Ridlon, Keller Win National Football Foundation CNY Chapter Awards

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Orange football legend Jim Ridlon and senior long snapper Matt Keller will be honored at the 18th annual Central New York chapter of the National Football Foundation (NFF) Scholar-Athlete Awards Dinner on Sunday, Jan. 27 at the Turning Stone Resort in Verona, N.Y.

Ridlon will be presented with the organization's Distinguished American Award and Keller will receive the 2018 Scholar-Athlete Award during the event, which recognizes more than 70 college and high school players along with coaches, officials, and others in the area who have made significant contributions to the game.

The organization's highest honor, the Distinguished American Award has only been presented seven other times in the chapter's 19-year history.

A former professor in Syracuse University's College of Visual and Performing Arts, Ridlon was commissioned in 1988 to design and sculpt the Outland Trophy, which is annually awarded to the best interior lineman in college football. His other artistic works include ABC's Wide World of Sports 25th Anniversary collage, and a collage celebrating the first 100 years of Syracuse football. In 1989, he was named the U.S. Sports Academy's Sports Artist of the Year.

Ridlon lined up at halfback and defensive back for the Orange from 1954-56, teaming with the great Jim Brown, and helped the Syracuse reach the 1957 Cotton Bowl. He went on to play eight years in the NFL for the San Francisco 49ers and Dallas Cowboys, earning All-Pro honors at safety in 1964.

After his playing career, Ridlon returned to his alma mater as an assistant football coach, and earned a master's degree in sculpture before becoming a full-time SU faculty member. He taught painting, sculpture and design for 35 years before retiring in 2000. Ridlon also worked as an analyst on Syracuse football radio broadcasts for more than 20 years.

A four-year starter at long snapper, Keller is pursuing his master's degree in accounting from the Syracuse's Martin J. Whitman School of Management. He holds a bachelor's degree in accounting and was a CoSIDA Academic All-District selection in 2017. In addition, Keller is a three-time ACC Honor Roll selection and a seven-time member of the SU Athletic Director's Honor Roll.

Keller played in 42 games for the Orange from 2015-18. As a junior in 2017, he contributed to a Syracuse punting operation that was No. 1 in the ACC (10th nationally) in net average (41.3) and led the conference (fourth nationally) in punt return yardage defense (2.67 avg.). This past season Keller appeared in six games, missing seven due to a collarbone injury. Once again, he was a key component of an Orange punting unit that ranked among the best in the ACC with a 38.5 net average.

Also at Sunday's event, the CNY chapter will establish a permanent scholarship in the name of former Syracuse head coach Dick MacPherson, who helped found the chapter in 2001. Since its inception, the chapter has awarded more than 750 scholarships totaling in excess of $325,000 to matriculated college students.

The National Football Foundation includes 120 chapters in 47 states, oversees the College Hall of Fame in Atlanta, Ga., and has granted over $30 million in scholarships.

The Central New York chapter includes more than 70 high schools and nine colleges. It was formed to support local high schools and colleges in their mission of developing leadership through the life-related lessons football teaches, including teamwork and academic excellence.

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Syracuse University Athletics

Ridlon, Keller Win National Football Foundation CNY Chapter Awards

Players Mentioned

Matt Keller

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