Westbrook on 2018 College Football Hall of Fame Ballot

IRVING, Texas – Former University of Colorado wide receiver Michael Westbrook is one of 98 players and 31 coaches from the FBS on the 2018 ballot for induction into the College Football Hall of Fame, the National Football Foundation (NFF) and College Football Hall of Fame announced Thursday.

"It's an enormous honor to just be on the ballot when you think that more than 5.19 million people have played college football and only 987 players have been inducted," said NFF President & CEO Steve Hatchell. "The Hall's requirement of being a first-team All-American creates a much smaller pool of only 1,500 individuals who are even eligible. So being in today's elite group means an individual is truly among the greatest to ever have played the game, and we are extremely proud to announce their names. We look forward to revealing the 2018 Class prior to the CFP National Championship in Atlanta, the esteemed home of the College Football Hall of Fame."

The announcement of the 2018 Class will be made Monday, Jan. 8, 2018, in Atlanta. The city is serving as the host for the CFP National Championship, which will be played later that day at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Some of the inductees will be on site during the announcement to represent the class and share their thoughts on being elected. The Jan. 8 announcement will be televised live, and specific viewing information will be available as the date draws near. A few inductees will also participate in the pregame festivities and the coin toss before the championship game.

Westbrook was a two-time first-team All-American, as he made the AFCA and Walter Camp teams as a senior in 1994 and the NEA squad as a sophomore in 1992 (the Associated Press tabbed him a second-teamer in '92). A two-time first-team All-Big Eight performer as a sophomore and a senior, he became only the third Buffalo receiver to earn all-league honors and was the first to be named twice. He exited his career as CU's all-time leader in both receptions (167) and receiving yards (2,548).

He was on the receiving end of college football's play of the decade if not the century when he hauled down a 64-yard pass from Kordell Stewart after time expired to rally CU to a 27-26 win at Michigan in 1994. That play won an ESPY as the national play of the year in all sports.

He had eight career 100-yard games (six of 128 or more), and caught nine or more passes three times, including then a school record 11 for 186 yards at Baylor as a sophomore.

The 1995 MVP of the East-West Shrine game, he went on to be a first round pick by Washington in the 1995 NFL Draft (No. 4 overall; among CU players, only Bo Matthews at No. 2 in 1974 was drafted higher, with Byron White also a fourth pick to Pittsburgh in 1938).

Westbrook, who was inducted into CU's Athletic Hall of Fame in 2016, appeared that same year for the first time on the regional ballot for the College Football Hall of Fame.

Colorado has eight former players or coaches already inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. Those are: Byron White (inducted 1952), Joe Romig (inducted 1984), Dick Anderson (inducted 1993), Bobby Anderson (inducted 2006), Alfred Williams (inducted 2010), John Wooten (inducted 2012), Bill McCartney (inducted 2013) and Herb Orvis (2016).

The 2018 class will officially be inducted during the 61^st NFF Annual Awards Dinner Dec. 4, 2018, at the New York Hilton Midtown. The inductees will be permanently enshrined at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta later that December and honored on the field during the 14th Annual National Hall of Fame Salute during the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl. They will also be honored at their respective schools at an NFF Hall of Fame On-Campus Salute, presented by Fidelity Investments, during the 2018 season.

The criteria for Hall of Fame consideration include:

First and foremost, a player must have received First-Team All-America recognition by a selector organization that is recognized by the NCAA and utilized to comprise their consensus All-America teams.
A player becomes eligible for consideration by the Foundation's Honors Courts 10 full seasons after his final year of intercollegiate football played.
While each nominee's football achievements in college are of prime consideration, his post-football record as a citizen is also weighed. He must have proven himself worthy as a citizen, carrying the ideals of football forward into his relations with his community and his fellow man, with love of his country. Consideration may also be given for academic honors and whether or not the candidate earned a college degree.
Players must have played their last year of intercollegiate football within the last 50 years.* For example, to be eligible for the 2018 ballot, the player must have played his last year in 1968 or thereafter. In addition, players who are playing professionally and coaches who are coaching on the professional level are not eligible until after they retire.
A coach becomes eligible three full seasons after retirement or immediately following retirement provided he is at least 70 years of age. Active coaches become eligible at 75 years of age. He must have been a head coach for a minimum of 10 years and coached at least 100 games with a .600 winning percentage.

*Players who do not comply with the 50-year rule may still be eligible for consideration by the Football Bowl Subdivision and Divisional Veterans Committees.

Once nominated for consideration, all player candidates are submitted to one of eight District Screening Committees, depending on their school's geographic location, which conducts a vote to determine who will appear on the ballot and represent their respective districts. Each year, approximately 15 candidates, who are not selected for the Hall of Fame, will be named automatic holdovers and will bypass the district screening process and automatically appear on the ballot the following year. Additionally, the Veterans Committee may make recommendations to the Honors Court for exceptions that allow for the induction of players who played more than 50 years ago.

Westbrook on 2018 College Football Hall of Fame Ballot

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