Former Canadian Football League QB elected into College Football Hall Of Fame
Ex-Georgia Southern quarterback great goes in class with former Valdosta State standout linebacker Jessie Tuggle and former Florida A&M coach Billy Joe.
DALLAS - Former Georgia Southern All-America quarterback Tracy Ham was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame on Tuesday, the National Football Foundation announced.
The foundation announced the Hall of Fame Divisional Class of 2007, which consists of players and coaches from NCAA Division I-AA, Divisions II and III, and the NAIA for induction.
The 2007 class includes Jessie Tuggle, who played linebacker for Valdosta State from 1983-86 and had a 14-year NFL career, and William "Billy" Joe, who won 237 games as coach of Florida A&M, Central State (Ohio) and Cheyney (Pa.). He won five Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference titles with Florida A&M and two NAIA national titles with Central State.
The Divisional Class will be inducted into the Hall of Fame during enshrinement ceremonies July 19-21 in South Bend, Ind. The NFF will announce its induction class of players and coaches from major college football May 9.
Ham started his Georgia Southern playing career in 1983. After just missing out on a playoffs berth in 1984, the following year he led the Eagles to the first of two consecutive I-AA national titles. Georgia Southern only became an I-AA program in 1984.
Ham earned first-team All-America honors his senior year in 1986. Even 20 years following his playing days, Ham still holds more than 20 game, season and career records at Georgia Southern and owns 21 playoff game records.
Ham stands sixth all-time among the Georgia Southern leaders in rushing yards (3,212), first in passing yards (5,757), first in total offense (8,969) and first in career passing TDs (34).
Ham, of Alachua, Fla., was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams in the 1987 NFL draft and went on to play 13 successful seasons in the Canadian Football League. During his days in Canada, he won two Grey Cups and was named the league's MVP in 1989.
"When I first got the envelope all I could say was wow. The 'wow' factor came from knowing where we were as a university at that time. I believed what coach Erk Russell said about how we were going to build this program into a great I-AA program. Now when he was telling me about the vision, we were sitting in trailers at the time. So to take that vision and go through the years, there has been a lot of success and progress, not just for the football program but Georgia Southern and the town of Statesboro as well," Ham said.
Of the 4.7 million student-athletes who have played the game, just over 800 have earned the Hall of Fame distinction.
"We are so proud of Tracy and excited for him," said Sam Baker, GSU's director of athletics. "This is a great honor for him and the Georgia Southern Football community. Tracy played an integral role in the development of the football program. He is well deserving of this award."
playoff game records.
Ham stands sixth all-time among the Georgia Southern leaders in rushing yards (3,212), first in passing yards (5,757), first in total offense (8,969) and first in career passing TDs (34).
Ham, of Alachua, Fla., was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams in the 1987 NFL draft and went on to play 13 successful seasons in the Canadian Football League. During his days in Canada, he won two Grey Cups and was named the league's MVP in 1989.
"When I first got the envelope all I could say was wow. The 'wow' factor came from knowing where we were as a university at that time. I believed what coach Erk Russell said about how we were going to build this program into a great I-AA program. Now when he was telling me about the vision, we were sitting in trailers at the time. So to take that vision and go through the years, there has been a lot of success and progress, not just for the football program but Georgia Southern and the town of Statesboro as well," Ham said.
Of the 4.7 million student-athletes who have played the game, just over 800 have earned the Hall of Fame distinction.
"We are so proud of Tracy and excited for him," said Sam Baker, GSU's director of athletics. "This is a great honor for him and the Georgia Southern Football community. Tracy played an integral role in the development of the football program. He is well deserving of this award."
DALLAS - Former Georgia Southern All-America quarterback Tracy Ham was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame on Tuesday, the National Football Foundation announced.
The foundation announced the Hall of Fame Divisional Class of 2007, which consists of players and coaches from NCAA Division I-AA, Divisions II and III, and the NAIA for induction.
The 2007 class includes Jessie Tuggle, who played linebacker for Valdosta State from 1983-86 and had a 14-year NFL career, and William "Billy" Joe, who won 237 games as coach of Florida A&M, Central State (Ohio) and Cheyney (Pa.). He won five Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference titles with Florida A&M and two NAIA national titles with Central State.
The Divisional Class will be inducted into the Hall of Fame during enshrinement ceremonies July 19-21 in South Bend, Ind. The NFF will announce its induction class of players and coaches from major college football May 9.
Ham started his Georgia Southern playing career in 1983. After just missing out on a playoffs berth in 1984, the following year he led the Eagles to the first of two consecutive I-AA national titles. Georgia Southern only became an I-AA program in 1984.
Ham earned first-team All-America honors his senior year in 1986. Even 20 years following his playing days, Ham still holds more than 20 game, season and career records at Georgia Southern and owns 21 playoff game records.
Ham stands sixth all-time among the Georgia Southern leaders in rushing yards (3,212), first in passing yards (5,757), first in total offense (8,969) and first in career passing TDs (34).
Ham, of Alachua, Fla., was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams in the 1987 NFL draft and went on to play 13 successful seasons in the Canadian Football League. During his days in Canada, he won two Grey Cups and was named the league's MVP in 1989.
"When I first got the envelope all I could say was wow. The 'wow' factor came from knowing where we were as a university at that time. I believed what coach Erk Russell said about how we were going to build this program into a great I-AA program. Now when he was telling me about the vision, we were sitting in trailers at the time. So to take that vision and go through the years, there has been a lot of success and progress, not just for the football program but Georgia Southern and the town of Statesboro as well," Ham said.
Of the 4.7 million student-athletes who have played the game, just over 800 have earned the Hall of Fame distinction.
"We are so proud of Tracy and excited for him," said Sam Baker, GSU's director of athletics. "This is a great honor for him and the Georgia Southern Football community. Tracy played an integral role in the development of the football program. He is well deserving of this award."
playoff game records.
Ham stands sixth all-time among the Georgia Southern leaders in rushing yards (3,212), first in passing yards (5,757), first in total offense (8,969) and first in career passing TDs (34).
Ham, of Alachua, Fla., was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams in the 1987 NFL draft and went on to play 13 successful seasons in the Canadian Football League. During his days in Canada, he won two Grey Cups and was named the league's MVP in 1989.
"When I first got the envelope all I could say was wow. The 'wow' factor came from knowing where we were as a university at that time. I believed what coach Erk Russell said about how we were going to build this program into a great I-AA program. Now when he was telling me about the vision, we were sitting in trailers at the time. So to take that vision and go through the years, there has been a lot of success and progress, not just for the football program but Georgia Southern and the town of Statesboro as well," Ham said.
Of the 4.7 million student-athletes who have played the game, just over 800 have earned the Hall of Fame distinction.
"We are so proud of Tracy and excited for him," said Sam Baker, GSU's director of athletics. "This is a great honor for him and the Georgia Southern Football community. Tracy played an integral role in the development of the football program. He is well deserving of this award."
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