996

Doug Atkins, tackle, 1950-1952. Elected 1985

Johnny Majors, halfback, 1954-1956. Elected 1987

Steve DeLong, middle guard, 1962-1964. Elected 1993

Frank Emanuel, linebacker, 1963-1965. Elected 2004

Bob Johnson, center, 1965-1967. Elected 1989

Steve Kiner, linebacker, 1967-1969. Elected 1999

Chip Kell, guard/center, 1968-1970. Elected 2006

Reggie White, defensive tackle, 1980-1983. Elected 2002

Peyton Manning, quarterback, 1994-97. Elected 2017

Al Wilson, linebacker, 1995-98. Elected 2021

Eric Berry, safety, 2007-2009. Elected 2023

Pre-SEC:

Nathan Dougherty, guard, 1906-1909. Elected 1967

Bobby Dodd, quarterback, 1928-1930. Elected 1959

Gene McEver, halfback, 1928-1929, 1931. Elected 1954

Herman Hickman, guard, 1929-1931. Elected 1959

Coaches

SEC:

Robert Neyland, coach, 1926-34, ‘36-40, ‘46-52. Elected 1956

Bowden Wyatt, Wyoming, Arkansas, Tennessee, 1947-1962 (at Tennessee 1955-1962). Elected 1997

Doug Dickey, Tennessee, Florida, 1964-1978 (at Tennessee 1970-1976). Elected 2003

Phillip Fulmer, Tennessee, 1992-2008. Elected 2012.

Pre-SEC: None

TEXAS A&M

Players

SEC: None

Pre-SEC:

Joe Utay, halfback, 1905-07. Elected 1974

Joel Hunt, quarterback, 1925-27. Elected 1967

Joe Routt, guard, 1935-37. Elected 1962

John Kimbrough, fullback, 1938-40. Elected 1954

Jack Pardee, fullback, 1954-56. Elected 1986

John David Crow, halfback, 1955-57. Elected 1976

Charlie Krueger, tackle, 1955-57. Elected 1983

David Elmendorf, safety, 1968-70. Elected 1997

Jacob Green, defensive end, 1977-1979. Elected 2019

Ray Childress, defensive end, 1981-84. Elected 2010

Dat Nguyen, linebacker, 1995-98. Elected 2017

Coaches

SEC: None

Pre-SEC:

Dana Bible, Mississippi College, LSU, Texas A&M, Nebraska, Texas, 1916-1946 (at Texas A&M 1917-1928). Elected 1951

Matty Bell, TCU, Texas A&M, SMU, 1923-1933, 1935-1949 (at Texas A&M 1929-1933). Elected 1955

Homer Norton, Centenary, Texas A&M, 1919-1947 (at Texas A&M 1934-1947). Elected 1971

Paul “Bear” Bryant, Maryland, Kentucky, Texas A&M, Alabama, 1945-1982 (at Texas A&M 1954-1957). Elected 1986

Gene Stallings, Texas A&M, Alabama, 1965-1971, 1990-1996 (at Texas A&M 1965-71). Elected 2010

R.C. Slocum, Texas A&M, 1989-2002. Elected 2012.

VANDERBILT

Players

SEC:

Carl Hinkle, center, 1935-1937. Elected 1959

Pre-SEC:

John Tigert, halfback, 1901-1903. Elected 1970

Josh Cody, tackle, 1914-1916, 1919. Elected 1970

Lynn Bomar, end, 1921-1924. Elected 1956

Bill Spears, quarterback, 1925-1927. Elected 1962

Coaches

SEC:

Dan McGugin, Vanderbilt, 1904-1917, 1919-1934. Elected 1951

Ray Morrison, Southern Methodist, Vanderbilt, Temple, Austin, 1915-1951 (at Vanderbilt 1935-1939). Elected 1954

Red Sanders, Vanderbilt, UCLA, 1940-1957 (at Vanderbilt 1940-42, ‘46-48). Elected 1996

Bill Edwards, Western Reserve, Vanderbilt, Wittenberg, 1935-1968 (at Vanderbilt 1949-1952). Elected 1986

Pre-SEC: None

For former conference members, Georgia Tech, Sewanee and Tulane, only the players and coaches who were active during SEC seasons are listed.

GEORGIA TECH

Players:

Bobby Davis, tackle, 1944-1947. Elected 1978

Ray Beck, guard, 1948-1951. Elected 1997

George Morris, center, 1950-1952. Elected 1981

Larry Morris, center, 1951-1954. Elected 1992

Maxie Baughan, center, 1957-1959. Elected 1988

Coaches:

Bill Alexander, Georgia Tech, 1920-1944. Elected 1951

Bobby Dodd, Georgia Tech, 1945-1966. Elected 1993

SEWANEE

Players: None

Coaches: None

TULANE

Players:

Monk Simons, halfback, 1932-1934. Elected 1963

John “Jack” Green, Tulane and Army, guard, 1942-1945 (played at Tulane in 1942). Elected 1989

Eddie Price, fullback, 1946-1949. Elected 1982

Coaches: None

Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.

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