July 16, 2010
DALLAS – Thousands of college football fans from across the country will journey to the National Football Foundation at the College Football Hall of Fame in South Bend, Ind., for the organization’s annual Enshrinement Festival, which will pay tribute to the storied careers of Pat Swilling from Georgia Tech along with 23 other football standouts as they are formally enshrined into the Hall of Fame.
“We are very pleased to have the opportunity to enshrine another exceptional class of college football legends,” said NFF President & CEO Steven J. Hatchell. “Each year our hard-working honors courts do an outstanding job ensuring the game’s greatest players and coaches find their place on college football’s mountain top. We look forward to celebrating in South Bend with this amazing class and their loyal fans from around the country.”
As a defensive end for the Georgia Tech “Black Watch”, Pat Swilling not only resurrected the Georgia Tech defense, but also ensured that the entire football program would continue to succeed. With Swilling leading the defense, the Yellow Jackets allowed only 10.7 points per game during his senior season. Swilling’s coach at the time, Bill Curry recalls, “He was a dominant force in all the right ways at a time when we desperately needed him to be just that.” As a Yellow Jacket, Swilling set the NCAA record for sacks in a game (seven against North Carolina State in 1985) as well as set the Georgia Tech record for sacks in a season (15). Nicknamed the “bell cow” by defensive coordinator Don Lindsey, Swilling embodied the definition: the lead cow of a herd. One of Swilling’s most memorable achievements was the game against N.C. State in which he sacked QB Erik Kramer seven times. Voted First-Team All-America by the Football Writers Association in 1985, Swilling graduated as Georgia Tech’s all-time leader in sacks (23) and tackles for loss (37), currently ranking fourth in both categories.
Swilling was selected in the third round of the 1985 NFL draft by the New Orleans Saints. In 1989 he was named NFL Defensive Player of the Year, when he recorded 17 sacks. During his extensive NFL career, Swilling also played for the Detroit Lions and Oakland Raiders. Named to the Pro Bowl five times, Swilling’s career 107.5 sacks place him in the Top 20 all-time sack leaders in NFL history. After his football career, Swilling was elected to the Louisiana State House of Representatives, and now works as a real estate developer. In 2000 he was inducted into the New Orleans Saints Hall of Fame.
Fans have a variety of opportunities to meet and mingle with the enshrinees during this spectacular event. The jam-packed weekend will include a celebrity golf tournament, a fan festival, a grand parade, a youth football clinic, a fireworks spectacular with the celebration culminating with the Enshrinement Dinner & Show on Saturday evening.
“The College Football Hall of Fame is honored to host so many notable contributors to the game in South Bend, celebrating this tremendous accolade,” said College Football Hall of Fame Executive Director Lisa Klunder. “Enshrinement in the College Football Hall of Fame is a rare distinction shared by only the most accomplished players, and our festival boasts a myriad of events to highlight this extraordinary achievement.”
Tickets for all events are on sale now. Space is limited for certain events. For events, pricing, times, tickets or for more information on Pat Swilling and his enshrinement into the Hall of Fame visit www.enshrinementfestival.org or call 574-235-5714.
For information concerning media credentials, satellite coordinates or scheduling interviews contact Kristen Pflipsen, director of public relations, at Kristen.Pflipsen@collegefootball.org or 574-235-5717.
2010 FOOTBALL BOWL SUBDIVISION ENSHRINEMENT CLASS
PLAYERS
• PERVIS ATKINS – HB, New Mexico State (1959-60)
• TIM BROWN – WR, Notre Dame (1984-87)
• CHUCK CECIL – DB, Arizona (1984-87)
• ED DYAS – FB, Auburn (1958-60)
• MAJOR HARRIS – QB, West Virginia (1987-89)
• GORDON HUDSON – TE, Brigham Young (1980-83)
• WILLIAM LEWIS* – C, Harvard (1892-93)
• WOODROW LOWE – LB, Alabama (1972-75)
• KEN MARGERUM – WR, Stanford (1977-80)
• STEVE McMICHAEL – DT, Texas (1976-79)
• CHRIS SPIELMAN – LB, Ohio State (1984-87)
• LARRY STATION – LB, Iowa (1982-85)
• Pat Swilling – DE, Georgia Tech (1982-85)
• GINO TORRETTA – QB, Miami (Fla.) (1989-92)
• CURT WARNER – RB, Penn State (1979-82)
• GRANT WISTROM – DE, Nebraska (1994-97)
* deceased
COACHES
• DICK MacPHERSON – 111-73-5 (.601) – Massachusetts (1971-77), Syracuse (1981-90)
• JOHN ROBINSON – 132-77-4 (.629) – Southern California (1976-82, 1993-97), Nevada-Las Vegas (1999-2004)
2010 DIVISIONAL ENSHRINEMENT CLASS
PLAYERS
• EMERSON BOOZER – Maryland Eastern Shore, HB (1962-65)
• TROY BROWN – Marshall, WR (1991-92)
• BRIAN KELLEY – California Lutheran, LB (1969-72)
• MILT MORIN* – Massachusetts, TE (1963-65)
COACHES
• WILLIE JEFFRIES – 179-132-6 (.574); Howard (1984-88), Wichita State (1979-83), South Carolina State (1973-78, 1989-2001)
• TED KESSINGER – 219-57-1 (.792); Bethany (Kan.) (1976-2003)
* deceased
