Temple's Palmer Selected for College Football Hall of Fame Class of 2018

PHILADELPHIA - The National Football Foundation (NFF) and College Hall of Fame released its list for the 2018 College Football Hall of Fame inductees, tabbing former Temple stand-out Paul Palmer for the prestigious award. While competing with the Owls, Palmer set numerous school records that remain unbroken to this day, and he will be the first Temple player to earn Hall of Fame recognition for his play on the field.

In all, 10 first-team All-America players and three standout coaches were selected from the national ballot of 75 All-America players and six elite coaches from the Football Bowl Subdivision and the 98 players and 31 coaches from the divisional ranks. Joining Palmer are: Trevor Cobb (Rice), Kerry Collins (Penn State), Dave Dickenson (Montana), Dana Howard (Illinois), Calvin Johnson (Georgia Tech), Ed Reed (Miami), Matt Stinchcomb (Georgia), Aaron Taylor (Nebraska), Charles Woodson (Michigan), and coaches Frank Beamer (Murray State, Virginia Tech), Mack Brown (Appalachian State, Tulane, North Carolina, Texas), and Mel Tjeerdsma (Austin College, Northwest Missouri State).

"We are extremely proud to announce the 2018 College Football Hall of Fame Class," said NFF Chairman Archie Manning. "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."

While Temple boasts three coaches inside the Hall - Glenn "Pop" Warner, Ray Morrison and Wayne Hardin - there has yet to be a former Owl player selected until now. A number of players have been on the ballot such as Steve Joachim, Bill Singletary and John Rienstra, but wait in the wings for their opportunity to join Palmer in the Hall of Fame.

"The honor of earning admittance to the College Football Hall of Fame is overwhelming, and I can't thank the committee enough for both my nomination and selection," Palmer said. "I wouldn't be able to accept this honor without the contributions of my teammates, coaches and the entire Temple community. With Temple football on the rise, I only hope my induction will crack the door for a number of other deserving Owls to gain entrance to the Hall of Fame down the road."

"On behalf of Temple University and Temple Athletics, I would like to congratulate Paul Palmer on his selection to the College Football Hall of Fame," said Director of Athletics Dr. Patrick Kraft. "Paul is one of the greatest running backs in Temple history and in the history of college football, and we are honored that he is one of us."

After ranking among the NCAA leaders in rushing and all-purpose yards as a junior, Palmer led the nation in rushing yards (1,866), rushing yards per game (169.6) and all-purpose yards (2,633) as a senior in 1986, earning a spot as a unanimous first-team All-American. Named the 1986 ECAC Player of the Year and runner-up for the Heisman Trophy, Palmer's record-setting season placed him among the NCAA all-time leaders in all-purpose yards and all-purpose yards per game (239.4).

Overall, Palmer set 23 school records and remains the Owls' career leader in rushing attempts (935), rushing yards (4,895), 100-yard rushing games (21), 200-yard rushing games (6) and all-purpose yards (6,613). He left the college ranks with the sixth highest total for career rushing yards, a mark that still places him in the top 30 of all-time. His career all-purpose yards ranked fourth-best in NCAA history behind only Napoleon McCallum, Darrin Nelson, and Tony Dorsett and still remain ranked in the Top 25. The Potomac, Md., native went on to play in the NFL for the Kansas City Chiefs, Dallas Cowboys and Detroit Lions, earning All-NFL honors as a returner his rookie year. Palmer was inducted into the Temple Athletics Hall of Fame in 2000 and now serves as the radio color analyst for Owls' football games.

"This is really a fitting culmination to an amazing football journey," said former Owls' Head Coach Bruce Arians. "I've been around some great ones but pound-for-pound there were none better than Paul Palmer. He had all the athleticism and talent in the world but what truly separated him was his heart and toughness. You can look at his amazing stats and all those records; they don't show you just how fearless he was running up the middle at his size against some of the top defenses in the country. I can't express how thrilled I am for Paul and how proud I have always been to say I was his coach."

Every year, the NFF selects 10 former collegiate players and three coaches to induct into the College Football Hall of Fame. From a player's perspective, the total selections to date represent just .0002 percent of all 5.12 million who have competed in the sport since 1869, making Palmer a member of one of the sport's most elite groups.

As for current Temple Head Coach Geoff Collins, who recently completed his first season with the Owls (7-6 and the program's first bowl victory since 2011), the Palmer induction will confirm his belief that Temple is among the very best football programs in the country.

"As a college football fan, I understand what an unbelievable honor this is for Paul," Collins said. "It has been an honor for me to get to know him and he has been a great ambassador for Temple football in his role as radio analyst. His induction into the Hall of Fame helps continue to put Temple on the map as one of the best college football programs in the country. His achievements help inspire all of our players past and present."

Temple University Athletics

Temple's Palmer Selected for College Football Hall of Fame Class of 2018

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