5/13: Fran Brown talks ball with us!

Good in the Game 5/13

May 13, 2025

In the latest episode of the Good in the Game Podcast, host LaVar Arrington sits down with the head coach of the Syracuse Orange, Fran Brown. Coach Brown dives into what got him into the game, his time at Georgia winning a national title and why the game of football is so important to him.

Join us to celebrate college football legends such as Montee Ball, Graham Harrell, Michael Strahan, Michael Vick and many, many more at one of the sport's grandest traditions — the 67th NFF Annual Awards Dinner Presented by Las Vegas — Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025, at the iconic Bellagio Hotel & Casino.

The highlight of the Awards Dinner will be the induction of the 2025 College Football Hall of Fame Class, where 18 legendary players and four acclaimed coaches take their place amongst the greatest of all time. The inductees proudly represent every region of the country, 28 collegiate institutions, 11 conferences, and seven decades.

NFF chapters continue with a busy slate of events across the country, celebrating the best scholar-athletes from their respective regions. Collectively, the network will award more than $1 million in local scholarships this year while recognizing 3,500 high school and college student-athletes. Spanning 120 chapters in 47 states, the NFF Chapter Network serves as the heartbeat of a nationwide effort to promote amateur football and instill leadership, sportsmanship, and academic excellence among young players. The movement traces back to 1954, when the Cincinnati Club first discussed forming NFF chapters. Today, more than 12,000 passionate members continue that legacy, dedicated to Building Leaders Through Football. Together, they host more than 300 events annually, reaching 500,000 football players at 5,000 high schools.

Top Left: Akiel Lomotey, a running back and safety at Branford High School, was honored by the NFF Casey-O'Brien/New Haven Chapter on April 27. A standout in the classroom with a 4.2 GPA, Lomotey will attend Harvard this fall.

Top Right: The NFF Southern Indiana Chapter honored 15 scholar-athletes during its annual banquet at the Cambridge Golf Course in Evansville, Indiana, on April 27.

Bottom Right: The NFF Los Angeles Chapter honored 40 scholar-athletes during its event at SoFi Stadium. Recognized for its strong support of girls flag football, ten female players were among the honorees.

Bottom Left: Celebrating its 34th year, the NFF Corrigan/Faircloth Chapter (NC) hosted its annual scholar-athlete awards ceremony on April 28.

The NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) oversight committee has approved a recommendation for an annual 12-game campaign!

Alex Ernst, who worked with Iowa State Athletics for nearly two decades, starting as a student and continuing into a full-time role after his graduation, has passed away. He was 37.

Paul Arendt, who played quarterback at Colorado and led the Buffaloes to the 1969 Liberty Bowl, has passed away. He was 74.

William Hardrick, a senior defensive back at Austin Peay who also spent time at Mississippi State and Miami University, has passed away. He was 22.

Name: Hayden Vavra
High School: Cambridge-Isanti High School (Cambridge, Minn.)
College: Concordia University (St. Paul, Minn.)

Share your football story with us! We want to know what football means to you, the lessons you learned, and the opportunities it provided.

June 2 — 2026 NFF College Football Hall of Fame Ballot released

June 17 — NFF Team of Distinction announced

July 24-26 — Campbell Trophy Summit at Stanford University

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