Good in the Game Presented by the National Football Foundation - 10/8

Good morning, football fans! “Homer Rice’s passion for developing young people into “champions for life” literally became the blueprint for athletics programs around the nation.”

— National Football Foundation Chairman Archie Manning

Mark Dantonio knew he could win at Michigan State

Mark Dantonio had a motto during his time at Michigan State: “Reach Higher.”

He knew when he arrived in East Lansing that he could build a winner. What he didn’t know on Day 1 was the heights he would eventually take the program — three Big Ten championships, Rose and Cotton Bowl victories, seven AP Top 25 finishes, four 11-win seasons and 114 wins overall.

Click here to read more about Dantonio’s legacy in his 2024 College Football Hall of Fame Spotlight!

It took one meeting for Tim Couch to be
all-in on Mike Leach and Hal Mumme

Tim Couch considered transferring away from Kentucky after Bill Curry was fired following his first season in Lexington.

The coaches Kentucky brought in, Mike Leach and Hal Mumme, were unconventional at that time. It took all of one meeting with the new staff for Couch to realize he was already in the right spot to change college football as we knew it.

Click here to read more about Couch’s legacy in his 2024 College Football Hall of Fame Spotlight!

Danny Hale didn’t know how many wins he had

Danny Hale made a name for himself in the state of Pennsylvania, coaching for 25 years between West Chester (1984-88) and Bloomsburg (1993-2012).

Hale always figured his team didn’t need to look at the scoreboard during games — if they were doing what they were supposed to do, the score would take care of itself. The vast majority of the time, it did. Hale retired with a 213-69-1 mark as a head coach, good for a .754 winning percentage.

Click here to read more about Couch’s legacy in his 2024 College Football Hall of Fame Spotlight!

Horns up in this week’s FWAA-NFF Super 16 Poll!

The Texas Longhorns are back on top of this week’s FWAA-NFF Super 16 Poll, with a No. 2 vs. No. 3 matchup looming this weekend when Ohio State travels to Oregon!

🏈 Week 6 FWAA-NFF Super 16 Poll

Learn more about the game with CFO’s Steve Shaw

The NFF works with College Football Officiating (CFO) throughout the year to make the game better and safer. As part of the relationship, the NFF is pleased to share with our readers the most recent CFO-NCAA Media Video, explaining some of the recent play calls in college football.

COME JOIN US IN LAS VEGAS!

The 66th National Football Foundation Annual Awards Dinner presented by Las Vegas will be here before we know it, and tickets are going fast — buy yours now to ensure you get the NFF discounted rate!

🏈 Buy your tickets now

Warrick Dunn — RB, Florida State

Julius Peppers — DL, North Carolina

Toby Gerhart — RB, Stanford

Paul Posluszny — LB, Penn State

Chris Ward — OL, Ohio State

Kevin Smith — CB, Texas A&M

Eli Cox — Center, Kentucky

Kentucky’s Eli Cox is one of the record-breaking 3,568 graduates playing college football this season. We recently caught up with the Wildcat center, fresh off an upset win at Ole Miss!

What was the biggest factor in deciding to play another season of college football after graduating?
“I just did not want to leave another year of eligibility on the table when I know I could improve more as a player.”

Why did you decide to major in integrated strategic communications with a business minor?
“It was a fun mix of marketing, advertising, public relations and communications all bundled into one for my major. I took a business minor so I could speak the business language. I think that will come in handy for me as well.”

What's your favorite class you've taken at Kentucky, and why?
“My favorite class at UK was called ISC 399 and it was more of an internship so you could get real-world experience. I did mine with Central Bank in their marketing department and it was so cool because they did a lot to event management and corresponded with different companies and sponsors. I loved seeing how they would plan these events and host their customers, and how they strategized to get their message about their company out to these companies.”

How will your degree benefit you in life after football?
“My degree will benefit me in a lot of ways because it’s so versatile. I could go down the PR path or marketing or advertising. The business side of things could even help me go into sales.”

What is the key to balancing a full class schedule and football?
“The key to balancing everything is staying on top of your schedule. You can't procrastinate or let things pile up. Know when assignments are due and get them done early so you don’t have to cram after practice when you’re tired or a night before a game. That syllabus is there to help you.”

Hanold Associates, a boutique executive search firm co-founded by NFF Trustee Jason Hanold, has been acquired by Creative Artist Agency (CAA).

Hanold Associates’ clients include the NFL, MLB, The New York Times, Google, Paramount Global and A+E Networks.

📰: CAA Buys Executive Search Firm Hanold Associates To Bolster Division
^{The Hollywood Reporter}

Vanderbilt earned its biggest win in school history last weekend against No. 1 Alabama, and look who was there to celebrate — the great, great grandson of NFF College Football Hall of Fame coach Dan McGugin!

You can learn more about McGugin’s coaching career at Vanderbilt here.

John Amos, who played football at Colorado State in the late 1950s and early 1960s and later went on to a highly-successful acting career, has passed away. He was 84.

Greg Landry, a star quarterback at UMass in the 1960s before becoming an All-Pro for the Detroit Lions, has passed away. He was 77.

Billy Shaw, a two-way star for Georgia Tech from 1957-60 and Pro Football Hall of Fame member, has passed away. He was 85.

Kerry Burt, an All-Big Ten defensive back for Iowa in 1987 who later served in the Iowa House, has passed away. He was 59.

Larry Davis, a three-year letter-winner at Rice in the late 1960s, has passed away. He was 77.

The NFF posthumously recognized legendary Georgia Tech Athletics Director Homer Rice as a 2024 NFF Leadership Hall of Fame Inductee this past weekend during the Georgia Tech home game against Duke.

His wife Karen accepted a Hall of Fame ring from NFF Trustee and Emeritus NACDA CEO Bob Vecchione, surrounded by other members of his family, as part of the celebration.

Read more about the life and legacy of Rice here.

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