Black College Football Hall of Fame Enshrines Seven HBCU Legends in 2022
Seven HBCU legends were selected from 29 Finalists by the ten BCFHOF Selection Committee members to become the Black College Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2022.
"On behalf of the Board of Trustees, congratulations to the Class of 2022," BCFHOF Co-Founder and 2011 Inductee Doug Williams said. "These men should feel proud of this honor. They have been voted some of the best to ever play, coach, or contribute to football at a Historically Black College & University."
The Black College Football Hall of Fame Class of 2022
- Ben Coates (TE, Livingstone College),
- Donald Driver (WR, Alcorn State University),
- John "Big Train" Moody (RB, Morris Brown College, 1939-1941),
- Roscoe Nance (Contributor, Tuskegee University),
- Nate Newton (OL, Florida A&M University),
- William "Billy" Nicks (Coach, Morris Brown College, and Prairie View A&M University)
- Sammy White (WR, Grambling State University).
About the BCFHOF Class of 2022
BEN COATES (Player)
Tight End … Livingstone College (1987-1990) … Finished his college career with 103 receptions, 1,268 yards and 18 touchdowns … Selected by the New England Patriots in the 1991 NFL Draft … New England Patriots (1991-1999 ) … Five-time Pro Bowler … Two-time All-Pro … Baltimore Ravens (2000) … Super Bowl XXXV Champion … Born August 16, 1969.
DONALD DRIVER (Player)
Wide Receiver … Alcorn State University (1995-1998 ) … Finished his college career with 88 receptions for 1,993 yards … Five-time “Athlete of the Year” … Selected by the Green Bay Packers 7th round of the 1999 NFL Draft … Green Bay Packers (1999 - 2012) Four-time Pro Bowler … Super Bowl XLV Champion … Green Bay Packers franchise leader for receptions and yards … Born February 2, 1975.
JOHN “BIG TRAIN” MOODY (Player)
Running Back … Morris Brown College … Black College National Champion (1940) … Moody accumulated 290 total points and set a record for black college football players which stood until 1948 … All-American … Born 1917 … Died 1995.
NATE NEWTON (Player)
Offensive Lineman … Florida A&M University (1979-1982 ) … All Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference tackle (1980) … Washington Football Team (1983) … Tampa Bay Bandits (1984-1985) … Dallas Cowboys (1986-1998) … Six-time Pro Bowler (1992-1996 , 1998) … Two-time All-Pro … Carolina Panthers (1999) … Born December 20, 1961.
ROSCOE NANCE (Contributor)
The Clarion Ledger's first Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) reporter, the paper's first black sportswriter and a journalist later known around the country as the dean of black college sportswriters 1978–1985 … USA Today Sports Writer 1986-2007 … Founding Member of and President of the SWAC Alumni Association … Born December 8, 1948 … Died January 9, 2020.
WILLIAM “BILLY” NICKS (Coach)
Coach … Morris Brown College 1930-1935, 1937-1939, 1941-1942; Prairie View A&M University 1945-1957 and 1952-1965 … His record at Morris Brown was 65–21–13 … His 1941 team was named "Black College National Champions" by Pittsburgh Courier … His career record at Prairie View A&M University was 126–36–8, the winningest coach in school history … Nicks led the Panthers to five black college national titles and six Southwestern Athletic Conference titles … Born August 2, 1905 … Died November 2, 1999.
SAMMY WHITE (Player)
Wide Receiver … Grambling State University (1972-1975 ) … First-team All-Southwestern Athletic Conference selection (1973) and (1975). As a senior, White caught 37 passes for 802 yards and 17 touchdowns… Selected by the Minnesota Vikings in the second round of the 1976 NFL Draft … Associated Press Offensive Rookie of the Year … UPI NFL-NFC Rookie of the Year award … Two-time Pro Bowl selection in 1976 and 1977… Minnesota Vikings (1976–1985)… 128 career games, 393 receptions, 6,400 receiving yards, and 50 touchdowns.… Born March 16, 1954.
The Class of 2022's induction ceremony was held at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta, Georgia during the Black College Football Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony & Juneteenth Celebration, Presented by the Atlanta Falcons on Saturday, June 18.