Syracuse Football: Dwight Freeney, Marvin Harrison deserve College HoF

Syracuse football legends Dwight Freeney and Marvin Harrison are on the College Football HoF 2021 ballot.

The 2021 ballot for induction into the College Football Hall of Fame got released on Tuesday, and former Syracuse football stars Dwight Freeney and Marvin Harrison are on the list.

Both are among the finest football players to ever suit up on the Hill, and each deserves inclusion in the College Football Hall of Fame.

Freeney, an All-American defensive end, is a new candidate for induction, while stellar kick returner/wide receiver Harrison is on the ballot for the third-consecutive year, per a report by Nate Mink of Syracuse.com.

In 2001, Freeney was a unanimous first-team All-American, and he holds the NCAA record for career sacks per game, at 1.61, according to an announcement from the National Football Foundation (“NFF”) and the College Hall of Fame.

The 2001 Big East Conference Co-Defensive Player of the Year, Freeney wrapped up his career in Central New York as that conference’s leader in single-season sacks, with 17.5 in 2001. He also set the ‘Cuse program record with 50.5 career tackles for loss.

When Harrison finished his run with the Orange in 1995, at that time he had the most career receiving yards in the squad’s history, with 2,718. What’s more, Harrison was named a first-team All-American in 1995 as a prolific kick returner.

Mink’s article says that if either Freeney or Harrison gets into the HoF, he would represent the “19th Syracuse player or coach enshrined in the college Hall of Fame and the first since Art Monk was inducted in 2012.”

Dwight Freeney and Marvin Harrison, former Syracuse football stars, are deservedly on the 2021 ballot for the College Football HoF.

The NFF and the College Hall of Fame, in their announcement, said that the 2021 ballot features “78 players and seven coaches from the Football Bowl Subdivision and 99 players and 33 coaches from the divisional ranks.”

There are various criteria to receive consideration for the College Football Hall of Fame, such as landing on an All-American first team by one of the primary selectors like the Associated Press. A player is also eligible for the HoF once he is 10 years removed from his college football tenure.

Additionally, and this is important from my perspective, it’s not just a player’s achievements on the field that are taken into consideration for the HoF ballot. The press release says that a candidate “must have proven himself worthy as a citizen, carrying the ideals of football forward into his relations with his community.”

"The statement also notes, “The ballot was emailed today to the more than 12,000 NFF members and current Hall of Famers whose votes will be tabulated and submitted to the NFF’s Honors Courts, which will deliberate and select the class.”"

The College Football Hall of Fame’s 2021 class will get announced early next year, and members are scheduled for their official induction on Dec. 7, 2021, in New York.