Marshall University Athletics
Parker, Payton on College Football Hall of Fame ballot
10/22/2014 12:00:00 AM | Football
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Running back Chris Parker and quarterback Michael Payton, who helped Marshall to NCAA Division I-AA championships in the 1990s, were named Wednesday among the Divisional Player Candidates on the 2015 College Football Hall of Fame ballot.
The National Football Foundation and College Football Hall of Fame announced the 2015 candidates, who include 75 players and six coaches from the Football Bowl Subdivision and 87 players and 25 coaches from the Divisional ranks.
Although Marshall is now a major college (FBS) program and also was from 1953-81, the players are nominated from the division in which they played. Parker and Payton were with the Herd during the Southern Conference era in Division I-AA.
Parker and Payton played on MU’s 1992 national title team and both were All-America first team selections – Payton in 1992, Parker in ’95. Payton was a two-time SoCon Player of the Year and passed for 9,411 yards from 1989-92, while Parker posted 31 games of 100 or more rushing yards during his career (1991-95) and owns the top three rushing seasons in Herd history.
Marshall already is represented in the College Football Hall of Fame – recently moved to Atlanta – by running back Jackie Hunt; wide receivers Mike Barber and Troy Brown; Coach Jim Donnan; and all-purpose back Harry “Cy” Young, who started his college career at Marshall (1910-11) before heading to Washington & Lee.
Eligible to vote are more than 12,000 NFF members and current Hall of Famers. The announcement of the 2015 Hall of Fame class will be made Jan. 9, 2015 in Arlington, Texas, where the first College Football Playoff Championship Game will be played Jan. 12 at AT&T Stadium.
