NEW YORK, May 9, 2007 - From the national ballot of 75 candidates and a pool of hundreds of eligible nominees, Ron Johnson, chairman of The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame, announced the 2007 College Football Hall of Fame Football Bowl Subdivision (formerly Division I-A) Class, which includes the names of 12 All-America players and two legendary coaches.
The 2007 College Football Hall of Fame Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) Class will be inducted at the 50th Annual Awards Dinner on December 4, 2007, at the Waldorf=Astoria in New York City. They will be officially enshrined at the Hall in South Bend, Ind., during ceremonies in the summer of 2008.
RICHARD WOOD
University of Southern California
Linebacker, 1972-74
A fierce tackler and team leader, USC's Richard "Batman" Wood joins 26 other Trojans in the College Football Hall of Fame.
The only three-time All-America selection (consensus- '73,'74) in Southern California's rich football history, the Elizabeth, N.J., native was a member of two USC National Championship teams, captaining the 1974 squad and leading the Trojans to an impressive 31-3- 2 record during his career.
Wood twice led the Trojans in tackles en route to garnering First Team All-Conference laurels every season of his career. Selected in the third round of the 1975 NFL Draft by the Jets, he spent the majority of his time in the pros with Tampa Bay. He amassed 855 career tackles for the Buccaneers, the third-most in franchise history.
Since retiring from the NFL, Wood has coached on the high school and professional levels, serving as an assistant football coach for the Bucs and for the NFL Europa's Frankfurt Galaxy. He also spent time as head coach for the Munich Cowboys of the German Football League. He resides in Tampa, Fla.
2007 COLLEGE FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME CLASS
PLAYERS
TOM BRAHANEY- C, Oklahoma, 1970- 72
DAVE BROWN* - DB, Michigan, 1972- 74
JEFF DAVIS- LB, Clemson, 1978-81
DOUG FLUTIE- QB, Boston College, 1981- 84
JOHNNIE JOHNSON- DB, Texas, 1976- 79
REX KERN- QB, Ohio State, 1968-70
AHMAD RASHAD- RB / WR, Oregon, 1969- 71
ANTHONY THOMPSON- RB, Indiana, 1986- 89
WILSON WHITLEY* - DT, Houston, 1973- 76
REGGIE WILLIAMS- LB, Dartmouth, 1973- 75
RICHARD WOOD- LB, Southern California, 1972- 74
CHRIS ZORICH- DT, Notre Dame, 1988- 90
COACHES
HERB DEROMEDI- Central Michigan (1978- 93), 110- 55-10
JOE PATERNO- Penn State (1966- present), 363-121-3
*Deceased