5/6: Using A Platform To Give Back

Good in the Game 5/6

May 06, 2025

The National Football Foundation and Notre Dame Athletics jointly honored Patricia Bellia, the University's Faculty Athletics Representative (FAR), with a celebratory NFF Faculty Salute, presented by Fidelity Investments, during a special reception April 12 in South Bend.

Bellia, a professor at Notre Dame Law School since 2000, teaches and conducts research in constitutional law, administrative law, cyberlaw, electronic surveillance law, and copyright law. She joined the University's Faculty Board on Athletics in 2005 and was appointed as the Faculty Athletics Representative in 2009. A former collegiate tennis player, Bellia has been a dedicated advocate for student-athletes for more than two decades.

CLICK HERE to read more about Bellia and the honor from the NFF.

In the latest episode of the Good in the Game Podcast, Texas football head coach Steve Sarkisian sits down with host LaVar Arrington to discuss his coaching career, the coaching influences he's had from Pete Carroll to Nick Saban and how the NFF has been continuing to grow the game.

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: The NFF Saint Louis/Tom Lombardo Chapter held its event April 27, with Blue Angels Lead Solo Pilot John “Gucci” Foley delivering the keynote speech. Gucci, joined by representatives from the tuxedo provider, led the scholar-athletes in imitating a takeoff with their hands.

Top Right: Gavin Bickford, joined by his family and coach Nick Campanile, was honored by the NFF Passaic County Chapter on April 23. Gavin, a quarterback at DePaul Catholic High School (NJ), maintained a 3.9 GPA and will attend Ithaca College (N.Y.) in the fall.

Bottom Right: The NFF Mountain Empire Chapter held its 11th Annual Hall of Fame Induction and Scholar-Athlete Awards Ceremony on April 26, honoring 14 scholar-athletes.

Bottom Left: The NFF James C. Metzger Suffolk County Chapter held its annual banquet on April 27, recognizing members of its Golden 11 Team.

Following the team’s annual spring game on April 19, several Mississippi State football players used their names, images and likenesses (NIL) and embraced the chance to give back.

📰: More Than Football
Mississippi State Athletics

Harold Horton, who served  the University of Arkansas and the Razorback Foundation for more than 40 years as a football student-athlete, assistant football coach, athletic department administrator and as executive director of the Razorback Foundation, passed away on Saturday, May 3, 2025, at the age of 85.

Guadalupe Sanchez, a defensive back at UCLA from 1979-83 who earned All-America honors from the Associated Press during his time for the Bruins, has passed away. He was 63.

Dick Lasse, who played football and wrestled at Syracuse in the late 1950s and was named the Outstanding Lineman for Syracuse in its Cotton Bowl game on January 1, 1957, has passed away. He was 89.

Name: Donald Bailey
College: University of South Carolina (1971)

How has football changed your life?

“Football enabled me to go to college. As one of five boys, my parents could not afford the cost of college. Playing for four years enabled me to get an education that opened doors that may not have opened otherwise. After college, I served as President of my Alumni Association, served on the Letterman’s Association, as well as the Board of Trustees at USC. After my service on the Board, I was instrumental in getting five colleges in my State to start programs for young students with an intellectual disability to go to college. While I did not play professionally, I successfully started and ran an investment advisory firm for 20 years prior to retiring 15 years ago. I give all the credit to sports for giving me the opportunity to get a college education. And the lesson is simply, if you get knocked down you get back up.”

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

May 29 — 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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