Art Monk Set for NFF Hall of Fame On-Campus Salute

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Syracuse University and The National Football Foundation (NFF) & College Hall of Fame will jointly honor Art Monk with an NFF Hall of Fame On-Campus Salute during the SU football game against Pittsburgh at the Carrier Dome on Friday, Oct. 5 (7 p.m.; ESPN). Tickets are available online, in person at the Carrier Dome Box Office (Gate B), or by calling 1-888-DOMETIX for Syracuse's BIG EAST opener.

"I think when even I came here as a player, Coach Mac had told us stories about Art," said head coach Doug Marrone. "Again, Rob Moore had been with Art before and talked about character and what he has done on the field. It's probably long overdue but we are very proud that he is getting in and it's very well deserved."

The NFF Hall of Fame On-Campus Salute program is a hallowed tradition that began with the 1951 inaugural class, and they remain the first of numerous activities in each inductee's Hall of Fame experience. During the NFF Hall of Fame On-Campus Salutes, each inductee returns to his alma mater to accept a Hall of Fame plaque that will remain on permanent display at the school. The events take place on the field during a home game, and many inductees cite the experience as the ultimate capstone to their careers, providing them one more chance to take the field and hear the crowd roar their name.

"I was a little surprised by the news," said Monk when it was announced in May that he would be inducted. "When these things come up, I never put myself in the picture as being a candidate. Honestly, I don't know how to express my feelings about this honor. Certainly, I am thrilled and very excited."

One of the top college football players in the country, Art Monk became the mark of consistency during his remarkable career with the Orange, earning First Team All-America honors in 1979. Monk played wide receiver for Syracuse from 1976-79.

"Art Monk is one of the greatest playmakers in Syracuse football history," said NFF President and CEO Steve Hatchell. "That is high praise considering the names that played at that school, and Monk's accomplishments add to an impressive Orange legacy that includes Hall of Fame legends like Ernie Davis, Floyd Little, Larry Csonka, Jim Brown, Time Green and Don McPherson. It will be a thrill to honor him in front of the Syracuse faithful at the Carrier Dome."

As a senior, Monk hauled in 40 receptions for 716 yards (17.9 yards per catch) with three touchdowns. He set a school record in 1977 for most receptions and receiving yards by a sophomore, catching 41 passes for 590 yards and four scores. With 1,644 career receiving yards in 35 games, Monk set a school record with a 47-receiving yards per game average. He recorded the greatest game by a receiver in Orange history on Nov. 5, 1977 against Navy, catching 14 passes for 188 yards and two touchdowns.

A versatile playmaker who entered college as a running back, he posted 31 kickoff returns for 675 yards and 44 punt returns for 430 yards. Monk ranks sixth in school history with 3,899 career all-purpose yards. The last player to lead Syracuse in receiving for three consecutive seasons, Monk led Syracuse to its first bowl victory in 13 years with a 31-7 win over McNeese State in the 1979 Independence Bowl.

Monk becomes the tenth Syracuse player to be inducted, including (in chronological order), Joe Alexander (1954), Lynn 'Pappy' Waldorf (1966), Vic Hanson (1973), Ernie Davis (1979), Floyd Little (1983), Larry Csonka (1989), Jim Brown (1995), Tim Green (2001) and Don McPherson (2008). Seven coaches with stops at Syracuse are in the hall, including: Howard Jones (1951), Frank O'Neill (1951), Tad Jones (1958), Biggie Munn (1959), Bud Wilkinson (1969), Ben Schwartzwalder (1982) and Dick MacPherson (2009).

Including the 2012 FBS class, only 918 players and 200 coaches have been inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame from the nearly five million people who have played or coached the game over the past 144 years. In other words, only two ten thousandths of one percent (.0002) of those who have set foot on the gridiron have earned the distinction. For a complete list of players and coaches in the hall, please visit www.collegefootball.org.

The 2012 College Football Hall of Fame Class will be officially inducted at the 55^th NFF Annual Awards Dinner, held at New York City's historic Waldorf=Astoria Hotel on Tuesday, December 4. This year's hall of fame class includes: Charles Alexander (LSU), Otis Armstrong (Purdue), Steve Bartkowski (California), Hal Bedsole (Southern California), Dave Casper (Notre Dame), Ty Detmer (BYU), Tommy Kramer (Rice), Art Monk (Syracuse), Greg Myers (Colorado State), Jonathan Ogden (UCLA), Gabe Rivera (Texas Tech), Mark Simoneau (Kansas State), Scott Thomas (Air Force), John Wooten (Colorado), and coaches Phillip Fulmer (Tennessee), Jimmy Johnson (Oklahoma State, Miami [Fla.]) and R.C. Slocum.

Syracuse University Athletics

Art Monk Set for NFF Hall of Fame On-Campus Salute

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