Freeney Selected to College Football Hall
1/9/2023 4:00:00 PM | Football
2001 unanimous All-American still holds NCAA single-season sacks record
One of the best pass rushers in collegiate and professional football history, Syracuse's Dwight Freeney is set to be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.
Still the career sacks leader in NCAA history, the Hartford, Connecticut native becomes the 10th 'Cuse alum to enter the College Football Hall of Fame as a player. There are also nine coaches in the hall of fame who spent at least a portion of their career at Syracuse. In addition to his selection to the College Football Hall of Fame, Freeney is also a finalist for the 2023 Professional Football Hall of Fame class this season.
The 2023 College Football Hall of Fame Class includes: Eric Berry (Tennessee), Michael Bishop (Kansas State), Reggie Bush (USC), Freeney, Robert Gallery (Iowa), LaMichael James (Oregon), Derrick Johnson (Texas), Bill Kollar (Montana State), Luke Kuechly (Boston College), Jeremy Maclin (Missouri), Terance Mathis (New Mexico), Bryant McKinnie (Miami), Corey Moore (Virginia Tech), Michael Stonebreaker (Notre Dame), Tim Tebow (Florida), Troy Vincent (Wisconsin), Brian Westbrook (Villanova) and DeAngelo Williams (Memphis) as its player inductees. Monte Carter (Lakeland/Shepherd), Paul Johnson (Georgia Southern/Navy/Georgia Tech), Roy Kramer (Central Michigan) and Mark Richt (Georgia/Miami) have been selected as the coaches in this class.
The 18 First Team All-America players and four standout coaches in the 2023 Class were selected from the national ballot of 80 players and nine coaches from the Football Bowl Subdivision and 96 players and 33 coaches from the divisional ranks.
"We are extremely proud to announce the 2023 College Football Hall of Fame Class," said Archie Manning, NFF Chairman and a 1989 College Football Hall of Famer from Mississippi. "Each of these men has established himself among the absolute best to have ever played or coached the game, and we look forward to immortalizing their incredible accomplishments."
A unanimous First Team All-American in 2001, Freeney was a finalist for the Bednarik, Lombardi and Nagurski awards as a senior. He also finished ninth in Heisman Trophy voting. He still holds the NCAA career sacks per game record (1.61) and concluded his collegiate career as the single-season sacks record leader (17.5) from the 2001 campaign, which now ranks third. His 4.5 sacks against Virginia Tech on Oct. 21, 2000, set a BIG EAST record.
A two-time unanimous First Team All-Big East performer, Freeney shared the conference's Defensive Player of the Year honors with College Football Hall of Famer Ed Reed in 2001. In addition to his sacks records, he had eight forced fumbles in 2001, which currently places him third in the NCAA record books, and he averaged .67 forced fumbles per game in 2001.
Freeney joins Joe Alexander, Vic Hanson, Ernie Davis, Floyd Little, Larry Csonka, Jim Brown, Tim Green, Dick McPherson and Art Monk as other Orange alumni to be inducted into the hall of fame for their contributions as a player.
A team captain in 2001 and recipient of the Bill Horr Award as the team's most valuable player, Freeney led the Orange to three bowl appearances in his time at SU. His squads came away with victories in the 1999 Music City Bowl and 2001 Insight.com Bowl, in addition to the 1998 BIG EAST Championship team that earned a spot in the Orange Bowl.
He was drafted with the 11th overall pick in the 2002 NFL Draft by the Indianapolis Colts, where he spent 11 seasons. He also played for the Chargers (2013-14), Cardinals (2015), Falcons (2016), Seahawks (2017) and Lions (2017) in his 16-year NFL career. A seven-time Pro Bowl selection, Freeney ranks 18th in NFL history with 125.5 sacks. The Super Bowl XLI Champion played in three Super Bowls in his career and was the 2004 AFC Defensive Player of the Year.
In order to be considered, a player must have received First Team All-America recognition by a selected recognized by the NCAA to determine the consensus All-America team. Additionally, 10 full seasons must have passed after his collegiate career has concluded. His record as a citizen off the field is also weighed.
The 2023 College Football Hall of Fame Class will officially be inducted during the 65th NFF Annual Awards Dinner Presented by Las Vegas on Dec. 5, 2023, at the ARIA Resort & Casino Las Vegas.
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Still the career sacks leader in NCAA history, the Hartford, Connecticut native becomes the 10th 'Cuse alum to enter the College Football Hall of Fame as a player. There are also nine coaches in the hall of fame who spent at least a portion of their career at Syracuse. In addition to his selection to the College Football Hall of Fame, Freeney is also a finalist for the 2023 Professional Football Hall of Fame class this season.
The 2023 College Football Hall of Fame Class includes: Eric Berry (Tennessee), Michael Bishop (Kansas State), Reggie Bush (USC), Freeney, Robert Gallery (Iowa), LaMichael James (Oregon), Derrick Johnson (Texas), Bill Kollar (Montana State), Luke Kuechly (Boston College), Jeremy Maclin (Missouri), Terance Mathis (New Mexico), Bryant McKinnie (Miami), Corey Moore (Virginia Tech), Michael Stonebreaker (Notre Dame), Tim Tebow (Florida), Troy Vincent (Wisconsin), Brian Westbrook (Villanova) and DeAngelo Williams (Memphis) as its player inductees. Monte Carter (Lakeland/Shepherd), Paul Johnson (Georgia Southern/Navy/Georgia Tech), Roy Kramer (Central Michigan) and Mark Richt (Georgia/Miami) have been selected as the coaches in this class.
The 18 First Team All-America players and four standout coaches in the 2023 Class were selected from the national ballot of 80 players and nine coaches from the Football Bowl Subdivision and 96 players and 33 coaches from the divisional ranks.
"We are extremely proud to announce the 2023 College Football Hall of Fame Class," said Archie Manning, NFF Chairman and a 1989 College Football Hall of Famer from Mississippi. "Each of these men has established himself among the absolute best to have ever played or coached the game, and we look forward to immortalizing their incredible accomplishments."
A unanimous First Team All-American in 2001, Freeney was a finalist for the Bednarik, Lombardi and Nagurski awards as a senior. He also finished ninth in Heisman Trophy voting. He still holds the NCAA career sacks per game record (1.61) and concluded his collegiate career as the single-season sacks record leader (17.5) from the 2001 campaign, which now ranks third. His 4.5 sacks against Virginia Tech on Oct. 21, 2000, set a BIG EAST record.
A two-time unanimous First Team All-Big East performer, Freeney shared the conference's Defensive Player of the Year honors with College Football Hall of Famer Ed Reed in 2001. In addition to his sacks records, he had eight forced fumbles in 2001, which currently places him third in the NCAA record books, and he averaged .67 forced fumbles per game in 2001.
Freeney joins Joe Alexander, Vic Hanson, Ernie Davis, Floyd Little, Larry Csonka, Jim Brown, Tim Green, Dick McPherson and Art Monk as other Orange alumni to be inducted into the hall of fame for their contributions as a player.
A team captain in 2001 and recipient of the Bill Horr Award as the team's most valuable player, Freeney led the Orange to three bowl appearances in his time at SU. His squads came away with victories in the 1999 Music City Bowl and 2001 Insight.com Bowl, in addition to the 1998 BIG EAST Championship team that earned a spot in the Orange Bowl.
He was drafted with the 11th overall pick in the 2002 NFL Draft by the Indianapolis Colts, where he spent 11 seasons. He also played for the Chargers (2013-14), Cardinals (2015), Falcons (2016), Seahawks (2017) and Lions (2017) in his 16-year NFL career. A seven-time Pro Bowl selection, Freeney ranks 18th in NFL history with 125.5 sacks. The Super Bowl XLI Champion played in three Super Bowls in his career and was the 2004 AFC Defensive Player of the Year.
In order to be considered, a player must have received First Team All-America recognition by a selected recognized by the NCAA to determine the consensus All-America team. Additionally, 10 full seasons must have passed after his collegiate career has concluded. His record as a citizen off the field is also weighed.
The 2023 College Football Hall of Fame Class will officially be inducted during the 65th NFF Annual Awards Dinner Presented by Las Vegas on Dec. 5, 2023, at the ARIA Resort & Casino Las Vegas.
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